▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁few ▁buildings ▁to ▁surv ive ▁in ▁Ch ero kee ▁lands ▁from ▁the ▁ante bell um ▁period ▁between ▁the ▁Tra il ▁of ▁T ears ▁re location ▁of ▁the ▁Ch ero kee ▁people ▁and ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁a ▁major ▁social ▁center ▁of ▁the ▁el ite ▁among ▁the ▁Ch ero kee ▁in ▁the ▁mid - n in ete enth ▁century . ▁ ▁It ▁has ▁been ▁owned ▁by ▁the ▁state ▁since ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁and ▁was ▁designated ▁a ▁National ▁Historic ▁Land mark ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁m ansion ▁was ▁built ▁by ▁George ▁Michael ▁Mur rell , ▁a ▁wealth y ▁white ▁plan ter ▁and ▁merchant ▁married ▁to ▁Min erva ▁Ross , ▁the ▁nie ce ▁of ▁prominent ▁Ch ero kee ▁leader ▁John ▁Ross . ▁He ▁called ▁it ▁Hunter ' s ▁Home ▁due ▁to ▁his ▁fond ness ▁for ▁the ▁fo x ▁h unt . ▁The ▁Mur rell s ▁came ▁to ▁Indian ▁Territ ory ▁about ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁Tra il ▁of ▁T ears ▁( 1 8 3 9 ). ▁They ▁furn ished ▁their ▁house ▁with ▁the ▁latest ▁in ▁f ash ions . ▁They ▁held ▁ 4 2 ▁slaves , ▁whom ▁they ▁hous ed ▁in ▁nine ▁cab ins ▁on ▁the ▁large ▁property . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War , ▁the ▁area ▁surrounding ▁Hunter ' s ▁Home ▁was ▁frequently ▁ra ided ▁by ▁forces ▁loyal ▁to ▁both ▁the ▁Union ▁and ▁Confeder acy . ▁The ▁home ▁was ▁sp ared ▁destruction ▁during ▁this ▁tur bul ent