Press Release
April 18, 2024
Contact: Chad Williams
Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-522-5207
chad.williams@history.ok.gov
www.okhistory.org/research
More Than 7,300 Railroad Photos From Preston George Collection Now Available on The Gateway to Oklahoma History
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Research Division of the Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) is pleased to announce that the Preston George collection of more than 7,300 railroad photographs is now available online. Most photographs are in black and white and include images from six countries and 49 states, focusing mainly on the southwest part of the United States. George and his acquaintances took the images primarily during the 1930s and 1940s.
The collection is accessible on the The Gateway to Oklahoma History, OHS’ free online digital platform. It can be searched by railroad name, locomotive type or number, train number, location, date, creator/photographer, item type and more. For example, try typing in Train 17, Shawnee or turntable. Images may be printed directly from the website free of charge or downloaded and shared on social media. Higher-quality images are available through the Research Division for a fee.
While the Gateway is relatively easy to navigate, those visiting for the first time may find it helpful to watch a seven-minute video on the homepage of The Gateway called “How to Search the Gateway.”
Completion of this multi-year project required the efforts of many individuals. The staff of the Research Division at the Oklahoma Historical Society and our partners at the University of North Texas provided administrative support throughout this process. The time-consuming task of identifying, sorting, documenting, cataloging and preserving the originals was accomplished by two OHS volunteers, Steve Kamm and Marty Samwel.
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.
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