TAHLEQUAH, Oklahoma -- The Cherokee Nation broke ground Thursday morning on the tribe's latest effort to preserve part of its past. The John Ross school house, built in 1913, is being refurbished.

John Ross is buried in the Ross Cemetery in Tahlequah, Okla., where many of his descendants live, said Evelyn Ross, who lives in Oklahoma. "Tahlequah is the capital of the Western Cherokee Nation ...

CJR Regent Jessica Dumitru noted, “Built in 1797 near the intersection of several Cherokee trails, the John Ross House is linked to early settlements in Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama.

The Chief John Ross House is open during the summer months of June through August on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Group tours may be arranged at other times by calling 706 ...

Cherokee Nation works to open Ross museum. December 14, 2010 at 1:00 a.m. | Updated December 14, 2010 at 1:00 a.m.

The new John Ross Museum is located Park Hill and features exhibits and interactive displays that highlight the life of John Ross, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation for more than 38 years.