Events Calendar
Events for April 1, 2023 - May 9, 2023
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April 2023
Hammered Aluminum Ware exhibit opens
A new exhibit at the Fred and Addie Drummond Home in Hominy will focus on hammered aluminum ware. From Saturday, April 1, to Sunday, April 30, 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 would use cheaper and lighter hammered aluminum for their card games, birthday celebrations, church events, and monthly coffee socials. With many metals in short…
Find out more »Museum OKademy volunteer training course and lecture
The Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center (CSRHC) will host a six-session Museum OKademy course in 2023 to train volunteers and provide lectures on history. The classes will be held from 9 to 11 a.m., beginning on Saturday, January 21, and concluding on Saturday, April 1. The six-part lecture/workshop series, Museum OKademy, will be led by CSRHC Director Jake Krumwiede, CSRHC Director of Education Neal Matherne, and other CSRHC staff. These classes are aimed at both prospective volunteers and other adult…
Find out more »Introduction to Basketry: Create a Woven Tote class *canceled*
Join Marcia Balleweg of Oklahoma Basket Supply on Saturday, April 1, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Oklahoma History Center (OHC) and learn to craft your own woven tote. This introductory class is great for beginners, or people looking to get back into basketry. As this is an all-day class, please bring a lunch or plan accordingly. This class is $70 for members and $85 for nonmembers, and is for ages 16 and up. The class will take…
Find out more »Annual Heritage Hills Easter Egg Hunt
On Saturday, April 1, from 10 a.m. to noon, the Heritage Hills Historical Preservation group invites parents and children to their Annual Heritage Hills Easter Egg Hunt. Hundreds of colored eggs will be hidden on the grounds of the Henry and Anna Overholser Mansion for children to discover. Drop-in hours for the historic home will be curtailed on Saturday, April 1 because of the event.
Find out more »Poetry Reading with Oklahoma’s 2023–2024 poet laureate Jay Snider
On Tuesday, April 4, at 7 p.m., Oklahoma's Poet Laureate Jay Snider will recite his poetry at the Museum of the Western Prairie. Born and raised in a ranching and rodeo family in southwestern Oklahoma, his poetry celebrates his love for western heritage and the cowboy way of life. Snider is an award-winning cowboy poet and recording artist. This event is being hosted by the Western Trail Historical Society. Snider has appeared at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Nevada,…
Find out more »“Museum After Dark: Liquid History” and Frozen in Time: A Photographic History of Northwestern Oklahoma exhibit opening
On the evening of Friday, April 7, the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center will host "Museum After Dark: Liquid History" in the Humphrey Heritage Village. Join in an exciting event full of exploration, drinks, and more! Mixologists and historical interpreters will lead guests through the history of popular cocktails—exploring rich and delightful recipes in the past two centuries. Classic concoctions and the stories surrounding them will "mix" cocktails and history together for this special evening for ages 21 and older. …
Find out more »A. Day’s Work art exhibit opens
On Saturday, April 8, the Oklahoma Territorial Museum and Carnegie Library in Guthrie will open an art exhibit entitled A. Day’s Work. It will feature pieces from Oklahoma-based mixed media artist Andrea Day. An opening celebration will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, April 8. Artist's Statement: "Oklahoma-based Mixed Media Artist and citizen of Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Andrea Day is traditional "Mvskoke gone MODERN" with a New York City twist. After more than a decade of performing…
Find out more »Annual Easter Egg Hunt
On Saturday, April 8, the Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt. The Egg Hunt is cosponsored 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…
Find out more »Spring Bake Day
On Saturday, April 8, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the smell of fresh-baked bread will once again permeate Fort Gibson Historic Site. Bake Day is a unique and delicious experience for the public to enjoy. Staff will operate the oven all day Saturday, and the fresh loaves will be available around noon and 3:30 p.m. from the tent in front of the bakehouse. There is no cost to sample the fresh-baked bread, but donations are appreciated. Fort Gibson coffee…
Find out more »Easter Egg Hunt
Visit the Will Rogers Memorial Museum for the annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 8. 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 »Embroidered Patches class *canceled*
On Saturday, April 8, from noon to 3 p.m., join Oklahoma embroidery artist Lacey Plana as she leads this introductory class. Learn to embroider a patch and to stitch patches that can be affixed to any article of clothing or bag after they are created. This is a great class to learn or brush up on embroidery basics, such as how to create a variety of stitches and how to transfer your favorite designs onto fabric. This class is $40…
Find out more »Sunrise Service
On Easter Sunday, April 9, 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 service is led by the Pawnee Ministerial Alliance and is a community-wide tradition. Participants are asked to bring their own seating and dress appropriately for the outdoors. Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum is located at 1141 Pawnee Bill Road in Pawnee.
Find out more »Lunch and Learn: “US Fish & Wildlife Service Historic Resources at the Treasure Lake Job Corps Center” webinar
On Wednesday, April 12, at noon (Central Time), the State Historic Preservation Office will host a webinar focused on the US Fish & Wildlife Service Historic Resources at the Treasure Lake Job Corps Center. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) plans to revert the Treasure Lake Job Corps Center, located in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, to a more natural state, consistent with the agency's mission. In 2022, after commissioning a historic building survey, USFWS determined the Treasure…
Find out more »“The Coalition of Historical Trekkers” living history program
The Coalition of Historical Trekkers (COHT) will be at Fort Gibson Historic Site from April 13–15, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day at the palisade fort. The COHT is a group of living historians dedicated to the preservation and study of the pre-1860 frontier people in America. COHT has deeply researched the lifeways of the pre-1860 frontier people, including what foods, clothing, weapons, and methods were authentic to those used by early frontier people in America. The COHT…
Find out more »Quilting workshop with Martha Ray
The Quilting workshop with Martha Ray meets on the second Saturday of each month from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Sod House Museum at a cost of $5 per person. Martha Ray teaches how to create appliqué designs, traditional block patterns, original designs, crazy quilts, landscape designs, and paper piecing. New members of any skill level are always encouraged to attend! Share in the happy exchange of shared skills, fun, and camaraderie, door prizes, refreshments, discussions, and quilt patterns, along…
Find out more »“The Civil War in Indian Territory: Indigenous Memory and Perspective” presentation by Midge Dellinger and Gano Perez Jr.
Honey Springs Battlefield will host a presentation by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Historic and Cultural Preservation Department concerning the history and public memory of the Civil War and the Battle of Honey Springs in Indian Territory on Saturday, April 15, at 1 p.m. Midge Dellinger, oral historian for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Historic and Cultural Preservation Department, will discuss her ongoing study of the Civil War in Indian Territory and the use of oral history as a means of remembrance.…
Find out more »Oklahoma Historical Society Executive Committee meeting *canceled*
The Executive Committee meeting previously scheduled for April 19 has been canceled. 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, OK, 73105.
Find out more »Historic Preservation Review Committee meeting *canceled*
This regular quarterly meeting previously scheduled for Thursday, April 20, 2023 has been canceled. The HPRC will meet in the Leroy H. Fischer Boardroom, Oklahoma History Center (third floor), located at 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive, Oklahoma City, OK. The public is invited to attend. (NOTE: If you are a person with a disability and require accommodation, please contact Lynda Ozan at 405-522-4484 or [email protected] by noon on Wednesday, April 19, 2023). Additionally, the meetings will also be held via Teams…
Find out more »Education Day
Fort Gibson Historic Site will hold an education day for local schools on Friday, April 21. Schools may register for the 10 a.m.-noon session or the 1-3 p.m. session. Public, private and homeschool groups are welcome. Advanced registration is required. Education station themes will include: Self-guided tour of the 19th-century fort palisade: Students can walk through the palisade area while experiencing and reading about the living and working quarters of the fort. Each area for the self-guided tour is staged…
Find out more »“Perspectives in History”: The 2023 Oklahoma History Symposium
Join the Oklahoma Historical Society on Saturday, April 22, as we present “Perspectives in History,” the 2023 Oklahoma History Symposium at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City. This one-day event offers scholars, historians, authors, and museum professionals from across the state and country a forum to share their work with history enthusiasts. The symposium is free and open to the public, but we ask that attendees register online. Lunch will be available only for those who pre-purchase a lunch…
Find out more »Free Museum Day
The Oklahoma Territorial Museum will open its doors to visitors on Saturday, April 22, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with FREE ADMISSION in conjunction with the 2023 '89er Parade and Celebration, taking place from April 19–22 in Historic Downtown Guthrie. The Oklahoma Territorial Museum is located at 406 East Oklahoma Avenue in Guthrie. To see all of the scheduled events for '89er Days from April 19–22, go to 89erdays.com. 89er days brochure
Find out more »Oklahoma Historical Society Membership meeting
A meeting of the membership of the Oklahoma Historical Society will be held on Saturday, April 22, 2023 at 10 a.m. Agendas will be available online 24 hours prior to the meeting at okhistory.org/BOARD. This meeting will be held in person at the Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive, Oklahoma City, OK 73105.
Find out more »Fun and Games at Hunter’s Home
On Saturday, April 22, join in the fun at Hunter's Home when the staff will be teaching about historic pastimes and games that entertained people in the 19th century. While some games will be familiar, some relics of the past will be introduced. The Fun and Games activities are free to the public of all ages with regular admission prices to the historic home.
Find out more »“Traveling by Keelboat” living history program
On Saturday, April 22, staff and volunteers at the Fort Gibson Historic Site will demonstrate the operations of a working keelboat during the special riverside program “Traveling by Keelboat.” This is a good opportunity to learn about the history of water travel and transport in the 19th century. Historians at the riverside will ensure the safety of guests while teaching about the skills needed to operate a keelboat, and how these vessels were depended on to deliver goods and supplies…
Find out more »Oklahoma Historical Society Board of Directors Organizational meeting
An organizational meeting of the Oklahoma Historical Society Board of Directors will be held on Saturday, April 22, 2023 at 10:15 a.m. Agendas will be available online 24 hours prior to the meeting at okhistory.org/BOARD. This meeting will be held in person at the Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive, Oklahoma City, OK 73105.
Find out more »Hands-On Historic Skills: Genealogical Research
On the fourth Saturday of each month, the Fort Towson Historic Site welcomes visitors to take part in the Hands-On Historic Skills series of demonstrations.
Every month, guests can try their hand at using period artifacts and tools with the guidance of Fort Towson staff members and historical interpreters. Hands-on demonstrations allow individuals to experience the past by touching, using and gaining an appreciation for historical objects while in the Fort Towson setting.
Updates on monthly programs and special events can be found on the Fort Towson Historic Site’s Facebook page or at www.okhistory.org. For more information, email [email protected] or call 580-873-2634. The Fort Towson Historic Site is located north of U.S. 70 near Fort Towson.
Find out more »Earth Day Block Printing class
On Earth Day, Saturday, April 22, celebrate at the Oklahoma History Center (OHC) by creating prints of local Oklahoma wildlife through the art of block printing. In this 3-hour class, artist Ariana Weir will teach students the basics of relief printing including how to transfer a design, carve it out, and ink and print their own block. Participants will leave the class with their very own original works of art and the skills needed to create more at home in…
Find out more »“Glass and a Glass!” glass fusing class
On Earth Day, Saturday, April 22, the Pioneer Woman Museum and Statue will host a special glass fusing class, “Glass and a Glass!,” with artist Audrey Schmitz. In two sessions—one at 1 p.m. and another at 3 p.m.— participants will make a “meadow flower”–themed suncatcher to take home with them. Participants will learn about the process of making fused glass while enjoying a complimentary drink. No prior experience with glass is required to create original art, have fun, and get your…
Find out more »“Ice Cream Social” Kilgen Organ Performance by David Marsh
On Monday, April 24, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., the Oklahoma History Center is pleased to announce the Spring performance of the Kilgen Theater Organ with the theme “Ice Cream Social.” Keeping with the theme, ice cream will be served prior to the performance, so early arrival is advised. The evening concert will feature seasonal melodies by organist David Marsh—a rising star in the theater organ world. Tickets are $10 for Oklahoma Historical Society members and $20 for nonmembers and…
Find out more »Movie Night featuring Will Rogers in Doubting Thomas (1935)
Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore will host a Movie Night featuring Will Rogers and Billie Burke in the film Doubting Thomas (1935), in its theater on Friday, April 28, 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. Guests can enjoy free admission, popcorn, and drinks while watching the film. Seating is limited, so early arrival is suggested. This event is FREE to attend, thanks to sponsorship by the Bank of Commerce. Please call 918-341-0719 for more information.
Will Rogers Movie Night is held on the last Friday of the month.
Find out more »Frozen in Time: A Photographic History of Northwestern Oklahoma exhibit closes
The Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center's exhibit Frozen in Time: A Photographic History of Northwestern Oklahoma will remain open to the public through April 29. The exhibit will feature selected photos from noted Enid photographers Mike Klemme and Wess Gray, with historic photographers William S. Prettyman, William Edson, and Richard J. “Dick” McConkay. Photographs can capture our imagination and transport us back in time. These images can unlock memories, remind us of our past, and also show us how our…
Find out more »Historical and Modern Use of Medicinal Plants
On Saturday, April 29 from 10 a.m. to noon, come to the Oklahoma History Center to learn about medicinal plants from Master Gardener, Jeanetta Cooper. She will make a presentation on plants' historic and modern uses, and participants will be planting their own medicinal plants to take home. This class is $7 for members and $15 for nonmembers, and is for ages 16 and up. The class will take place in Classrooms A and B on the first floor of…
Find out more »“Mixin’ It Up Under the Stars” Tom Mix Museum fundraiser
In celebration of its 55th anniversary, the Tom Mix Museum will host the fundraiser “Mixin' It Up Under the Stars” at the Washington County Fairgrounds in Dewey on Saturday, April 29, from 5–11 p.m. The fundraiser will include a chuck wagon barbeque dinner, music, and a community dance. Live and silent auctions and silent movies are just some of the activities planned for the event. The dance will follow with live entertainment featuring the musical groups “The Tapestry Duo” and…
Find out more »Hammered Aluminum Ware exhibit closes
A new exhibit at the Fred and Addie Drummond Home in Hominy will focus on hammered aluminum ware. From Saturday, April 1, to Sunday, April 30, 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 would use cheaper and lighter hammered aluminum for their card games, birthday celebrations, church events, and monthly coffee socials. With many metals in short…
Find out more »May 2023
Clara Luper 100th Birthday Celebration
On Monday, May 1, the Oklahoma History Center will host a Clara Luper Birthday Celebration in honor of her 100th birthday. The event will last from 6–8 p.m. and include a discussion panel facilitated by Dr. Karlos Hill, regents’ professor in the Clara Luper Department of African and African-American Studies at the University of Oklahoma. Members of the panel discussion will include Clara Luper’s daughter, Marilyn Luper Hildreth, and members of the Clara Luper Legacy Committee. This event will focus…
Find out more »Oklahoma National History Day contest
Oklahoma National History Day is more than an academic exercise for thousands of Oklahoma junior high and high school students; it is a tradition. On Wednesday, May 3, and Thursday, May 4, more than 200 6th- through 12th-grade students will present their exhibits, documentaries, performances, websites, and papers at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City for the opportunity to advance to the National History Day® contest held each summer in the nation's capitol. Due to the size of the…
Find out more »Spring Agricultural Day
Learn about 19th-century agriculture at Hunter’s Home on Saturday, May 6, from 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. as staff prepares for the upcoming growing season. Adults and children can check out the gardens, fields, animals, and house observing the changing of seasons at the only remaining pre–Civil War plantation home in Oklahoma. Spring Agriculture Day is included in the price of regular admission to Hunter’s Home. For more information, call 918-456-2751. Hunter’s Home is located at 19479 E. Murrell Home Rd. in…
Find out more »Blacksmithing and Wheel Setting Demonstrations with the Saltfork Craftsmen
Visit the Cherokee Strip Museum in Perry to watch the Saltfork Craftsmen give a Blacksmithing and Wheel Setting Demonstration in the blacksmith shop. The forge will be lit at 10 a.m. and the demonstration will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The wheel setting demonstration will take place at the May 6 gathering with the museum’s resident blacksmith, Tom Nelson. The wheelwright’s craft goes back thousands of years and was essential in an age of wagon use. They…
Find out more »“How to Research Your ‘Historic’ Property” webinar
On Monday, May 8, at 1 p.m. (Central Time), the State Historic Preservation Office will host a FREE webinar about "How to Research Your 'Historic' Property." Historic properties come in all shapes, sizes, styles, and types. In this workshop, learn helpful strategies for researching a variety of property types. Learn about the common sources of information used for property research, including government records, architectural/construction drawings, newspapers, Sanborn Fire Insurance maps, and aerial photographs. Agenda Guiding Research Principles Common Sources of…
Find out more »Fighting for the Right to Fight: African American Experiences in WWII exhibit opens
On Tuesday, May 9, the exhibit Fighting for the Right to Fight: African American Experiences in WWII opens at the Cherokee Strip and Regional Heritage Center. In the years leading up to World War II, racial segregation and discrimination were part of daily life for many in the United States. For most African Americans, even the most basic rights and services were fragmented or denied altogether. To be Black was to know the limits of freedom—excluded from the very opportunity,…
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