Press Release
March 4, 2021
Contact: Nicole Harvey
Grants Administrator, Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-522-5202
nharvey@okhistory.org
www.okhistory.org/grants
The Town of Colony Awarded Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Historical Society is proud to announce that the Town of Colony has been awarded a grant through the Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program.
"The Town of Colony has such a rich history and is an integral part of Washita County and western Oklahoma," said Rep. Todd Russ, Cordell. "I’m proud of the work the town has done to improve and expand, and I know that this grant will help provide for even more enhancements. Colony also boasts an abundant history with Native American sacred grounds and hosts tribal members each year from all over the nation for its annual Cheyenne and Arapaho Labor Day Powwow. Better accessibility to local history will be a great benefit.”
The Town of Colony has been awarded $20,000 to fund the creation of a historical marker program that will be accessible as a walking trail on public right-of-ways within the town of Colony. These markers will feature panel text that will describe the site or building in front of the visitor, then add historical context and photographs to place the story into the larger picture of local history.
"With the help of this grant, this will be another historic moment in Colony's history," said Lonnie Yearwood, mayor of the Town of Colony. "As the great-grandson of John Seger, I am honored to carry on his legacy in building and growing the community. This grant presents a wonderful opportunity for many generations to learn about our history and invest in our future!"
A total of just over $460,000 in grant funds will be distributed, with projects ranging from collections care and exhibit development to strategic planning and educational programming. "This is only the second year for this grant program. As organizations wrap up their grant projects from last year and as we see the quality of the applications that came in for this grant cycle, it is clear that there is a strong need for this type of grant program," said Nicole Harvey, OHS grants administrator.
The Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program is a grants-in-aid program offered by the Oklahoma Historical Society with a goal of encouraging the collection, preservation and sharing of Oklahoma history at the grassroots level in all parts of the state. Open to tribal and municipal governments and not-for-profit historical organizations located in Oklahoma and registered with the Oklahoma secretary of state, this grants program offers funding ranging from $1,000 to $20,000 for projects focused on collections, exhibits and programming. Applications for this annual program open in the fall and award announcements are made in January. For more information visit www.okhistory.org/grants.
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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