Travelin’ Arklahoma: Sequoyah’s Cabin – A short drive to visit a cornerstone of Cherokee History
- Dennis McCaslin
- Jun 24, 2025
- 3 min read
Just outside Sallisaw along State Highway 101, sits a cabin that helped shape the identity of a nation.
Built by Sequoyah in 1829, this modest log structure was home to the Cherokee inventor of the syllabary--a written language that gave his people the tools to preserve their history, teach their children, and govern their communities.
Sequoyah, also known as George Guess or Gist, had already developed the 85-character syllabary by the time he moved west to Indian Territory. But before that, he served his people in another way—as a soldier.
During the Creek War of 1813–1814, Sequoyah was one of nearly 600 Cherokee warriors who fought alongside General Andrew Jackson and Sam Houston at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, a decisive conflict that ended Creek resistance in the Southeast.
His service earned him a military pension and deepened his commitment to Cherokee sovereignty.
From this cabin near Big Skin Bayou, he continued to promote literacy among the Cherokee. In the 1840s, he left on a final journey into Mexico to reunite with a group of Cherokee settlers and died there; his burial place remains unknown.
After Sequoyah’s death, his widow sold the cabin logs and land in 1855 to George Blair, a fellow Cherokee who had endured the Trail of Tears. Blair moved the logs slightly and built a second cabin alongside the original, joining the two with a central stone chimney.
That combined structure still stands today, just yards from the Blair Cemetery, where George and his wife Nancy Blythe Blair are buried.
The Blair family maintained the property for over 80 years, passing it down to Thomas Blair and others. In 1936, they deeded the land and cabin to the Oklahoma Historical Society, which began formal preservation efforts.
As part of a New Deal project during the Great Depression, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) constructed a native stone building around Sequoyah’s cabin to protect it from weather and deterioration.
That building still surrounds the original logs, allowing the cabin to be viewed safely while preserving its structure.
The WPA also installed a windmill-powered water tower, which distributed water to various buildings on the property. These infrastructure improvements--stone walls, gravel roads, and the water system--provided both function and protection, blending history with the practical needs of a public site.
In 2016, the Cherokee Nation purchased the site from the state for $100,000 and continues to operate it today. Under tribal ownership, efforts have expanded to include educational programming and new exhibits.
One significant addition is the current and ongoing reconstruction of a historic log cabin from the Gore area, carefully moved and restored at the site. This new structure, similar in age and design to Sequoyah’s original home, offers space for interactive exhibits and cultural demonstrations. Together, the old and new cabins will provide a more complete picture of 19th-century Cherokee life in eastern Oklahoma.
The site is located at 470288 Highway 101, Sallisaw, OK 74955. From downtown Sallisaw, drive north on U.S. Highway 59 for 3.5 miles, then turn east on State Highway 101. Drive for 7 miles, and look for the Sequoyah's Cabin Historic Site sign on the right.
The grounds include parking, shaded picnic areas, and informative signs. Admission is free, and the site is open Tuesday through Saturday.
Sequoyah’s Cabin is a place where history, heritage, and community come together. From the language born within its walls to the generations that protected it, this site continues to tell a story worth hearing and preserving.
