Hunter's Home

Tucked away in the rolling hills of Park Hill near Tahlequah, Hunter's Home is one of Oklahoma's most remarkable historic landmarks. Built in 1845, it is the state's only surviving antebellum plantation mansion and offers a rare glimpse into life in the Cherokee Nation before the Civil War. The elegant Greek Revival home was built by Virginia-born merchant George Murrell and his wife, Minerva Ross, a member of one of the most influential Cherokee families and niece of Principal Chief John Ross. More than just a beautiful home, Hunter's Home tells a complex story of Oklahoma's past. Following the Cherokee people's forced removal along the Trail of Tears, the Murrell family established a prosperous plantation here, reflecting both the wealth of some Cherokee families and the difficult realities of slavery that existed within portions of the Cherokee Nation during that era. Today, the site encourages visitors to explore these intertwined histories with honesty and perspective. The property has been carefully restored as a living history museum featuring the original mansion, a recreated Cherokee farmstead, historic gardens, livestock, and demonstrations of 19th-century cooking, gardening, blacksmithing, and other traditional crafts. Walking the grounds provides a vivid sense of what daily life was like in Indian Territory during the 1840s and 1850s. Designated a National Historic Landmark and part of the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, Hunter's Home is much more than a preserved mansion—it's one of Oklahoma's most important windows into the state's early history and the diverse cultures that shaped it. Whether you're interested in architecture, Cherokee history, the Civil War era, or simply discovering one of Oklahoma's hidden treasures, Hunter's Home is well worth the visit.