Chickasaw Country

Left OKC on Tuesday morning after an appointment with OTRD/OK Tourism, drove south, towards Davis, to have BBQ at Smoking Joes Rib Ranch. Food was good, but even better were our "surprise visitors", Michael and Rebecca Roberts, who we know from several visits in Germany for AMERICANA in Augsburg. 

On to the Chickasaw Cultural Center in Sulphur, which is still one of the greatest Native American Cultural Centers in the U.S.A. We got a tour inside, through the exhibitions, and, outside, where Native structures are reconstructed and different activities take place. We watched a performance of stomp dance - the typical dance style of this tribe.

 

Explored the Chickasaw Recreational Area afterwards, with waterfalls, swimming holes (wish we would have brought our bathing suits!) and, a bison viewpoint. Beautiful landscape! 

 

Hot, hot day, till late afternoon, when clouds came up. We checked in in the Artesian Hotel, operated by the tribe and built as a replica of the original hotel from 1906 in Sulphur Springs. After more than 50 years of popularity with upscale clientele who sought remedy in the spring water, The Artesian was destroyed by a fire in1962 and revived by the Chickasaw Indian tribe in 2013. We still explored the great Art Gallery complex nearby and strolled along Main Street before we called it a day.