Oklahoma Historical Society Holiday Events Across the State

Contact: Michael Dean
(405) 522-5241

Oklahoma City, OK
December 9, 2008
For Immediate Release

WASSAIL EVENING IN GUTHRIE

The State Capitol Publishing Museum in Guthrie is holding two Wassail Evenings on December 13 and December 20th. The events are scheduled to run from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. each evening.

While enjoying warm Victorian Wassail, visitors can tour the 1902 building in its holiday finery, including a dozen elaborately decorated Christmas trees.

The affair is free, although a $1 donation is suggested. The Wassail evenings coincide with the downtown Guthrie traditional Christmas walks.

For more information, call the museum office at (405) 282-4123.

STORYTIME WITH SANTA AT PAWNEE BILL MANSION

Through this month, the Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum is offering visitors to the 1910 mansion an old-fashioned turn-of-the-century Christmas. The large mansion is grandly decorated, with a Christmas tree in almost every room of the house.

On December 11th, the mansion will hold its annual Holiday Open House. Tours will be offered and snacks will be served. Santa will be available to listen to children's "wish lists," and he'll pose for photos.

The ranch is located just outside the town of Pawnee. For additional information call the Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum at (918) 762-2513.

MURRELL HOME OPEN HOUSE

The historic Murrell Home at Park Hill is hosting their Annual Open House Sunday December 14th from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Visitors may tour the 1845 mansion and learn about mid-Victorian Christmas traditions.

The theme for this year's open house is "Celebrating 60 Years as a Historic House Museum." Visitors are invited to participate in a costume contest by wearing any attire from 1940 to the new millennium. "Father Christmas" will make an appearance and will be available for photographs. A number of crafts demonstrations will also be presented.

Proceeds will benefit the Friends of the Murrell Home. The Murrell Home is three miles South of Tahlequah.

For more information, call the Murrell Home Museum office at (918) 456-2751.

FORT GIBSON CANDLELIGHT TOUR

The 2008 edition of the Candlelight Tour of Fort Gibson Historic Site is set for December 12th and 13th.

The theme for this year's tour is "Moving On." Transience was a major fact of life for everyone at the post. Officers and soldiers and their dependents usually had to change duty stations every two or three years. Occasionally entire Army posts were moved when the situation required. Other people had reasons to keep moving too. Enlisted men often deserted before their five-year term of military service ended; criminal fugitives from other parts of the nation hid in the Indian Territory; slaves often attempted to escape. "Moving On" examines these issues and how they might have affected people at or living near the fort.

Tours begin at 6:30 p.m. and continue every fifteen minutes until the program ends at 8:30 p.m. Admission is $7 and reservations are required.

Fort Gibson Historic Site is located at 907 North Garrison in the town of Fort Gibson. For information and to make reservations call (918) 478-4088.

HOLIDAY DOINGS AT THE CHEROKEE STTRIP HERITAGE CENTER

The Cherokee Strip Heritage Center at Oakwood Mall in Enid is holding a Victorian Ornament workshop Saturday December 13th beginning at 1:00 p.m. On Wednesday December 17th Angela Moffette, Director of the Southern Heights Heritage Center, will present a talk about her organization's programming. The program will begin at Noon.

For more information about both events contact the Cherokee Strip Heritage Center at (580) 237-1907.