Although Mohawk Lodge Indian Store in Clinton, Okla., didn’t start business on Route 66, its founding predates the historic road by several decades and even Oklahoma statehood.
Located at 22702 Route 66 North just east of Clinton, Mohawk Lodge has been there since about 1940. But the American Indian craft store’s origin dates to Colony, Okla., in 1892, when it was started by the Dutch Reform Church of New York to create a way for local Indians to sell their wares. In fact, a small house next door to the current business in Clinton is the original meeting house in Colony.
Mohawk Lodge moved to Watonga, Okla., in 1907, then later to Clinton.
The business was purchased by M.B. Moore, a Creek Indian, not long after it moved to Clinton. After that, it was owned by Nellie Stevens, who was part Comanche and part Cherokee, for another 30 years.
Nellie’s daughter, Patricia Henry, shown above with an earlier photo of Colony that shows the original Mohawk Lodge structure, has owned it for the past 14 years.
“We’re a museum and a store,” Henry said. That is obvious with all of the historic photos and intricate Indian apparel on display, including quite a bit of it under glass that isn’t for sale.
Henry says that all of her merchandise is truly Indian-made. “I don’t carry anything from Taiwan or China,” she said. It carries traditional beadwork, hand-woven blankets, tanned hides and pottery.
It’s one of the most impressive Indian crafts stores I’ve seen, and Patricia will be more than happy to tell you stories about the history and people who owned Mohawk Lodge.
(Mohawk Lodge’s phone number is 580-323-2360. It’s west of Exit 69 of Interstate 40.)
I am trying to reach Patricia Henry. I am holding a large photo of what I believe to be her, with 2 other men, in the Mohonk Lodge Trading Post in Clinton, OK.
It is most urgent that I reach her. Any assistance is appreciated.
Gwen Yeaman
gwen@nativeappraisal.com
317-625-8831
The phone number is listed in the story above, Gwen.
do you have mohawk made wedding vase
The person who owned the Mohonk T.P. was not M.B. Moore, but N.B. Moore, and his full name was Napoleon Bonaparte Moore. He was part Indian. I think his wife actually owned the place.The first time I met him I had on jeans, Kaibab moccasins and a cowboy hat and he looked up and said, “What you got to sell or trade?” What he had, I recall, wincing, was four dance shirts, three tanned hide and one muslin, the latter a Sun Dance shirt. Two of the leather had horsehair tassels, one had human scalp tassels. Sounds like a fairy tale but this was a long time ago. He wanted $150 for the scalp shirt, $100 for the horsehair shirts and I don’t recall what he was asking for the muslin shirt, all of which would be worth a fortune now. I had a hundred and fifty dollars but that was about all I had so I bought nothing. One of my several “kick myself” stories.
I could add to this but the rest is from later and not overly complimentary so I won’t.
Back in the 1950’s I would drive through going to Anadarko, OK, for the bit national pow wow…N.B. Moore was always kind to me and priced things generously in my favor…I remember buying a box (shoe box size) full of dentalium shells that still had the shippers address and French stamps…used them to make things for years, even gave a few away…today the box is more interesting. Some place in Brittany as I recall.
It’s good to see that the store still exists…it has truly been a while and I only looked you up on a hunch. KDG, Esq.