Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center

Didn't enjoy the museum. Found it to be lacking. The museum BEFORE the renovation had more interesting exhibits. It's a beautiful building. The grounds are nice. The new exhibits are limited. Really enjoyed the old photographs they used to have downstairs. Need more history exhibits on pioneers, local native Americans , the hispanics and Chinese workers who helped build the local railroad (cemetery nearby with several of the workers buried there), local incidents w klan, etc.

Very nice place to learn about the land run and local info about Enid. The facility is very modern and they have a great theatre inside where you watch a 20 min history wrap-up. We didn't get a chance to see the schoolhouse and outbuildings this time because there wasn't an available guide (apparently required). I was with two of my kids and it's not super kid-friendly but has a nice gift shop for them. I will definitely go back when I'm not having to watch the kids so much.

We visited Enid, OK to search the history of my wife's great grandparents who were part of the Oklahoma Land Rush and who lived near / in Enid until the Dust Bowl. We just thought we'd see the town, schools and what we thought was a small (sorry to say, but 'hokey') museum. Boy, did we ever have a pleasant surprise!The Heritage Center is very modern and the exhibits are first class. The citizens and donors of Enid are heartily congratulated on this first-class museum and cultural center. We spent the afternoon here and had to return the next morning to complete our visit.The exhibits trace the opening of this area of Oklahoma from the resettlement of the Civilized Tribes, its status as a hunting ground for Native Americans, the repurchase of it for eventual settlement, the Land Rush, pioneering life, oil discoveries (including the geology of the area and the astrobleme petrol find) and Phillips University. Each exhibit has an interactive display of specific events, photos, and narratives with very well preserved and displayed artifacts of the period.At the time of our visit, there was a temporary display of the history of Vance AFB with first hand narratives of the servicemen who served there from World War II through the 1960's and its current use as the AF training center. I only wish I had our grandson with us as he would have really enjoyed this part of the exhibit as there were a lot of 'touchables'... maybe a future visit?Part of the tour is outside led by a local docent. It includes the original Land Office used during the Rush is displayed and open with furnishings of that period - one could almost feel the presence of the people who were registering claims or signing up for the Rush. A furnished Victorian house, Episcopal prairie church and one room school house are also on the grounds. all buildings are in excellent repair - just like they would have been in their respective historical periods.The school house is used to host interested fourth grade classes from Oklahoma who want to experience what a day at this school would be like back in the late 1800's or early 1900's. Wow! What a great way to be able to live history!!!There is an archive and archivist in the basement of the Center and its open for searches of the families who participated and registered claims during the Land Rushes along with other document searches.If you want to know America and learn of its pioneers, this Center is a must see... its right on the Chisolm Trail and next to the Government Springs 'watering hole' of that era. Modern highways to it are outstanding; wide and well maintained.