Mohawk Lodge Indian Store

The Mohawk Lodge's origin runs back to 1892, when Mennonite missionaries established the Cheyenne and Arapaho Mission near the small town of Colony, Oklahoma — roughly 30 miles south of present-day Clinton. The mission included a school, a small chapel, and a trading post intended to provide a fair-priced retail outlet for the surrounding Cheyenne and Arapaho families. The trading post side of the operation quickly outgrew the mission's other functions and became the durable institution that survives today.

The lodge relocated in the 20th century to its present site along the original alignment of US Highway 66 between Clinton and Weatherford — a move that aligned the store with the booming postwar tourist traffic that defined Route 66 commerce in the 1940s and 1950s. The relocation also gave the store its current single-story building, which has been continuously expanded and renovated over the decades but retains the modest working-trading-post character.

The store's interior is organized along the traditional trading-post layout — glass display cases lining the walls and forming central islands, with the highest-value items under glass and the bulkier items displayed on open shelving. The beadwork selection is the lodge's specialty and includes finished items in the traditional Cheyenne and Arapaho geometric-style patterns — beaded moccasins, beaded belt buckles, beaded medallions, beaded barrettes. Prices range from $20 for small consignment medallions to several thousand dollars for elaborate ceremonial pieces.

Pendleton blankets — the iconic wool blankets produced by the Pendleton Woolen Mills in Oregon and used as gifts at pow-wows, namings, and other ceremonies — anchor the textile section. Silver jewelry from Navajo and Zuni artisans, hand-coiled pottery, and a small but well-curated selection of Native American books and music round out the merchandise.

The lodge is open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 5pm, and closed Sundays. Hours can shift slightly with the season and with staffing — calling ahead (580-323-2360) is the most reliable way to confirm hours before a long drive.

Plan for 30 minutes to an hour for a typical visit. Serious collectors can easily spend 90 minutes or longer. The staff is patient with questions and genuinely knowledgeable about the artisans and traditions behind the merchandise. Bring a credit card or cash; for larger purchases, the staff can arrange shipping back to your home address.