Cherokee Nation hails approval of land-into-trust application for health center

Thursday, August 3, 2017  

The Cherokee Nation is celebrating the approval of another land-into-trust application in Oklahoma.

A 240-acre site that houses the Cooweescoowee Health Center is now part of the tribe's trust land base. The acquisition brings the total of number of acres in trust to 61,709 acres.

“Cherokee Nation remains dutiful in exploring ways to continuously develop our land base and utilize our sovereign rights as a tribal government,” Secretary of State Chuck Hoskin Jr. said in a press release.

The tribe opened the $10 million Cooweescoowee Health Center in May 2015. It's located in Ochelata, a small community in Washington County.

“Every day in the Cherokee Nation we are furthering our goal of creating a stronger and more viable future for the next seven generations,” said Dick Lay, a council member whose district includes Ochelata.

Tribal leaders met with the Bureau of Indian Affairs recently to sign the deed for the site.