Delaware Tribe Announces New Lenape Cultural Center and Wellness Facility

Delaware Tribe Announces New Lenape Cultural Center and Wellness Facility

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. (Cherokee411) — The Delaware Tribe of Indians has unveiled plans for two major construction projects aimed at strengthening cultural preservation and promoting community wellness: a new Lenape Cultural Center and a Gymnasium and Wellness Center.

The 6,000-square-foot Lenape Cultural Center will feature a museum, exhibit space, classrooms, and climate-controlled, museum-grade storage. The facility is designed to support the return and long-term preservation of tribal artifacts.

“Currently, museums are reluctant to return our items because we lack the tools to properly preserve them,” Chief Brad KillCrow said in a statement. “With temperature- and humidity-controlled storage, we can once again reclaim our heritage.”

Tribal members Annette Ketchum, Joe Baker, Rusty Creed Brown, and Jeremy Johnson are contributing to the center’s design. Final architectural renderings will be shared with the public once completed.

Adjacent to the Cultural Center, the Tribe is also constructing a 26,000-square-foot Gymnasium and Wellness Center. The facility will include a full indoor basketball court with an overhead walking track, a weight room, showers, lockers, a classroom, kitchen, and storage areas.

Both projects are currently in the design and pre-construction phase and are expected to be completed by December 2026.