Press Release
April 3, 2017
Contact: Steve Hawkins
Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-522-0754
shawkins@okhistory.org
www.okhistory.org/historycenter
Oklahoma History Center Announces "Smoke Over Oklahoma: The Railroad Photographs of Preston George"
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma History Center is pleased to announce the opening of its newest photographic exhibit, “Smoke Over Oklahoma: The Railroad Photographs of Preston George,” on Monday, April 10, from 5–8 p.m. A program featuring OHS Executive Director Dr. Bob Blackburn, author Augustus J. Veenendaal Jr., and Burnis Argo, the daughter of photographer Preston George, will begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by a reception.
These images are included in a recent book by the same title, “Smoke Over Oklahoma: The Railroad Photographs of Preston George.” A book signing with author Augustus J. Veenendaal Jr. is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. during the exhibit opening. The book “Smoke Over Oklahoma” will be available for purchase in the Oklahoma History Center Museum Store.
The 25 images to be displayed include a number of different railroad lines that passed through Oklahoma, such as the Katy and the Frisco, and the heavier duty locomotives of the Kansas City Southern and the Santa Fe lines. This presentation also will feature images of various metro lines and trolleys. The exhibit will be housed in the West Family Hall of the Oklahoma History Center and will be available for viewing during regular museum hours, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Museum admission is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors ages 62 and over, $4 for students and free for children ages five and under.
The Oklahoma History Center is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society and is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, National Archives and is an accredited member of the American Alliance of Museums. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www.okhistory.org.
