Press Release
May 28, 2026
Contact: Jessica Brogdon
Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-967-9487
[email protected]
okhistory.org/grants
Bristow Historical Society, Inc. Awarded $8,380 Through the Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Historical Society is pleased to announce that the Bristow Historical Society, Inc. has been awarded $8,380 through the Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program, administered by the Oklahoma Historical Society. This grant will cover the expense of recording, digitizing, transcribing, and indexing twenty oral history interviews to preserve and share local cultural and economic history.
“The Bristow Historical Society, Inc. is delighted to announce that we have been awarded the 2026 Heritage Preservation Grant from the Oklahoma Historical Society,” said Dr. Deborah Corwin, president of Bristow Historical Society, Inc. “This grant will allow us to expand our unique collection of oral histories that capture firsthand accounts of life in rural Oklahoma dating back to almost statehood. Thank you to the Oklahoma Historical Society for recognizing the importance of capturing these firsthand accounts while these individuals are still here to share them! Interviews are on our website at bristowhistory.org.”
The Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program is the Oklahoma Historical Society’s primary tool for supporting grassroots history and preservation efforts across the state. Through this year’s competitive grant cycle, the Oklahoma Historical Society Board of Directors approved $509,439 in awards to 30 eligible organizations, helping communities throughout Oklahoma preserve their unique histories and make them more accessible to the public.“The organizations receiving these grants are doing essential work to preserve Oklahoma’s history at the local level,” said Trait Thompson, executive director of the Oklahoma Historical Society. “Whether caring for collections, improving exhibits, or expanding educational programs, these projects help keep our shared history visible, accessible, and relevant across the state.”
The grant program supports tribal and municipal governments and not-for-profit historical organizations throughout the state. Awards range from $1,000 to $25,000 for projects that improve collections stewardship, develop exhibits, expand public programs, and strengthen organizational capacity. Applications for the next grant cycle will open January 1, 2027. For more information, visit 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 okhistory.org.
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