Events Calendar
Events for December 1, 2021 - December 30, 2022
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November 2022
Secrets of the OHS Research Library
Dive into the past with Laura Martin, Deputy Director of Research at the Oklahoma Historical Society, as she shares the vast historical and genealogical collections of the OHS's John and Eleanor Kirkpatrick Research Library in this exclusive behind-the-scenes tour. You may be an archaeologist or an architectural historian, a student or researcher, a genealogist, or just someone interested in learning about your ancestors or the state of Oklahoma—the OHS Research Library has the tools you need! From allotment records to…
Find out more »“Hunter Trapper” living history program
On Friday, November 18, and Saturday, November 19, 2022, from 10 a.m. to noon and again from 1 to 3 p.m., the Fort Gibson Historic Site will hold a living history program about the practices of hunters and trappers of the area. Visitors will learn about the trade through a hands-on examination of the different animal furs and by seeing the different equipment, tools, and paraphernalia involved in making a successful hunting season. The month of November in Indian Territory…
Find out more »Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission meeting
The meeting of the Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission will be held on Friday, November 18, at 11:30 a.m. in the Clark and Kay Musser Learning Lab. Agendas will be posted at www.okhistory.org/commission twenty-four hours before the meeting.
Find out more »Civil War-era Sewing Kit workshop
On Saturday, November 19, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fort Towson Historic Site will hold a Civil War-era sewing kit make-and-take workshop. Using historic reproduction fabrics, a seamstress will guide participants in hand-sewing techniques to create a fabric sewing kit like those from the 1800s. Kits of this kind were common in 19th-century households and were made with scraps of fabric to suit the needs of the user, resulting in a wide variety of patterns and constructions. During the…
Find out more »Let’s Talk About It: Lonesome Dove (1985) by Larry McMurtry
Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum in Pawnee has partnered with Oklahoma Humanities (OH) to host OH’s book discussion series “Let’s Talk About It.” The book club meeting will take place as monthly in-person and online gatherings at the museum on Blue Hawk Peak. This November meeting is the last of the 2022 series. All five of the books in the program have the overarching theme of the historical cowboy—the hired man on horseback who rode the ranges and trails of…
Find out more »“Holiday Special” Kilgen Organ performance featuring Lance Luce
On Monday, November 28, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. the Oklahoma History Center will present the 2022 late fall performance of the Kilgen Organ series featuring organist Lance Luce. The theme for the concert will be “Holiday Special.” A short Laurel and Hardy film, Big Business (1929), will be shown and an audience sing-along is planned as a part of the performance. Lance Luce is an internationally acclaimed theatre organist. He has played hundreds of concerts all over the United…
Find out more »Barney P. Enright, Photographer exhibit closes
The Cherokee Strip Museum and Rose Hill School's exhibit about the life and work of Perry photographer Barney P. Enright will remain open through Saturday, December 3. A variety of Enright's photographic prints as well as period cameras, and clothing are a part of the exhibit that tells the story of his career as a lensman. At the age of 21, Enright moved with his family to Lahoma in Oklahoma Territory. His love of photography first began with taking pictures…
Find out more »“Historic Native American Regalia in Today’s Society” History OffCenter presentation by Jake Tiger
On Wednesday, November 30, at 6 p.m., the Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) will present another free event in its History OffCenter series. Jake Tiger (Seminole), historical preservation officer for the Seminole Nation, will lead the discussion about “Historic Native American Regalia in Today’s Society” at OK Cider Co., located at 705 W. Sheridan Ave. in Oklahoma City. Tiger (pictured above) is an expert on Seminole textiles and traditional garments. History OffCenter is a series from the OHS focused on immersive, engaging experiences.…
Find out more »December 2022
“History of Masonic Temples in Oklahoma” presentation by T. S. Akers
On Thursday, December 1, at 7 p.m. Oklahoma Territorial Museum and Carnegie Library will host “History of Masonic Temples in Oklahoma,” a presentation by T. S. Akers. Akers, a historian of Freemasonry in Oklahoma, will discuss the establishment and architecture of Masonic Temples in Oklahoma. T. S. Akers is a resident of Oklahoma City who graduated from Eufaula High School in 2003. He is also a citizen of the Muscogee Nation and curator of collections for the McAlester Valley of…
Find out more »Museum Store Sale
Come to the Oklahoma History Center (OHC) on December 2 and 3 for the annual Museum Store Holiday Sale! Every year, additional discounts are given to Oklahoma Historical Society members, staff, and volunteers. Each group receives an additional 10% off regularly priced merchandise, and the general public will also enjoy a 10% discount! The OHC Museum Store is stocked full of unique gift items related to Oklahoma history and culture, that your friends and family are sure to love. A variety…
Find out more »Will’s Country Christmas
Visit Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch in Oologah for Will’s Country Christmas on Friday, December 2, and Saturday, December 3, from 5 to 9 p.m. The ranch house will be decorated for an Indian Territory Christmas. The evening will include storytelling, Wild West shootouts, children's crafts, 19th-century games, carriage rides, a shooting gallery, music, vendors, and food trucks. Guests will also have the opportunity to take a Wild West hayride by the shores of Oologah Lake. Bring your family and take…
Find out more »Museum After Dark: Christmas in the Village
Come experience a Victorian Christmas in Humphrey Heritage Village at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center on Friday, December 2, from 6 to 9 p.m. Visitors will feel the warmth of holiday cheer throughout the beautifully decorated Humphrey Heritage Village. For just the regular cost of admission, visitors will hear Christmas carols echoing throughout the village from local choirs as they tour the Victorian-era Glidewell House. There are many other activities for the family, including ornament decorating, crafts, hot drinks,…
Find out more »Dust to Eat (2021) film screening and discussion
On Saturday, December 3, the Oklahoma History Center will screen the film Dust to Eat (2021), which will be followed by a discussion. It takes the viewer through the drought and ensuing dust storms of the thirties from the perspective of Caroline Henderson, who, with her husband, stayed behind to save the family farm. Through poignant narration and imagery, the film explores the lasting impact of one of the worst natural disasters in our nation’s history 85 years after it…
Find out more »Guthrie’s Distinctive Homes Tour and Wassail at the Carnegie Library
The Oklahoma Territorial Museum and Carnegie Library will be part of Guthrie’s Distinctive Homes Tour on Saturday, December 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. which gives an exclusive look inside some of Guthrie’s most distinctive homes and historic buildings, decorated for the holiday season. The Carnegie Library—a stop on the tour—is the place for tour participants to hear tales of the early days of Oklahoma's first capital while having a warming cup of wassail. Guthrie's Territorial Christmas festivities will…
Find out more »Photos with Santa at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum
The Heritage Gallery at Will Rogers Memorial Museum will be the perfect backdrop for Photos with Santa on Saturday, December 3, and Saturday, December 10, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bring your family and your camera to take beautiful family pictures with Santa. Admission is free to take photos. For more information, please visit willrogers.com or call 918-341-0719. Be sure to visit Will’s Country Christmas event at the Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch on December 2 and 3, from 5…
Find out more »Fort Gibson Christmas Candlelight Tour
On Saturday, December 3, the Fort Gibson Historic Site will open its doors after hours for its Christmas Candlelight Tour. Fort Gibson staff and volunteers will lead visitors through a number of scenes depicting Christmas on the frontier. The scenes begin in the rooms of the log palisade, wind through the mess hall, and end in the sutler’s store for cider and ginger snaps. Bundle up to take in the sounds of music, smells of mulled cider, and laughter of…
Find out more »“Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act” webinar
On Monday, December 5, from 10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. (Central Time), the State Historic Preservation Office will provide an introduction to, (or a refresher on), relevant and useful aspects of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and explain the review process. In this free online training, SHPO staff will convey the importance of the Section 106 process and assist anyone and everyone who might be involved in that process in Oklahoma. Questions will be welcome throughout the…
Find out more »“Documenting Post-European Contact Archaeological Sites in Oklahoma” webinar
On Tuesday, December 6, from 10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. (Central Time), the State Historic Preservation Office will hold a free webinar on the subject of documenting Post-European contact by examining various archaeological sites in Oklahoma. This presentation is intended to provide guidance to archaeologists documenting Post-European Contact archaeological sites in Oklahoma for review by the Oklahoma State Historic Preservation Office (OKSHPO). We will review available resources for researching your project area and site, both prior to an actual survey…
Find out more »Holiday Market at the Museum
The Museum of the Western Prairie will host its eighth annual Holiday Market at the Museum on Tuesday, December 6, at 6 p.m. This event showcases the talents of 12 area artists and provides a terrific holiday shopping opportunity for the general public. The Holiday Market at the Museum is free and open to the public. Find unique, one-of-a-kind Christmas gifts for everyone on your list from paintings, jewelry, works in wood, and mosaics, to pottery. As an added bonus,…
Find out more »“Tribal Consultation in the Section 106 Process” webinar
On Thursday, December 8, from 10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. (Central Time), the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) will hold a free virtual webinar on Tribal Consultation in the Section 106 Process. SHPO is pleased to announce that representatives from the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) will be presenting this year's training session on Tribal Consultation in the Section 106 Process. Register for this webinar
Find out more »Oklahoma Tall Tales Uncovered presentation and book signing with author Joe M. Cummings
On Friday, December 9th at 3 p.m., author Joe M. Cummings will be signing copies of his new book, Oklahoma Tall Tales Uncovered, (2022, Arcadia Publishing) at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center (CSRHC). Cummings will give a short program where he talks about his book and the research that went into writing it. Following the program, he will be available to personalize copies of his book. Bring your copy or purchase one in the CSRHC gift shop! About the…
Find out more »Steamboat Heroine discussion *canceled*
The discussion on the discovery and recovery of the steamboat Heroine previously scheduled for Saturday, December 10 has been canceled. On May 6, 1838, Heroine was navigating the Red River on its way to Fort Towson to deliver much-needed supplies to soldiers stationed there. The 1830s side paddlewheel steamboat was 20 minutes from its destination when it hit a snag and sank. Everyone on board survived, but the supplies and ship were lost. In 1999 the Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS)…
Find out more »Breakfast with Santa
Preservation Oklahoma is excited to present Breakfast with Santa at the Henry and Anna Overholser Mansion on Saturday, December 10 from 9 to 11 a.m. Attendees will enjoy a delicious breakfast, a craft, and of course—meeting Santa! All families are invited to join in the holiday fun. Admission to the event is $25 per person. Please note that tickets are available by breakfast time, however, attendees are welcome to participate in the other activities at any time. Tickets are nonrefundable. …
Find out more »Christmas Open House
The Sod House Museum’s Christmas Open House will be held on Saturday, December 10, from 1–3 p.m. Enjoy the holidays in Oklahoma’s only remaining sod house that will be decorated for the season in the style of a traditional 1890s Pioneer Christmas. The beautiful sound of the dulcimer will be showcased in traditional songs during the open house. Traditional holiday music will be performed by area musicians and stringed groups including Silver Strings, a mountain dulcimer group, and hammered dulcimer…
Find out more »Christmas Open House
The annual Christmas Open House at the historic Fred and Addie Drummond Home will take place on Saturday, December 10, from 1 to 4 p.m. Every room of the house will be decorated for the Christmas season. Santa Claus will be on hand for photos, and guests will be given a Christmas treat at the end of the tour. This is the perfect way to celebrate the Christmas season with family and friends! Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for…
Find out more »Holiday Open House
On Saturday, December 10, Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum will host its annual Holiday Open House from 1 to 3 p.m. Visitors can view seasonal decorations throughout the home of the world-renowned Wild West Show entertainer Gordon W. “Pawnee Bill” Lillie. Holiday decorations will adorn some of the outbuildings at the 500-acre working ranch. Family-friendly, festive activities will include outdoor surrey rides (weather permitting), children’s crafts, and an opportunity to take a photo with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Hot cocoa…
Find out more »Civil War Christmas program
Honey Springs Battlefield is excited to announce its Civil War Christmas event on Saturday, December 10, from 1 to 3 p.m. The event will be steeped in the history of Christmases past and fun for adults and children alike. Children are encouraged to bring their wish lists to the newly expanded Honey Springs Battlefield Visitor Center, where they can see the new exhibits and take photographs with Santa. Civil War reenactors dressed in period attire will add to the festive…
Find out more »Carolers and Cocktails at the Overholser *canceled*
The event “Carolers and Cocktails” previously scheduled for December 10 at 6 p.m., has been canceled.
Find out more »Christmas Open House
On Sunday, December 11, from 1 to 4 p.m., Hunter’s Home will host its annual Christmas Open House. Visitors will see the home and general store decorated for the holiday season and will enjoy cider and snacks while sitting around a roaring fire. For more information, please call 918-456-2751. Be sure to see Hunter's Home after dark from Tuesday, December 13, through Saturday, December 17, from 4–8 p.m. each day! On those dates, the site will host five nights of…
Find out more »Christmas Tea
On Sunday, December 11, the Cherokee Strip Museum in Perry will host a Christmas Tea from 1:30 to 4 p.m. This event coincides with the Tour of Homes in Perry when the museum opens its doors to the public. The museum, the gazebo, and Rose Hill School will have festive holiday decorations to set the mood for an old-fashioned Christmas. Historical interpreters in Victorian dress and 3rd- and 4th-grade carolers will add to the seasonal splendor. Guests can enjoy tea,…
Find out more »“Working with the National Register of Historic Places” webinar
On Monday, December 12, from 10 a.m. to noon (Central Time), the State Historic Preservation Office will hold a free webinar about the National Register of Historic Places which is the foundation of the SHPO's programs. The webinar will include information about the types of properties that can be nominated to the National Register and the criteria applied to evaluate a property's significance and historic integrity. Register for the webinar
Find out more »“How to Research your ‘Historic’ Property” webinar
On Tuesday, December 13, at 10 a.m. (Central Time), the State Historic Preservation Office will be teaching helpful strategies for researching historic properties in this free webinar. The virtual class will identify important sources of information for researching a variety of property types, and follow a step-by-step walk-through of the National Register of Historic Places nomination form and documentation requirements. Register for the webinar
Find out more »Holiday Candlelight Tours
Oklahoma’s only remaining pre-Civil War plantation home will host five nights of candlelight tours in December. The tours of Hunter’s Home will take place from Tuesday, December 13, through Saturday, December 17, from 4–8 p.m. each day. The 177-year-old home will be decorated in a Victorian holiday style. Period Christmas decorations and candlelight will adorn the home's lavish parlor, sitting room, and dining room. Costumed reenactors will share the history of the home. For more information please call 918-456-2751.
Find out more »“Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program Overview” webinar
On Wednesday, December 14, from 10 a.m. to noon (Central Time), the State Historic Preservation Office will hold a free webinar to teach about the Historic Preservation Tax Incentives. Participants will learn about the federal and state investment tax credits for certified rehabilitation of a certified historic structure. A detailed discussion of the Historic Preservation Certification Application, Parts 1, 2, and 3 will guide owners and developers in successfully preparing the information needed for the State Historic Preservation Office to…
Find out more »“The Secretary’s Standards for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings” webinar
On Thursday, December 15, from 10 a.m. to noon (Central Time), the State Historic Preservation Office is featuring a free webinar that will feature a discussion of the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation. Generally known as The Standards, these common-sense principles are widely used in the historic preservation field. Whether pursuing the 20% federal and 20% state tax credits for a certified rehabilitation, planning a rehabilitation project funded with federal assistance, serving on a local historic preservation commission,…
Find out more »The Secretary of the Interior’s Guidelines for Rehabilitation webinar
On Friday, December 16, from 10 a.m. to noon (Central Time), the State Historic Preservation Office will hold a free webinar featuring a discussion of the Secretary of the Interior's Guidelines for Rehabilitation. Generally known as The Guidelines, these are the how-to's or considerations that are widely used in the historic preservation field. Whether pursuing the 20% federal and 20% state tax credits for a certified rehabilitation, planning a rehabilitation project funded with federal assistance, serving on a local historic…
Find out more »Bake Day and Gingerbread Decorating
Visit Fort Gibson Historic Site for a special Bake Day on Saturday, December 17, at 10 a.m. The staff at the fort will cook fresh bread and batches of gingerbread cookies just in time for the holidays! Fresh batches of bread will be ready at noon and again at 3 p.m., and big batches of gingerbread cookies will be available throughout the day starting at 11 a.m. The smell of fresh-baked bread will fill the crisp fall air on Garrison Hill…
Find out more »“Shut the Door! Barns in Oklahoma: The Significance of Barns in the Oklahoma Cultural Landscape” webinar
The State Historic Preservation Office is hosting a webinar series entitled “Shut the Door! Barns in Oklahoma,” featuring presenters who specialize in barn history, construction, and restoration. On Tuesday, December 27, the topic will be “The Significance of Barns in the Oklahoma Cultural Landscape.” This December webinar will be the last of the 2022 series. These presentations will be held on the last Tuesday of every other month, beginning at 6 p.m. The webinars will be limited to the first…
Find out more »Sherwood Forest (2022) documentary
The documentary Sherwood Forest (2022) by the late Academy Award-winning producer Gray Fredrickson will air on OETA on Thursday, December 29, at 7 p.m. The documentary follows the story of Samuel Lloyd Noble and a number of American roughnecks who carried out a lengthy top-secret mission to solve the problem of oil shortages in World War II. From March 1943 to March 1944, Noble and his crews drilled 106 wells in one year in a small oil field in Sherwood…
Find out more »Movie Night featuring Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore will host a Movie Night featuring the film Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) in its theater on Friday, December 30, at 7 p.m. “Horsing Around with Will” will take place from 6 to 7 p.m., during which families can enjoy activities and crafts relating to the movie’s theme. Admission to the movie is free, and guests can also enjoy free popcorn and drinks while watching the film, thanks to the Bank of Commerce’s…
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