Original Landscape

The original river front landscape of The American Indian Cultural Center and Museum site featured sandstone bluffs, natural wetlands and diverse native vegetation. The North Canadian River is a tributary of the Canadian River, approximately 440 miles (708.1 km) long, flowing through New Mexico, the Texas Panhandle, and most of Oklahoma. In 2004, a 7-mile stretch of the river, south of the downtown central business district, including The American Indian Cultural Center and Museum site was renamed the Oklahoma River. The Center is the eastern anchor for the Oklahoma River development and one of several Brownfield projects eliminating environmental and human health impacts of their industrial history.

Oklahoma River

The North Canadian River, Oklahoma City’s original prairie river, was straightened and channelized in the 1950s to alleviate chronic flooding issues downtown, leaving a mostly dry channel devoid of habitat. In the 1990s, the City partnered with the US Army Corps of Engineers for an ecosystem restoration project that created three river lakes, several wetlands, river trails, and a more stable river system. Prior to this The American Indian Cultural Center and Museum development site was almost entirely in the “100 Year” floodplain. In 2004, a seven-mile portion of the North Canadian River flowing through the middle of Oklahoma City that was renamed the Oklahoma River.

Industrial Period

In the recent century the site experienced extensive disruption and contamination to its pristine environment. The condition of the 220 acre  site was altered with the discovery of oil in the early 1930s. The site, part of Oklahoma City Field No. 1 realized significant oil and gas exploration. In excess of fifty six (56) oil/gas wells were drilled on the property. The majority of these wells were plugged shortly after completion. The site was covered with oil wells, sludge pits and storage tanks associated with oil and gas production. In the 80 years since the exploration began on the site, the wells and collector pipes have been abandoned, sludge pits covered over, and most of the physical equipment removed. The site’s industrial history is reflected in the infrastructure and damage left from its former use for oil extraction. Left on site were numerous roads, oil lines, storage tanks and surface contaminants. Varying amounts of illegal dumping activity occurred as well. Nearly one million cubic yards of soil was dredged from the North Canadian River and placed on The American Indian Cultural Center and Museum site.

Today the site has:

• One active oil/gas well
• Two non-producing oil/gas wells
• A salt water injection well
• Two tank batteries 
• Numerous oil/gas distribution and high pressure transmission underground pipelines.