Vinita - Historic Homes
Vinita - (Dowingville)
The Original Will Rogers Rodeo, held every August, is the only rodeo which Will Rogers specifically asked to be held in his name. Having attended college in Vinita, Rogers wanted a rodeo held here for him to come home to. Tragically, he was killed in a plane crash just weeks before his first namesake rodeo. The event has been held in his honor every year since.
Vinita hosts The World's Largest Calf Festival and Cook Off in September. An annual event since 1979, this festival draws thousands from a four-state area. This is the Mecca for calf fry connoisseurs and arts and crafts people.
VINITA - COUNTY SEAT OF CRAIG COUNTY
The Craig County Courthouse was created at statehood from two-thirds of Recording District 3 in the Old Cherokee Nation. It was named after Granville Craig, a prominent Cherokee merchant in the area.
The County Seat is in Vinita, which was once renowned railroad town that was established in 1871 by the Cherokee attorney, Elias C. Boudinot. Situated at a strategic crossroads, the town eventually became a territorial recording town and an important commercial center. From 1907 to 1910 county commissioners rented offices in Vinita from W. E. Haskell. His two-story brick building, constructed in 1898, has been used as a federal courthouse. In 1908, a stone vault was added to protect county records. Today the Craig County Courthouse is the center of all county trials, records, and offices.
Historic Homes
There are 38 recognized pre-statehood and early statehood era homes in Vinita. Self guided walking tours and maps with narratives on the homes are available at Eastern Trails Museum and the Vinita Chamber of Commerce. There is now a video available that can view at the library or museum. Please call in advance the Vinita Public Library if a guided tour is needed for a group of people.
A few listings-
223 S. Smith- Built around 1884 by M. E. Milford. Mr. Milford was the business manager and later the owner of the " Indian Chieftain", the daily newspaper. He was also one of the organizers of the First National Bank in 1892, the second bank in Indian Territory.
147 S. Adair- Built in the early 1900's by Lucien Buffington, cousin of Cherokee Chief Tom Buffington. Mr. Buffington was also one of the organizers of the First National Bank and later served as its first Vice-President. He was a member of the Vinita Town site Board in 1898.
146 S. Adair- Built by John Turner in 1904. Hew was active in support of statehood for the two territories. He was elected one of the members of the State Supreme Court in 1906, a post he held until 1919.
439 N. Foreman- Built in 1897 by W. H. Kornegay, a prominent Vinita Attorney and Jurist. Mr. Kornegay was a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1906, and took an active part in writing that document. He was also instrumental in the naming of this county "Craig" for a close friend at Welch, Granville Craig.
451 N. Foreman- This magnificent home was a wedding gift. It was built in 1889 by J. O. Hall for his daughter, Ludie, at the time of her marriage to Luman Parker, Jr., an Attorney and later Judge. Mr. Hall, a wealthy cattleman, is said to have had the glass for stained glass windows of this house shipped in from France.
102 S. Third- One of the earlier homes in Vinita, this brick structure was built by W.O Trott, who was in this area before the railroads came through in 1868.
