Home / Lifestyle / Milam Family Celebrates 140 Years of Thanksgiving Tradition
Milam Family Celebrates 140 Years of Thanksgiving Tradition
7 Dec, 2025
Summary
- The Milam family reunited for their 140th Thanksgiving celebration.
- Descendants toured historic Chelsea, Oklahoma, visiting significant family sites.
- A new museum in Chelsea highlights the Milam family's role in its founding.
For 140 years, the Milam family has maintained a cherished Thanksgiving tradition, with this year's reunion drawing relatives from across the United States. The gathering in Claremore, Oklahoma, was followed by a commemorative tour of Chelsea, the town where the family first settled. This visit allowed descendants to connect with their roots by exploring six historically significant sites, including the Chelsea Milam House.
The tour coincided with a preview of the new Chelsea Area Historical Museum, set to open soon. Funded by a $325,000 revitalization grant, the museum occupies a restored 1904 building that once housed the Bank of Chelsea. The exhibits prominently feature the Milam family's integral role in establishing the bank, which was the first in Indian Territory, and their contributions to the local oil industry.
Family members expressed pride in seeing their ancestors' legacy preserved. The museum, which features research by historian Bob Blackburn and writing by John Wooley, acknowledges figures like William Milam, a bank founder, and his son J.B. Milam, a former principal chief of the Cherokee Nation. Other local heroes like Will Rogers and Andy Payne are also honored, underscoring Chelsea's rich historical tapestry.
