Cherokee Nation Buys Will Rogers' Birthplace Ranch

The ranch where Will Rogers was born in Oologah is now officially the property of the Cherokee Nation.

The tribe bought it for $1 million from the Oklahoma Historical Society, which signed it over in a ceremony Monday.

Cherokee leaders said they're excited to not only get this land back in the Cherokee Nation, but to also continue to keep the memory of Will Rogers alive.

Chuck Hoskin Jr., the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, said this signing was several years in the making.

"It feels good, because this has been a years-long process, in fact it started under my predecessor Chief Baker, Deputy Chief Warner and I carried it on," said Hoskin, Jr.

Hoskin, Jr. said their ownership of the property will bring a fresh perspective for the birthplace ranch.

"We're going to make sure that it's repaired and restored in a way that's true to history, and that will be here for generations,” said Hoskin, Jr. “We'll also make it more accessible to the public. We can market this in a way that will increase tourism here. That's good for the region."

The Oklahoma Historical Society is thankful to the Cherokee Nation for buying the property, and putting time, money, and resources into it to make it great.

"The Cherokee Nation has the resources to devote to making this place better, and then this allows us to put other resources that we were using here, into other properties and to continue maintaining them and telling the story,” said Trait Thompson, the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Historical Society.

Hoskin, Jr. said their goal with the ranch is to help new generations of people remember who Will Rogers was and all of the lives he touched.

"One of the most popular people in the world, in popular culture, in news, even in politics,” said Hoskin, Jr. “He has staying power, and I think we have an opportunity though to tell the whole of the story."

Hoskin said what made Will Rogers the person he was, was his childhood and growing up on tribal land.

"He really, as we all, I think, do, got his early shaping of who he was going to be when he was a child,” said Hoskin, Jr, “Where was he a child? Right here in the Cherokee Nation."

The money from the sale will go to help maintain and renovate the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore.