Muskogee: History, Culture and Lakes

The Three Rivers Area associated with Muskogee County is where the Arkansas, Grand and Verdigris rivers meet. This regional connection to rivers sits alongside historic sites, museums and lakes. When planning your hotel stay, you can first decide whether to focus on fort history and culture or activities on the water.

Fort history and historic sites

Fort Gibson State Historic Site is located on Oklahoma Highway 80 on the northern edge of Fort Gibson. It was the first military post in Indian Territory. The wooden stockade is a reconstruction; the site includes a museum, visitor center, bookstore and several historic rooms. Here, you can encounter both the history of the post and a reconstructed fortification.

Honey Springs Battlefield also combines a historic site with specific ways to explore the grounds: the Battle of Honey Springs was the largest of more than 107 documented armed engagements in Indian Territory. The battlefield has six hiking trails with 55 interpretive signs. Every two years, a multi-day reenactment is held, featuring military drills, demonstrations and living history programs. If you are planning around this particular event, check the date before your trip.

Museums, culture and film history

The Five Civilized Tribes Museum focuses on the culture and heritage of the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee Creek and Seminole; artifacts illustrate the history of each of these peoples in Oklahoma. The museum building was constructed in 1875 as the first Union Agency. Annual lectures and art exhibitions round out the program.

The Three Rivers Museum presents the multiethnic history and heritage of the Three Rivers Area in eastern Oklahoma. Behind the museum, visitors can climb aboard a diesel locomotive from the 1940s. The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., unless otherwise announced on its website or Facebook page. Check these updates before your visit.

The Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame is located in the historic Frisco Depot in Muskogee. The Roxy Theater is a venue for film festivals, concerts, film screenings and presentations by local talent; it is the only remaining Roxy Theater in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Movie Hall of Fame offers insight into Oklahoma’s film history.

Lakes and outdoor activities

Boating and fishing are possible at Fort Gibson Lake. The lake covers 19,990 surface acres and has 225 miles of shoreline. Facilities at the lake include boat ramps, campgrounds, swimming beaches and marinas. Fish species include largemouth bass, white bass, crappie, various catfish and panfish. Bald eagles are often seen at Fort Gibson Lake in winter.

The 930-acre Greenleaf Lake is located within Greenleaf State Park. The park has campgrounds, family recreation facilities and nature trails. It also features buildings made of native stone, built in the 1930s by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). At Greenleaf Lake, historic structures are therefore part of the experience alongside the natural setting.

Fort Gibson Wildlife Management Area includes a 3,500-acre waterfowl refuge with nine wetland units. For activities along different routes through the landscape, Camp Gruber ORV Park caters to mountain bikers, climbers, hikers and horseback riders. The 450-acre facility is open year-round and offers pavilions, picnic tables, grills and basic camping.

Events throughout the year

The 132-acre Honor Heights Park has a rose garden, hiking trails, ponds and an arboretum. The Azalea Festival is held there every April, followed by Symphony in the Park in June. In May, The Castle of Muskogee hosts the Oklahoma Renaissance Festival; the site includes a 20-acre Renaissance Village. If a particular event determines your travel plans, check the date in advance.

Discover more destinations: Muskogee, Warner, Tulsa, Noble County, Garfield County, Pawnee County, Payne, Grady County.

For the broader travel overview: Oklahoma.