The Cherokee Heritage Center in Park Hill near Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was established to preserve Cherokee history, language, crafts, and cultural artifacts while also supporting genealogy research for the Cherokee people. Begun in 1962 under retired Army Colonel Marty Hagerstrand with support from Cherokee Nation Principal Chief William Wayne Keeler, it developed on the site of the old Cherokee Seminary. Construction of its permanent campus began in 1966 using traditional methods and native materials to recreate historic Cherokee building techniques. Its museum collections, reconstructed villages, art shows, and long-running outdoor drama have made it a central institution for Cherokee history, memory, and cultural continuity.