Tahlequah is a city in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, in the Green Country region of the state's northeast, near the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. It serves as the county seat and, more notably, as the capital of the Cherokee Nation. The city's population was about 16,300 in the 2020 census. Tahlequah's history is inseparable from Cherokee history. The community was established in 1839 as the capital of the Cherokee Nation in Indian Territory, following the forced removal of the Cherokee people from the American Southeast along the Trail of Tears. In 1843 the Cherokee National Council passed an act incorporating the town, making Tahlequah the oldest municipality in Oklahoma. That heritage remains central to the city today, with the Cherokee Nation's government, institutions, and cultural presence shaping civic life and identity. Education is another pillar of the community. Northeastern State University, the fourth-largest four-year institution in Oklahoma and the second-oldest four-year public institution west of the Mississippi River, has its main campus in Tahlequah, with roughly 6,000 of its approximately 8,000 students enrolled there. The university contributes to the city's economy and to a steady flow of cultural, athletic, and community activity. Tahlequah's setting adds a strong outdoor dimension. The city lies near the Illinois River, a popular destination for float trips and kayaking, and Lake Tenkiller, a major eastern Oklahoma reservoir for boating, fishing, and camping. The surrounding Ozark foothills provide a scenic, forested backdrop. Together, the Cherokee capital heritage, the university, and the rivers-and-lakes setting make Tahlequah a distinctive small city, appealing to those seeking cultural depth, educational opportunity, and outdoor recreation in northeastern Oklahoma.