Events Calendar
Events for March 1, 2024 - April 11, 2024
Events List Navigation
March 2024
Trust and Betrayal in Osage Country exhibit closes
The Oklahoma History Center Museum exhibit Trust and Betrayal in Osage Country, which explores the true-life murders of wealthy Osage people in the 1920s, will be displayed in the ONEOK, Inc. Gallery until March 1, 2024.
The crimes are detailed in David Grann’s 2017 book Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. A movie based on the murders was released in October 2023, two weeks after this exhibit opened. It is estimated that two dozen members of the Osage Nation were murdered in the 1920s in a plot to get Osage wealth. Most of the crimes were not investigated by local authorities.
The Oklahoma History Center is located at 800 Nazih Zuhdi Dr. in Oklahoma City. It is open to the public Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Please call 405-522-0765 or visit www.okhistory.org/historycenter for admission costs and group rates.
Find out more »Pioneer Mother Monuments discussion and book signing with author Cynthia Culver Prescott
The Pioneer Woman Museum and Statue will host a discussion and book signing with Cynthia Culver Prescott, author of the book Pioneer Mother Monuments: Constructing Cultural Memory (2019), on Friday, March 1, from 1 to 3 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
The book explores aspects of American pioneer monuments, historical memory, and modern reexamination of monument culture. Prescott will use images of frontiersmen and pioneer mothers in her presentation on the topic.
Prescott earned her Ph.D. in history from UCLA. She is currently a professor of history at the University of North Dakota. She has written about and continues to study Western history, the anthropology of commemoration, and quilt studies. The Pioneer Woman Museum and Statue is located at 701 Monument Rd. in Ponca City. For more information, please call 580-765-6108 or visit pioneerwomanmuseum.com.
Find out more »Oklahoma Women’s History Conference
The Oklahoma History Center will host a free Oklahoma Women’s History Conference on Saturday, March 2, from 1 to 4 p.m. The moderators will be Sarah Eppler Janda and Patricia Loughlin, the editors of This Land is Herland: Gendered Activism in Oklahoma from the 1870s to the 2010s (2021). The first panel discussion will take place from 1 to 2:15 p.m. The topic is early Oklahoma women’s activism, featuring speakers Heather Clemmer, Sunu Kodumthara, and Farina King. There will be…
Find out more »Poetry Writing and Zine-Making Workshop with Alannah Banae *canceled*
The poetry writing and zine making workshop previously scheduled for Saturday, March 2 has been canceled. Alannah Benae will work with students on poetry writing and walk them through creating a zine. Poets of all experience levels, from beginners to long-time writers, are invited to join the workshop. Benae is a local writer, poet, and writing instructor. She is an enrolled member of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe and is also Oglala Lakota, Kickapoo, Delaware, and Cheyenne-Arapaho. Her work has been…
Find out more »Bob Wills Day at the Capitol
An annual celebration of an Oklahoma music icon is returning to the Oklahoma State Capitol on Monday, March 4. The Oklahoma Historical Society and the Oklahoma Arts Council have announced this year’s lineup for Bob Wills Day at the Capitol, which will include live music performances by Western swing musicians from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Capitol’s second-floor rotunda. Free and open to the public, Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys, under the direction of Jason Roberts, will be headlining…
Find out more »Poetry reading and discussion with award-winning poet Ken Hada
On Tuesday, March 5, at 7 p.m., Western Heritage Award-Winning poet Ken Hada will share poems from his books The Way of the Wind, Contour Feathers, and Come Before Winter. Ken Hada is a poet and professor at East Central University in Ada, where he directs the annual Scissortail Creative Writing Festival. Ken finds the natural rhythms of nature a powerful inspiration for his writing. He has been recognized as a six-time finalist for the Oklahoma Book Awards and received…
Find out more »Living History Education Day
On Wednesday, March 6, the site will bring history to life with Living History Education Day—a free event! Living historians will demonstrate historical skills and educate guests while wearing period clothing, teaching guests what life was like at Fort Towson more than 180 years ago. Living History Education Day will present multiple learning experiences about life at the military outpost during the 1840s, when it was a vital resupply point for soldiers headed south to engage in the Mexican-American War.…
Find out more »Lunch and Learn: “Creativity in the Preservation World: How to Reach a Younger Generation” with Jessica Scott
On Wednesday, March 6, at noon, Jessica Scott, the Director of Community Development in Ardmore, will lead a webinar presentation about creative approaches toward promoting preservation efforts in her city. One example of creativity in preservation is the Main Street Kids Activity Book, utilized by the city to educate junior preservationists. Through word games, puzzles, fun facts, and coloring book pages, budding historians can explore the history of Ardmore’s most historic buildings. Ardmore’s Preserve America Community received its official Preserve…
Find out more »1840s Encampment
On Friday, March 8, and Saturday, March 9, the Fort Towson Historic Site will host an 1840s encampment from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day. The fort will be brought back to life with reenactors wearing historical clothing while organizing period games, demonstrating the uses of historical tools, participating in the ongoing encampment activities, and camping in period tents on the grounds. The public will experience tool demonstrations, see laundresses at work, and observe domestic skills, blacksmithing, drills, and…
Find out more »Museum After Dark: Lantern Tours *canceled due to weather*
The “Museum After Dark: Lantern Tour” event previously scheduled for Friday, March 8, has been canceled due to poor weather conditions. We apologize for any inconvenience, and hope everyone stays dry and warm! For more information about this event, please call 580-237-1907.
Find out more »Civic Learning Week: Will Rogers and Congress
From Monday, March 11, through Friday, March 15, the Will Rogers Memorial Museum will launch a series of engaging lessons for educators as part of Civic Learning Week. The online lesson series is designed to summarize good citizenship and to teach students how to be informed members of society through material featuring journalist, comedian, and political commentator Will Rogers. Each lesson includes a short video about Will Rogers and his influence on politics with accompanying discussion questions. The five lessons—one…
Find out more »Civic Learning Week: Republicans and Democrats
From Monday, March 11, through Friday, March 15, the Will Rogers Memorial Museum will launch a series of engaging lessons for educators as part of Civic Learning Week. The online lesson series is designed to summarize good citizenship and to teach students how to be informed members of society through material featuring journalist, comedian, and political commentator Will Rogers. Each lesson includes a short video about Will Rogers and his influence on politics with accompanying discussion questions. The five lessons—one…
Find out more »Civic Learning Week: Will Rogers on Elections
From Monday, March 11, through Friday, March 15, the Will Rogers Memorial Museum will launch a series of engaging lessons for educators as part of Civic Learning Week. The online lesson series is designed to summarize good citizenship and to teach students how to be informed members of society through material featuring journalist, comedian, and political commentator Will Rogers. Each lesson includes a short video about Will Rogers and his influence on politics with accompanying discussion questions. The five lessons—one…
Find out more »Civic Learning Week: Will Rogers’ Presidential Pals
From Monday, March 11, through Friday, March 15, the Will Rogers Memorial Museum will launch a series of engaging lessons for educators as part of Civic Learning Week. The online lesson series is designed to summarize good citizenship, teaching students how to be informed members of society through material featuring journalist, comedian, and political commentator Will Rogers. Each lesson includes a short video about Will Rogers and his influence on politics with accompanying discussion questions. The five lessons, one for…
Find out more »Civic Learning Week: Will Rogers for President Movement
From Monday, March 11, through Friday, March 15, the Will Rogers Memorial Museum will launch a series of engaging lessons for educators as part of Civic Learning Week. The online lesson series is designed to summarize good citizenship and to teach students how to be informed members of society through material featuring journalist, comedian, and political commentator Will Rogers. Each lesson includes a short video about Will Rogers and his influence on politics with accompanying discussion questions. The five lessons—one…
Find out more »Encountering John Brown exhibit closes
The exhibit Encountering John Brown, will be displayed inside the Honey Springs Visitor Center through Saturday, March 16. The exhibit will explore the history of the man who helped ignite the American Civil War. The display will also provide meaningful historical connections between John Brown and those who later fought at the Battle of Honey Springs on July 17, 1863. Encountering John Brown was developed, designed, built, and toured by Overland Traveling Exhibits from North Newton, Kansas. Founding institutions include…
Find out more »Nature Walk led by Kara Richardson
The Fort Towson Historic Site will host a nature walk with Kara Richardson, a wildcrafter from Broken Bow. Richardson draws on her experiences as a southeast Oklahoma native to advocate for natural resources education and the perpetuation of wild herbs and medicinal plants. Her methods focus on proper plant identification, range, and historical uses. The walk will begin at the Fort Towson Historic Site Visitor Center at 9 a.m. and proceed to the fort grounds. Guests should expect a 2-hour…
Find out more »2024 Oklahoma Farm-to-Table Festival
The Oklahoma History Center will hold the 2024 Oklahoma Farm-to-Table Festival on Saturday, March 16, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The free, family-friendly event will encourage the exploration of historic and modern agriculture. There will be hands-on activities and demonstrations for visitors of all ages. The festival will offer many educational opportunities and experiences, including chuckwagon cooking and nutrition demonstrations, livestock, a petting zoo, various crafts, and story time. In addition, several Made-in-Oklahoma vendors will attend to illustrate how their products…
Find out more »Artillery Demonstrations
On Saturday, March 16, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Honey Springs Battlefield will host artillery demonstrations highlighting the use of Civil War-era firearms. This outdoor education station will inform visitors about military drills, artillery practices, and ammunition used in the Civil War Battle of Honey Springs. Guests are encouraged to explore the east gallery exhibit hall featuring 14 audio players with recordings from first-hand, written accounts of soldiers who fought at the Battle of Honey Springs. Exhibit installations also…
Find out more »Spring Break Activities
Spend afternoons during spring break at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum. Events are planned every day from March 18 to 22 between 1 and 3 p.m. to keep kids learning and entertained during their school break. Each activity is based on some aspect of Will Rogers’ extraordinary life, ranging from his time as a cowboy to his love of aviation. All children under 17 are admitted free during spring break thanks to a donation by Win and Kay Ingersoll. The…
Find out more »Oklahoma Historical Society Executive Committee meeting *canceled*
The Oklahoma Historical Society Executive Committee meeting previously scheduled in March has been canceled. Oklahoma Historical Society Executive Committee meetings are scheduled on the third Wednesday of each month at 1:30 p.m. However, Executive Committee meetings are not usually held on the months in which the full board meets. Agendas will be available online 24 hours prior to the meeting at okhistory.org/BOARD. Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are held at the Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive, Oklahoma City,…
Find out more »Oklahoma Historical Society Awards Banquet
On Thursday, March 21, 2024, the Oklahoma Historical Society will honor award recipients and Oklahoma Historians Hall of Fame inductees at the Oklahoma Historical Society Awards Banquet at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City. A cocktail reception begins at 6 p.m., and dinner and the awards program will follow at 6:30 p.m. Cocktail attire is requested, and guests must RSVP by March 11. Tickets and Sponsorships Tickets and sponsorships are now available to purchase online. Individual tickets are available for…
Find out more »Chuck Wagon Gathering
Visit the Chisholm Trail Museum on Saturday, March 23, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for a day filled with cowboy fun! Drop in and see a variety of working chuck wagons from across the region as they prepare some of their favorite dishes. Activities include live music by Kyle Dillingham and Horseshoe Road, cooking demonstrations with sample food, gunfights, Wild West Show performers, Medicine Man shows, and more. Make sure to visit thechisholm.org for parking information, schedules, and more!…
Find out more »Hominy-Making Workshop
Hunter’s Home will host a hominy-making workshop on Saturday, March 23, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Hominy was a staple in the 19th-century diet because corn was widely available. Processing it into hominy boosted the nutritional value, acted as a preservation method and made for a delicious meal. Participants will learn to make hominy in three different ways. They will also get to sample pork and hominy. The workshop costs $20 for Oklahoma Historical Society members and $25 for nonmembers. There…
Find out more »Tree Dedication for Arbor Day
On Tuesday, March 26, Ponca City Parks & Recreation and the Pioneer Woman Museum and Statue will hold a tree dedication ceremony celebrating Arbor Day. The dedication will take place at 11 a.m. on the North lawn of the Pioneer Woman Museum and Statue grounds. Light refreshments will be served in the museum following the dedication. Please call 580-765-6108 for more information.
Find out more »Vietnam War Veterans Day Commemoration
The Oklahoma History Center Museum (OHCM), in association with VillagesOKC, the local offices of Humana, Oklahoma Warriors Honor Flight, Navigating Medicare, and the Force 50 Foundation, is proud to host a pinning ceremony honoring all the servicemen and servicewomen, active or reservists, who served anywhere in the world during the Vietnam War-era. The event will be held in the Devon Great Hall of the OHCM on Friday, March 29, from 10 a.m. to noon, with the doors opening at 9…
Find out more »Movie Night featuring Stan and Ollie (2018)
Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore will host a FREE Movie Night featuring the 2018 film Stan and Ollie in its theater on Friday, March 29. 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 sponsorship. Because seating is limited, the doors will open at 6 p.m. Please call 918-341-0719 for more information.
Find out more »Museum After Dark: Village Sounds featuring Riley Jantzen
On Friday, March 29, from 7 to 9 p.m., Oklahoma-based singer-songwriter Riley Jantzen will perform an intimate acoustic set in the Village Church at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center (CSRHC) in Enid. His performance is part of the “Museum After Dark: Village Sounds” series at the CSRHC’s Humphrey Heritage Village. There is no additional charge for this concert series beyond the regular cost of admission to the CSRHC. The CSRHC will be open to the public from 10 a.m.…
Find out more »Into the Mirror exhibit opens
On Saturday, March 30, the Oklahoma History Center Museum will open Into the Mirror, an exhibit featuring 20 Native American artists from the museum’s permanent collection. The exhibit will be located in the ONEOK, Inc. rotating gallery space. The earliest work in the exhibit was created by artist Buffalo Meat (Cheyenne), 1847-1917, who was a prisoner at Fort Marion at the time of his creations. Contemporary artists include Brent Learned (Cheyenne-Arapaho) and Sharon Ahtone-Harjo (Kiowa). The exhibit also includes works…
Find out more »Pawnee Bill Annual Easter Egg Hunt
On Saturday, March 30, the Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt, sponsored by the local Pawnee Lions Club and the Pawnee Chamber of Commerce. The hunt will begin promptly at 10 a.m. at the ranch’s picnic pavilions. The Egg Hunt is spread out over many acres of the historic site. Thousands of eggs will be hidden, including gold and silver prize eggs containing money and vouchers for treats. Pawnee Bill started an egg hunt…
Find out more »Easter Egg Hunt
Visit the Will Rogers Memorial Museum for the Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 30. The egg hunt begins promptly at 11:30 a.m. on the museum grounds, so be sure to arrive early. The Easter Bunny will hide thousands of candy-filled eggs for the children to find, and some eggs will contain special prizes. Please call 918-341-0719 for more information.
Find out more »“I Thought This Place Doomed: Emma Caroline Morley and Sterling Price’s Failed Raid of 1864” presentation by Dr. Michelle M. Martin
Dr. Michelle M. Martin, an assistant professor of history and coordinator of the public history certificate in the Department of History at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, will present a program for Women’s History Month at Honey Springs Battlefield and Visitor Center. The presentation is scheduled for Saturday, March 30, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and is titled “I Thought This Place Doomed: Emma Caroline Morley and Sterling Price’s Failed Raid of 1864.” In the fall of 1864, Confederate General…
Find out more »Sunrise Service
On Easter Sunday—March 31, the Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum will host its annual nondenominational Sunrise Service. The service will begin at approximately 7 a.m. on Blue Hawk Peak, the highest point on the ranch grounds. The Pawnee Ministerial Alliance leads the service and is a community-wide tradition. Participants are asked to bring their own seating and dress appropriately for the outdoors.
Find out more »April 2024
Hammered Aluminum Ware exhibit opens
A new exhibit at the Fred and Addie Drummond Home in Hominy will focus on hammered aluminum ware. From Wednesday, April 3, to Sunday, April 28, visitors can view beautiful examples of hammered aluminum metalware, such as salad dishes, cookie trays, and pitchers with matching tumblers. During the early 1900s up to the 1950s, many homemakers used cheaper and lighter hammered aluminum for card games, birthday celebrations, church events, and monthly coffee socials. With many metals in short supply because…
Find out more »Spring Bake Day
Twice each year, OHS staff act as historical reenactors and bake bread in Fort Gibson’s original wood-fired oven from 1863. Spring Bake Day is an educational event that allows the public to experience one aspect of army life that occurred during and after the Civil War. On Saturday, April 6, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the smell of fresh-baked bread will once again permeate the Fort Gibson Historic Site. Staff will operate the oven all day on April 6, and the fresh loaves…
Find out more »Will Rogers Afternoon Frolic at Circle Cinema
The Will Rogers Memorial Museum and Circle Cinema have teamed up to present Will Rogers Afternoon Frolic on Saturday, April 6. The afternoon includes a double feature of Will Rogers films, lunch with Ike’s Chili, and roping demonstrations. Doors open at 11 a.m., and the movies start at 1 p.m. The chosen films are Steamboat Round the Bend (1935), followed by the silent movie The Ropin’ Fool (1922), accompanied by a live organ played by Bill Rowland. Before showtime, visitors…
Find out more »1840s Solar Eclipse Watch Party
The Fort Towson Historic Site will host an eclipse watch party with a period encampment on Monday, April 8, from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. The event costs $10 per person at the gate, with no charge for military personnel, Oklahoma Historical Society members or children under six. The site will only accept cash at the gate. NASA estimates the Fort Towson Historic Site and areas of southeastern Oklahoma will see the partial eclipse between 12:28 p.m. and 3:06 p.m., with…
Find out more »Everyday Oklahoma: “Rocks, Ruts, and Springs: Remnants of Early Trails through Oklahoma” with Susan Dragoo
On Tuesday, April 9, at 2 p.m. Central Time, the State Historic Preservation Office will present a free webinar in its “Everyday Oklahoma: Fascinating Stories about Familiar Places” speaker series. “Rocks, Ruts, and Springs: Remnants of Early Trails through Oklahoma” will last 1 hour and 30 minutes. Susan Dragoo is a photographer and writer specializing in outdoor, travel, action, and historical subjects. Specific outdoor areas of interest include hiking, running, backpacking, motorcycling, and bicycling. Historical interests include Native American and…
Find out more »Pop Night
On Wednesday, April 10, from 5 to 7 p.m., the Oklahoma History Center Museum will host Pop Night in collaboration with OKPOP. This FREE Open House event will highlight pop culture in Oklahoma. Guests can look forward to activities highlighting famous and impactful Oklahomans and an Oklahoma-themed pop trivia game! Pop Night is free and open to the public.
Find out more »Lunch and Learn: “African-Diasporic Peoples of Oklahoma and Indian Territories: Genealogy, Story & Culture” presentation by Shelby R. B. Ward
On Thursday, April 11, from noon to 1:15 p.m., the State Historic Preservation Office will host a free webinar with Shelby R. B. Ward. The State of Oklahoma and Indian Territories are home to various African-Diasporic people groups, from Five Tribes Freedmen Communities to All-Black Towns and beyond. In this “Lunch and Learn” webinar, attorney, genealogist, and community historian Shelby Ward (Choctaw Freedman) will address key themes in the genealogy of African-descendent peoples and share research tips for people exploring…
Find out more »