Vol. 38, No. 7 Published monthly by the Oklahoma Historical Society, serving since 1893 July 2007
Fort Gibson Historic Site to salute Old Glory on Independence Day 2007
Join a red, white, and blue sa lute to our can non sa lute. Troops will dem on strate Ad mis sion is $3 for adults, $2.50 for se - nation’s birthday! Fort Gibson Historic Site games and pas times of the pe riod, and vis i - niors (65 and over), and $1 for stu dents will pres ent “An 1840s Inde pend ence Day” tors are wel come to par tic i pate. (ages 6–18); children 5 and un der are ad - on Wednes day, July 4, 2007. This liv ing Liv ing his tory ac tiv i ties will take place in mitted free. Fort Gibson Historic Site is lo- his tory event will show visi tors how the the log fort area of the site from 10 a.m. to 5 cated on State High way 80 in Fort Gibson, Fourth of July was ob served at an 1840s p.m., when the site closes. Living history Oklahoma. For more infor ma tion, contact army post. will resume at the Fort Gib son school com- Chris Mor gan or Da vid Fowler at Members of the Sixth Infan try Living plex later that eve ning, and the troops will 918/478-4088. The Fort's e-mail ad dress His tory As so ci a tion will do in fan try and ar - pres ent the colors at the Fort Gib son town is
Endowment Fund established by OHS Board of Directors This June the mem bers of the Board of Di rec tors of the Oklahoma His tor i cal So ci - ety an nounced that they have es tab lished a Board of Di rec tors En dow ment Fund. “This leader ship by board mem bers in the His - tor i cal So ci ety’s fund-rais ing ef forts to build an en dowment is greatly appre ci ated by the staff and mem ber ship,” said Dr. Tim Zwink, OHS De vel op ment Di rec tor. To date, 100 per cent of the OHS board mem bers have made dona tions or pledges to tal ing $7,500. This is a great ac complish - ment, and the board are to be commended for their gen er os ity, Zwink added. These lead er ship do na tions and pledges greatly as sist the OHS as it works to ward a primary fund-raising goal—building an en- Correy Twilly, fifer, and Travis Franklin, drummer, repre sent the Sixth Infan try dowment. This en dowment is tre men - Living History As so cia tion at the Fort Gibson event (Larry Toll photo). dously im por tant be cause it will ben efit many future gener a tions of Oklaho mans Gov. George Nigh holds Q&A session for OHS staff by pro viding a source for re sources for OHS col lec tions ac qui si tions, ex hibit de vel op- On the af ter noon of June 7 for mer Oklahoma Gov er nor George Nigh held a ques - ment, and ed u ca tion pro gram ming. tion-and-an swer ses sion at the Oklahoma History Cen ter for His tor i cal So ci ety staff and In ad di tion, the con tri bu tions by the guests from other state agen cies. The for mer state leader was in the His tory Cen ter to at - board mem bers pro vide im por tant sup port tend a party later that day in honor of his 80th birthday. Known for his easy wit and gregar - for OHS grant-seeking efforts. Grant mak- i ous na ture, afer in troduc tory re marks by OHS Ex ec u tive Di rec tor Bob Blackburn and a ers of ten want to see a sub stan tial level of few open ing re marks of his own, sup port from the ap pli cant’s board mem - Nigh was quickly beseiged by ques- bers be fore they will make a com mit ment of tions from staff and guests. Nigh grant funds. Through the Board of Di rec - served as gov er nor four times. tors En dow ment Fund program, the board The birth day party that eve ning has pro vided es sen tial le ver age for OHS’s was at tended by more than 350 of grant ap pli ca tions. of his friends and former col- “Once again, I thank our board mem bers leagues, both in the gov er nor’s of - for their won der ful lead er ship and as sis - fice and at the Uni ver sity of Cen tral tance in our fund-rais ing ef forts in gen eral Oklahoma. and in our en dowment cam paign in par tic - Guests also en joyed re vis it ing the ular. Their help is in valuable,” said Zwink. gov er nors ex hibit, on dis play in the OHS members who would like in forma - Gaylord Spe cial Ex hib its Gal lery. In- tion on how to do nate to the ongoing en - spired to Lead: First Fam ilies of dow ment cam paign or to other fund-rais - Oklahoma, 1907–2007 re mains in ing pro grams may con tact the De vel op- place at the His tory Cen ter through the end of the year. ment Of fice at 405/522-5217 or e-mail James Howard, Gov. Nigh, and Os car Jackson Zwink at
ASSOCIATE *Dan and Donita Mitchell, Enid Larry Bartmess, Fort Walton Beach, FL *Sharon King Da vis, Tulsa Mr. and Mrs. Don Moody, Duncan Mrs. Celeste Bendel, Tulsa *Deena and Tom Fisher, Woodward Richard D. Nix, Bethany Leora Bishop, Oklahoma City *Wally Trepp, Tulsa Ray mond Pappe, Oklahoma City El len Blackburn, Oklahoma City C. Craig Wil liams, Lawton Mr. and Mrs. Mike Parr, Oklahoma City Melanie Blackburn, Oklahoma City FRIEND Brenda F. Perryman and Erica S. Burns, Mrs. Mar ga ret Bladen, Sallisaw Director’s *Lou & Deanna Bradley, Oklahoma City Achille Janice Brower, Heavener *Ste ven Brooks, Oklahoma City *Linda and Theophilus Pete, Oklahoma City Pat Cathey, Oklahoma City Column *Randolph Brown & Su san Ross, Jim Puckett, Norman George Cawthon, Oklahoma City Oklahoma City Paul and Suella Rea gan, Tulsa Rhonda Coleman, Tishomingo Ste ven M. and Ranell Brown, Mr. and Mrs. Phil Redwine, Norman Mr. Gene Conner, Roanoke, VA Oklahoma City Cecelia Reynolds, Norman Mr. and Mrs. Wil liam G. Creel, Pat rick and Karen Cox, Edmond Wil lard E. and Mar tha E. Rhynes, Ada Bartlesville Sen ator Charles R. Ford, Tulsa Gordon and Mary Jane Richards, Shawnee L. W. Crews, Tucker, GA *Richard Harper, M. D., Edmond R.J. and Jenne Richard son, Davis Annette Da vis, Bethany By Bob L. Blackburn Gary and Nancy Hoeffken, Oklahoma City Mr. and Mrs. Chris Rick, Shawnee Dow Dozier, Oklahoma City H. R. Holman, Oklahoma City Rex and Joy Riggleman, Mid west City Dan Duggan, Las Cruces, NM Executive Director Mary Huff, Sand Springs Dean Rinehart, El Reno Ms. Barbara Easter, Cincinnati, OH *Neal Leader, Norman Dr. Jack and Sharon Rob in son, Durant Marcia Elliott, Fort Gib son *Dr. Charlene Lingo, Mi ami Mr. and Mrs. Mark Rowland, Tulsa Dr. Joe Price Fallin, Oklahoma City My column this month is shorter than *Gary Lower, Oklahoma City *Mr. Ric and Dr. Francie Rus sell, Meeker Jean Fincher, Bartlesville *Lur line Mabrey, Okmulgee usual. And I love it. A. D. and Beth Sadler, Oklahoma City Mr. Tim R. Frame, Checotah Lynda Mobley, Oklahoma City Wil liam C. and Catherine H. Scheihing, Brian Frehner, Stillwater The rea son for the brev ity is the long list Lydia “Lee” Reeder, Edmond Edmond Lana Gray, Oklahoma City of new OHS mem bers who have joined our Lana Reynolds, Semi nole Lorie Schwab, Mid west City James Haney, McLoud fam ily of peo ple who care about Oklahoma Wil liam D. and Patsy Roach, Kingston Jim and Gayla Shadid, Oklahoma City Quintus H. Herron, Idabel *John and Debbie Yoeckel, Edmond Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Shannon, Boise City Candis Hol lo way, Oklahoma City history. If you are getting this newslet ter FAMILY Max and Diane Simpson, Edmond Pamela S. Hoskins, Edmond for the first time, wel come to the family. Jane W Allen & Don Wylie, Mid west City Carole Ann & Mike Smith, Oklahoma City Janice Hughes, Ama rillo, TX For years, I have wanted a grow ing and *Steve and Patty Armbruster, Stillwater Clyde and Darlene Smith, Edmond Robert Hughes, Orlando, FL David and Arlene Baker, Lawton Kip and Betty Smith, Edmond Mrs. Wilma Isom, Wilburton active mem ber ship. It is good for each *Van and Pat Bar ber, Oklahoma City Har old and Gayla Splin ter, Erick Jill Kelsey, Edmond member, it is good for the orga ni za tion, H. El more & Charlene Bathurst, Blackwell Wal ter Lee Stout, Ponca City Ms. Regina Lagaly, Union City and it is good for the state of Oklahoma. Rob ert Ben e dict, Ba ton Rouge, LA Mary Ann Strauss, Sallisaw Da vid Morz, Wich ita, KS R. Garvin Berry, Tulsa Joe Taylor, Oklahoma City Betty Mowery, Acworth, GA Each new mem ber means that an other *Vernor and Barbara Bockelman, Laverne *Ann Thomp son, El Reno Robert K. Murphy, Loveland, CO fam ily can en joy the pub li ca tions we of fer *Richard and Ruth Boone, Jr., Tulsa Kathleen Thorn ton Humphrey, Tulsa Laura J. Murray, Norman and save a lit tle money when they visit our Jerry Bowen, Lindsay Mr. and Mrs. Wil liam B. Townsend, Dr. Mary Jane Nelson, Tishomingo Matt and Kristen Brown, Nichols Hills mu se ums or buy items from our gift shops. Oklahoma City Karen Orme, Bethany *Tay lor and Joellyn Brown, Tulsa Gerald Tucker, Yukon Mr. Rick Payne, Thomas As most of us know, his tory is all around Clay and Jaretta Bu chanan, Oklahoma City *James and Mary R. Wagoner, El Do rado Anne Powell, Lawton us, just wait ing to be dis covered and Gerald and Mary E. Burson, Stillwater Hills, CA Norman Prater, Norman en joyed. T. Roy Carmichael, Chickasha Mr. and Mrs. Ray Walker, Freder ick Claudette Rob ertson, Oklahoma City San dra Carnes, Oklahoma City Richard M. & Mari lyn R. Wal ter, Guthrie Ka ren L. Rodriquez, San An tonio, TX At the same time, the or ga ni za tion ben e - Sam and San dra Cerny, Oklahoma City Mr. and Mrs. John Walthour, Spring, TX Mr. Stephen S. Sang er, Norman fits from increased partic i pa tion in board Jack and Bette Cheaney, Gainesville *Jack and Anna White, Bristow Mary L. Scott, Oklahoma City elec tions, a larger net work of ad vocates Roger and Glenda Choate, Jones Joy Ann Whitehouse, Sapulpa Sa rah Small, Oklahoma City Richard H. and Mary Clements, Ms. Joyce E. Whitlock, Sherman Mr. Thomas Treece, Catoosa who are keep ing their eyes open for collec - Oklahoma City LaVonne Whit ney, Oklahoma City R. Dale Washburn, Grove tions and stories, and stronger support for Jerry and Al ice Cochran, Marietta Mr. and Mrs. Frank Wilkerson, Da vid Wil liams, Catoosa history at the State Capitol. There is noth- Vernon Corkle, Joplin, MO Oklahoma City Paula Willits, Tulsa Elton and Peggy Da vis, Norman Rev. and Mrs. John Winkler, Oklahoma City Paul M. Young, Norman ing like a voter in his or her dis trict asking Ann Douglas, Dal las, TX Dr. and Mrs. R. L. Winters, Poteau INSTITUTIONAL a leg is la tor for help in pre serv ing our *Yvonna Douglas, Edmond Bobby and Mary Wolff, El Reno Norman High School Li brary/Media Ctr, his tory. Mr. and Mrs. Ernest M. Drowatzky, Daryl and Linda Woodard, Tulsa Norman Wich ita, KS I want to thank Alma Moore, Dr. Paul Dr. Craig A. Wooten, Oklahoma City South Grand Lake Area Visi tors Center, Mr. and Mrs. Mel Duvall, Eufaula INDIVIDUAL Bird Island Lambert, and Dr. Tim Zwink for all their ef - Annette Ellis, Tulsa Bob Appleby, Dur ham, NC Uni versity of Oklahoma Li brary #2, forts to build mem ber ship. At this point we Larry and Nina Fergu son, Cleveland Mark Ashton, Lawton Norman Leroy Folks, Stillwater Ms. Eneth R. Banks, Stillwater are on track to add 2,007 new members Dana K. Frank, Stillwater (get it?) to our rosters during the centen - Donald Gardner, Oklahoma City nial year. Ms. Dena Gawey, Tulsa Yes, my col umn this month is shorter Jimmy and Linda Gill, Sul phur Oklahoma Historical Society *Molly Le vite Griffis, Norman Publications Division than usual, but I could not be more Mr. and Mrs. Wil liam Hammond, Lawton Dianna Everett, Ph.D., Editor pleased. Rich ard and Mar i lyn Hankins, Edmond Linda D. Wilson, Assistant Editor *Frank and Rosemary Helderle, William E. Siemens, Graphic Artist Oklahoma City Membership Office: Alma Moore Gerald and Linda Hibbs, Edmond 405/522-5242 Mr. and Mrs. Dale Hirrill, Oklahoma City
Ev ery ef fort has been made to list cor rect 21 Fam ily Ed u ca tion Day, Oklahoma in for ma tion as it was avail able. Other Museum of His tory, His tory Cen ter events may be added through out the year. 21 Tat ting Work shop with Judy Check the monthly is sues of Mis tle toe Banashek, Chis holm Trail Museum, Leaves for ad di tions, cor rec tions, and/or King fisher ex panded ar ti cles. 23 Wire An gel Mak ing Workshop, Paw - Some events re quire reg is tra tion and/or nee Bill Ranch Site, Pawnee ad mis sion fees. Reg is tra tion is lim ited for 27 Black smith ing Work shop, Cher o kee some work shops and semi nars. Some Strip Mu seum, Kingfisher events spon sored by the OHS are held at 28 Fam ily Ed u ca tion Day, Oklahoma sites other than the property on which the Museum of His tory, His tory Cen ter OHS site or mu seum is lo cated. Please visit the OHS web site to verify date, First Kansas Infantry (OHS photo). hours, ex act lo ca tion, ad mis sion fees, etc. AUGUST Click on “About OHS,” “Events Sched ule” SEPTEMBER for ad di tional in for ma tion about the OHS 1-31 Voices in the Tallgrass: Na tive Women events listed below. Art ists of Oklahoma, Pi o neer Woman Mu seum, Ponca City 1-22 Voices in the Tallgrass: Na tive Women TBA = to be an nounced Art ists of Oklahoma, Pi o neer Woman 1-31 Oklahoma Semi-cen ten nial Ex hibit, Mu seum, Ponca City Re search Cen ter, Oklahoma His tory JULY Cen ter 1-30 Oklahoma Semi-cen ten nial Ex hibit, Re search Cen ter, Oklahoma His tory
1-31 In spired to Lead: First Fam i lies of Cen ter 1-31 Voices in the Tallgrass: Na tive Women Oklahoma, Oklahoma His tory Art ists of Oklahoma, Pi o neer Woman Cen ter 1-30 In spired to Lead: First Fam i lies of Mu seum, Ponca City Oklahoma, Oklahoma His tory 1-31 Oklahoma Semi-cen ten nial Ex hibit, Cen ter Re search Cen ter, Oklahoma His tory 1-30 Art from In dian Ter ritory 2007, con - Cen ter tempo rary art exhibit, Oklahoma 1-31 In spired to Lead: First Fam i lies of His tory Cen ter Oklahoma, Oklahoma His tory 1-30 A Day at Rose Hill School, Fall Se - Cen ter mes ter be gins, 1910 liv ing history 2 First Monday of the Month Free Ad - pro gram, stu dent ac tiv i ties for classes mis sion at Oklahoma His tory Cen ter from around the state, Chero kee Strip Mu seum, Perry 4 1840s In de pend ence Day Cel e bra tion, 3 First Monday of the Month Free Ad - Ft. Gib son His toric Site, Ft. Gib son mis sion at Oklahoma His tory Cen ter 7 Cowboy Ride-in Break fast, Paw nee 7 Pub lic Meeting, State His toric Pres er - Bill Ranch, Paw nee va tion Office’s Fis cal Year 2008 7 Fam ily Ed u ca tion Day, Oklahoma Historic Preser va tion Fund Grant Museum of His tory, His tory Cen ter Ap pli ca tion, Oklahoma His tory Cen ter 13-14 Honey Springs An nual Me mo rial Fun 1-31 Art from In dian Ter ritory 2007, con- 10 Bon net Mak ing Work shop, Paw nee Runs and Me mo rial Ser vice, Honey tempo rary art exhibit, Oklahoma Bill Ranch Site, Paw nee Springs Bat tle field, Checotah His tory Cen ter 11 Hat Making Workshop, Pawnee Bill 14 Fam ily Ed u ca tion Day, Oklahoma 6 First Monday of the Month Free Ad - Ranch Site, Paw nee Museum of His tory, His tory Cen ter mis sion at Oklahoma His tory Cen ter, 15-30 A Scissortail Re turns: The Chi nese Ex - Oklahoma City 17 Museum of the West ern Prairie, Altus peri ence in Oklahoma, ex hibit, closes; re mains closed through 11 Vic to rian Style Show and La dies’ Tea, Oklahoma His tory Cen ter mid-Sep tem ber Oklahoma His tory Cen ter 15 New Vol un teer Train ing, Oklahoma 19 His toric Pres er va tion Re view Com mit - 18 Tat ting Work shop with Judy His tory Cen ter tee meets, Oklahoma His tory Cen ter Banashek, Chis holm Trail Museum, 15 Cher o kee Strip Cel e bra tion Tea and King fisher 20 1907 Ice Cream So cial, in cel ebra tion Open House, Cher okee Strip of the Oklahoma Cen ten nial, Fred Mu seum, Perry Drummond House, Hom iny 15 Civil War Life Program, Cooking Dem- on stra tion, Ar til lery Field School, Honey Springs Bat tle field, Checotah 15 Liv ing His tory Day, Cav alry Pro gram, Ft. Sup ply His toric Site, Ft. Sup ply July Family Days to be held at the Oklahoma History Center! 15 Tat ting Work shop with Judy Banashek, Chis holm Trail Museum, King fisher Ev ery Satur day in July the Oklahoma Mu seum of His tory (Oklahoma His tory Cen - ter, Oklahoma City) will offer Family Day. For the price of admis sion to the Cen ter, the fam ily will en joy hands-on ac tiv i ties such as pe riod danc ing or build ing a min ia ture sod house. Histor i cal in ter pret ers in pe riod cloth ing will give in for mal lec tures for the par ents and chil dren. There are two themes, Civil War and Ter ri to rial Life, which will be presented on al ter nate week ends. The programs are scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 3 p.m. That’s July 7, 14, 21, and 28. JULY-DECEMBER 2007
22 La dies Camp of In struc tion, George 14 Cen ten nial Pa rade Brunch, spe cial DECEMBER M. Murrell House, Park Hill pro gram ming, Oklahoma His tory Cen ter 22-23 Au tum nal Equi nox Walks, Spiro 1-25 Christmas Tours of the Seay Man sion Mounds Ar chae o log i cal Cen ter, Spiro 18 His toric Pres er va tion Re view Com mit - and Pi o neer Vil lage, Chis holm Trail tee meets, Oklahoma His tory Cen ter 23-30 Cen ten nial Quilt Chal lenge Con test Mu seum, King fisher and Ex hibit, Oklahoma’s Pi o neer ing 20 Tat ting Work shop with Judy 1-31 Cen ten nial Quilt Chal lenge Con test Spirit, 1907–2007, Pi o neer Woman Banashek, Chis holm Trail Museum, and Ex hibit, Oklahoma’s Pi o neer ing Mu seum, Ponca City King fisher Spirit, 1907--2007, Pi o neer Woman 28-30 Civil War Reenactment of the Bat tle of 20 Ghost Sto ries at the Man sion, Paw nee Mu seum, Ponca City Cabin Creek, vi cinity of Pensacol, Bill Ranch Site, Paw nee 1-31 In spired to Lead: First Fam i lies of near Vinita-Pryor 24-27 Walk ing Ghost Stories Tours, Ft. Oklahoma, Oklahoma His tory Washita, vi cin ity of Durant-Madill Cen ter 1-31 They Know Who They Are: Por traits of OCTOBER 25 Vol un teer Ap pre ci a tion Ban quet, Mu - seum of His tory, Oklahoma His tory Chick a saw Liv ing El ders, 24 paintings Cen ter by Mike Larsen, Okla homa His tory 1-31 A Day at Rose Hill School, Fall Se - Cen ter mes ter con tin ues, 1910 liv ing his tory 28 Ghostly Doaksville, vi cin ity Ft. 1 19th Texas Con fed er ate Army Living pro gram, stu dent ac tiv i ties for classes Towson His toric Site, Ft. Towson His tory Pro gram, Ft. Washita, vi cin ity from around the state, Chero kee Strip 26-27 Ghost Stories, George M. Murrell Durant-Madill Mu seum, Perry House, Park Hill 3 First Monday of the Month Free Ad - 1-31 In spired to Lead: First Fam i lies of mis sion at Oklahoma His tory Cen ter Oklahoma, Oklahoma His tory Cen ter NOVEMBER 1-31 Art from In dian Ter ritory 2007, con - tempo rary art exhibit, Oklahoma His tory Cen ter 1-30 Cen ten nial Quilt Chal lenge Con test and Ex hibit, Oklahoma’s Pi o neer ing 1-31 A Scissortail Re turns: The Chi nese Ex - Spirit, 1907–2007, Pi o neer Woman peri ence in Oklahoma, Oklahoma Mu seum, Ponca City His tory Cen ter 1-30 A Day at Rose Hill School, Fall Se - 1-31 Cen ten nial Quilt Chal lenge Con test mes ter con tin ues, 1910 liv ing his tory and Ex hibit, Oklahoma's Pi o neer ing pro gram, stu dent ac tiv i ties for classes Spirit, 1907–2007, Pio neer Woman from around the state, Chero kee Strip Mu seum, Ponca City Mu seum, Perry 1-30 In spired to Lead: First Fam i lies of Oklahoma, Oklahoma His tory Cen ter Un con quered, at the en trance to the Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City 1-30 Art from In dian Ter ritory 2007, con- tempo rary art exhibit, Oklahoma Sod House, Aline (Jim Argo photo). (J. Briley photo). His tory Cen ter 1-30 They Know Who They Are: Por traits of Chick a saw Liv ing El ders, 24 paintings 5 “Fed eral and State Tax In centives for by Mike Larsen, Okla homa His tory Re ha bil i tat ing His toric Build ings” and Cen ter “Guidelines and Tax In centives for Re - ha bil i tat ing His toric Build ings,” SHPO 5 First Monday of the Month Free Ad - work shops, Oklahoma His tory Cen ter mis sion at Oklahoma His tory Cen ter 6 “The Section 106 Re view Pro cess,” 9-10 “Un ion Ske dad dle 1861” Can dle light SHPO work shop, Oklahoma His tory Tours, Ft. Washita, vi cin ity of Cen ter Durant-Madill 6 Holi day Open House, Paw nee Bill 10 Fall Bake Day, Ft. Gib son His toric Ranch Site, Paw nee Site, Ft. Gib son 7 “Work ing with the Na tional Reg ister of 16 State hood Proc la ma tion Reenactment His toric Places,” SHPO work shop, on Oklahoma’s 100th State hood Day, Oklahoma His tory Cen ter State Capital Pub lish ing Mu seum, Guthrie 8 7th Texas Con fed er ate Army Living His tory Pro gram, Ft. Washita, vicinity 17 Tat ting Work shop with Judy of Durant-Madill Banashek, Chis holm Trail Museum, King fisher 9 Christ mas Tea and Open House, 1-31 An nual Quilt Show, Paw nee Bill Cher o kee Strip Mu seum, Perry Ranch Site, Paw nee 17 Civil War Life Program, Non-combat - ant Life, Honey Springs Bat tle field 9 Christ mas Open House, George M. 1 First Monday of the Month Free Ad - Site, Checotah Murrell House, Park Hill mis sion at Oklahoma His tory Cen ter 17 Vic to rian Christ mas Dec o ra tions 14-15 Can dle light Tour, Ft. Gib son His toric 4 Crazy Quilt Workshop, Pawnee Bill Work shop, Paw nee Bill Ranch Site, Site, Ft. Gib son Ranch Site, Paw nee Paw nee 15 Tat ting Work shop with Judy 12-13 Fall En camp ment, Ft. Gib son His toric 22 Thanksgiving Day Banashek, Chis holm Trail Museum, Site, Ft. Gib son King fisher 13 Her i tage Skills Work shop, Paw nee Bill 22 Win ter Sol stice Walks, Spiro Mounds Ranch Site, Paw nee Ar chae o log i cal Cen ter, Spiro 13 1907 Fash ion Show and Tea, George 25 Christmas Day M. Murrell House, Park Hill Hidden Collections . . . John W. Thompson's Diary By Larry O’Dell Di a ries have al ways been an ex cel lent re - source for his to ri ans. The Oklahoma His - A typical tor i cal So ci ety’s Re search Di vi sion houses 1930s sev eral; one ex cel lent di ary re lat ing to cot - Oklahoma ton farm ing dur ing the Great De pres sion is cotton that of John W. Thomp son (2007.20). farm and Thomp son, born in Mis souri on Oc to ber family (OHS 13, 1865, moved with his fam ily to Texas in Research Division 1871. In 1888 he mar ried Sa rah Wilder, photo). and in 1901 they bought a farm near Rus - sell in Greer County, Oklahoma, moving there with their nine children. The diary, which spans 1928 to 1939, re lates to this farm. Thomp son died in 1939. In 2006 his grand son do nated the di ary to OHS. Thompson explains how the De pres sion af fected the small farmer in South west ern very poor man. Noth ing much to show for Researchers in ter ested in this time pe riod Oklahoma. His Sep tem ber 19, 1930, en try our life work but a large fam ily of chil dren should find this di ary in dis pens able. There reads, “We are up against it, hard, al most all of which I am proud.” He kept the di ary are sev eral sec ondary sources of this type. no feed—al most no cot ton and the price on until his death, with his children writing An ex cel lent book held in the OHS library is cot ton is about 9 cents. I wish I knew what en tries when sick ness in ca pac i tated Caro line A. Henderson’s Let ters from the I could do to get by.” He also re flects on his Thomp son prior to his pass ing. The first Dust Bowl, ed ited by Al Turner. The life. On Oc to ber 13, 1935, he noted, “Fifty en try by his daugh ter relates her fa ther’s Oklahoma His tor i cal So ci ety is in ter ested years ago today I left home to work for my - feel ings. March 8, 1939, “I (John Thomp - in di a ries and sim i lar doc u ments that help self and I thot [sic] I would be fixed in the son) have sat here by this ta ble all these tell our history from the ev ery man per spec- world in a few years but I have found that years and read and wrote let ters but now I tive, which supple ments the famil iar polit i - life is full of dis appoint ment and I have had can’t read or write any more. Just sit here cal or busi ness lead ers’ view point. my share of them for at 70 I am still a very, and study about my con di tion.”
OHS Faces . . . Kaye Bond, Research Division Donors, April–May Ash ton, Sharron J., Norman Oklahoma De part ment of Director, Cherokee Strip Museum Blumenthal, Linda, OKC Pub lic Safety, OKC Boake, Evelyn V., Anadarko Oklahoma Ge ne a log i cal OHS’s mu seum in Perry (No ble County) is un der Burton, Art, South Hol land, IL So ciety, OKC the man age ment of an ex pe ri enced mu seum hand. Carson, Gayle J., OKC Oklahoma Ter ri tory Cole, Sam, OKC Tellers, OKC Kaye Bond began work ing for OHS as a tem porary Com pass Point Books, Orza, Vince, Edmond em ployee at the CSM in De cem ber 1988. She be came Min ne ap o lis, MN Pierce, Hal, Norman an his tor i cal in ter preter, then cu ra tor, and in De- Cunningham, Wil liam E. III, Lawton Pirrong, Barbara, OKC Davis, Wil liam I., Jr., OKC Plumer, Fred, Talala cem ber 1989, the His tor i cal Facilities Man ager. Ellis, Don ald, OKC Rainer, Jeanne, Moore Born in Bryan, Texas, Bond lived in sev eral states, Fallin, Mary, Washing ton, D.C. Sadler, Carl K., OKC but her grand par ents lived in Tulsa. They retired to Fer gu son, John, OKC Schwartz, Larry, Moore Fields, Judy Henry, Harrah Sea ton, George, Ada farms near Inola and Orlando. Her great-great grand - Flem ing, Don, Oklahoma City Sikorovsky, Charles, par ents were in volved in the Cher okee Strip Land Run Frame, Kather ine, Tulsa Northbrook, IL in 1893. Inter est ingly, her husband’s ca reer brought her to Perry. She at tended col - Francis Oil and Gas, Inc., Tulsa Smallwood, Barbara, Tulsa lege in Mis souri but grad uated from Oklahoma State Uni ver sity. Goff, Lois B., Wilmetter, IL Sparks, Paul and Jennifer, Hampton, Barbara, OKC Fort Gibson Mis tle toe Leaves asked Bond to describe her most en joy able expe ri ence at the Har ris, Rodger, OKC Symcox, Mary Louise, CSM: “Gen er ally, I find the research and prob lem-solv ing as pects of my job the Heck, Berlin, Broken Bow Norman most en joy able. I have also found it very re ward ing to work with and meet so many Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, MA Trail of Tears As so ci a tion, Indian Terri tory Posse of Oklahoma Oklahoma Chapter, dif fer ent peo ple. I have been very for tu nate that the staff at the mu seum, which in - Western ers, OKC Park Hill cludes not only OHS em ploy ees, but the Rose Hill School staff hired by our lo cal Jacob son, Ryan D., St. Louis, MO Turner, Alvin O., Norman support group, the Cher okee Strip His tor i cal So ci ety, has been a plea sure to work Janeway, Roberta, Lubbock, TX Underhill, Clem, El Cerrito, Kirk, San dra, Choctaw CA with and to get to know. We find it en joy able to have so many vis i tors say they en joy Larwig, Lillian, OKC United Daugh ters of the the mu seum and re late to the sto ries our ex hib its tell. It is reward ing to hear all the Loshbaugh, Billie S., Tulsa Con fed eracy, Tulsa posi tive com ments peo ple make or to have a child tell me ‘this place is re ally cool!’ Marcotte, Mi chael, Norman Washing ton Co. History McQuillen, Mary Niemeyer, Plano, TX Book Com mit tee, The museum grounds are an other thing I en joy. The set ting is lovely and con trib - Michener, Judith L., Shaw nee Bartlesville utes to the plea sure of work ing here.” Minter, Betty, Tulsa Welge, William D., OKC Mis tle toe Leaves also asked her to talk about the pro ject that makes her the Mitchell, Mar shal Don, Fort Worth, TX proud est. She re sponded, “I am most proud of the Rose Hill School pro gram. The Nichols, Paul, OKC program was first es tab lished by Kathy Dick son and Cecilia Stratton. ‘A Day at Rose Hill School’ started in the fall of 1988. We’ve just finished our 19th year of of- REMINDER!! fering the pro gram. I think its longev ity is a remark able tes tament, not only to its qual ity, but to the many dif fer ent peo ple who have worked to make the liv ing his - Brick Or der Dead line—Au gust 15 tory pro gram a suc cess for so many years. I credit much of the program’s suc cess Monogrammed bricks in stalled at the to the ter rific ‘schoolmarms’ who have been so dedi cated over the years. Al most Oklahoma His tory Cen ter must be or - 52,000 students have spent ‘A Day at Rose Hill’ and we are al ready com pletely dered by Wednes day, Au gust 15. Call booked for the 2007–08 school term. It has been fun and re ward ing to be part of a 405/522-5217 to place an or der or to pro gram that has reached so many people.” ob tain ad di tional in for ma tion. Don't She added, “I like the op por tu nity to help peo ple make con nec tions to the past, miss this oppor tu nity. use their imag i na tions and cre ativ ity to make history rel evant. That’s re ward ing.” SHPO’s 2007 Citations of OHS Places . . . Merit awarded at Sod House Museum Preservation Conference Route 3, Box 28 Aline, OK 73716-9801 Each year, the Oklahoma State His toric Phone: 580/463-2441 Preser va tion Office presents the Cita tion of Hours: Tues.-Fri., 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; Merit to in di vid u als, or ga ni za tions, firms, Sat.-Sun., 2–5 p.m. and gov ern ment agen cies in rec og ni tion of Admission: Free; donations are accepted. their many con tri butions to the pres er va - Directions: Four miles north of Cleo Springs, tion of Oklahoma’s heri tage. These ac com- just east of State Highway 8. plish ments may be in the ar eas of ar chae o- logi cal site preser va tion, leader ship, plan - More than a hun dred years ago a man ning, pub li ca tions, pub lic pro gram ming, named Mar shall McCully par tic i pated in re search, or res to ra tion and re ha bil i ta tion. the open ing of the Cher okee Out let on Sep - These pro jects and ac tiv i ties have pos i tive tem ber 16, 1893. Sim i lar to the ex pe ri - im pacts at the local, state, and na tional ences of other set tlers who par tic i pated in level. This year’s re cipi ents are: the land openings, his origi nal claim was Muskogee Housing Partners, LP, and jumped by an other in di vid ual. So McCully Sikes Abernathie Ar chi tects re ceived the re located and claimed 163 acres north of ci ta tion for a certified re ha bil i ta tion of Cleo Springs. When Alfalfa County was or - Muskogee’s 1910 Surety Build ing. The ga nized in 1907, his claim would be located building now has new life as senior hous - on the southern edge of that county. ing. The project dem on strates the im por - McCully ini tially lived in a dug out, which tance of federal and state tax cred its in he re placed in Au gust 1894 with a sod house con structed from the tough, thick buf falo com mu nity re vi tal iza tion ef forts. grass that grew in the area. The soddy con sisted of two rooms, ap prox i mately 10 x 12 feet Rich ard An drews was recog nized for his each. Us ing poles made from local blackjack trees, he made a roof. He filled the cracks be- work as Spe cial Pro jects man ager for the tween the poles with mud and piled dirt on top of the mud. In Sep tem ber that year McCully Oklahoma Depart ment of Transportation’s brought his bride, Sadie Steele, a teacher from Enid, to their new home. en hance ments pro gram, which en abled The Oklahoma His tor i cal So ci ety ac quired the sod house in De cem ber 1963, and it was improvements to streetscapes in Durant, listed in the Na tional Reg is ter of His toric Places (NR 70000526) in 1970. The soddy re mains Okmulgee, and Shawnee. in its orig i nal lo cation and is cov ered by an outer shell building to pro tect it from the el e- Arvest Bank and Ambler Ar chi tects con - ments. Be fore vis it ing the Sod House Mu seum, you can learn more about McCully and sod ducted a cer ti fied re ha bil i ta tion of the his - houses in gen eral by read ing “The Sod House of Mar shal McCully: A Last Relic of the Great toric Un ion National Bank Building in Plains His tory,” by B. B. Chap man, pub lished in The Chroni cles of Oklahoma 45 (Sum mer Bartlesville. The $1.5 million project will be 1967) and “The Soddy,” by Melvena Thurman Heisch, in Of The Earth: Oklahoma Archi tec - used as an exemplary case study in an up - tural History , ed. Howard L. Meredith and Mary El len Meredith (Oklahoma City: Oklahoma coming Na tional Park Service training Historical Society, 1980). pro gram. BancFirst, through the leader ship of ted the 1931 Art Deco Tulsa Fire Alarm Wilburton, including Oklahoma Tour ism, CEO Da vid Rainbolt, provided $10,000 to Build ing, which re opened in 2006 as the Wilburton Main Street, Rob bers Cave State Pres er va tion Oklahoma, Inc., to launch the as so ci a tion’s new head quar ters. Park, Wilburton Cham ber of Com merce, PlanFirst Grant Pro gram. The grants will Philtower, LLC and Kinslow, Keith and Twenti eth Cen tury Club, and East ern fo cus on pro jects that in volve ap pro pri ate Todd re ha bil i tated Tulsa’s 1927 Philtower Oklahoma State Col lege. pro fes sion als and re sult in meaningful build ing, the city’s iconic Art Deco sky - prod ucts such as con di tion as sess ments scraper. The restored Philtower became Drummond House to hold 1907 or well-de signed fund-rais ing cam paigns Tulsa’s first mixed-use high-rise. in com mu ni ties served by BancFirst. Skirvin Part ners, LLC, Marcus Ho tels and ice cream social Paul Buntz, Durant City Man ager, sup - Resorts, City of Oklahoma City, Kahler Slat- The Friends of the Fred Drummond ported the Main Street Program there and er Ar chi tects, and Flintco Con struc tive So lu - Home will host an ice cream so cial on Sat - pro vided lead er ship for such high-profile tions collab o rated to reha bil i tate Oklahoma ur day, July 21, at the Drummond House to projects as the Three Val ley Museum re ha - City’s historic Skirvin Hotel, once in cluded cel e brate Oklahoma’s 1907 Cen ten nial. bil i ta tion pro ject, the Mar ket Square Cafe on the Most En dan gered Places list. Begin ning at 12 noon and contin uing pro ject, and three phases of down town The Small Group Ar chi tects restored until 3 p.m. visi tors will be treated to streetscape im prove ments. Edmond’s first schoolhouse to its 1891–92 homemade ice cream, old-fash ioned cook- Dr. Stanley Bussey was post hu mously ap pear ance, based on ar chi val re search ies, and lem on ade. Judges will award pre sented the cita tion for his ser vice as the and on-site in ves ti ga tions. first-, sec ond-, and third-place prizes to His toric Pres er va tion Re view Com mit tee’s Waverly Neigh bor hood As so ci a tion pre - the cre ators of the best ice cream. pre his toric ar chae ol o gist from 1994 un til vented the de mo li tion of 1203 West Broad - Children will enjoy gunny sack and his death in May 2006. way in Enid. The site was des tined to be - egg-spoon races, and the win ners will re - The Cher o kee Na tion, Sa line Pres er va - come a church park ing lot. The case dem- ceive prizes. En ter tain ment in cludes old tion Asso ci a tion, Fritz Baily, P.C., and Dr. on strated the im por tance of a city zon ing tunes and dancing on the lawn, with mu sic George Odell combined ef forts to pre serve or dinance and the in volvement of resi - pro vided by the band “Finnegan's Wake,” the Sa line Court house, one of the Cher okee dents in their lo cal gov ern ment. from Tulsa. Na tion’s nine orig i nal dis trict court houses. Dr. Bobby Weaver in ven to ried and or ga - Mar tha Ray, of the OHS Sites Service John Givens, Great Plains Coca-Cola nized a finding aid for the OHS Re search Cen ter, will lead the danc ing. Bot tling Com pany, Dean Codner, and Di vi sion’s John W. Kirschner Collection, The public is invited to this fun-filled true Shaun Colbert col lab orated to re store a which con tains 1,021 fire in sur ance rat ing 1907–style fam ily event. Con tact Beverly 100-foot-long, three-story-tall Coca-Cola book lets cov er ing 7,341 Oklahoma towns Whitcomb at 918/885-2374 for more sign on the 1903 St. Cloud Ho tel in Chan - for 1896 to 1958. This valu able re search in for ma tion. dler on Route 66. re source supplements the Sanborn Fire In - The Drummond House is located at 305 The Amer i can Lung As so ci a tion of sur ance Maps. N. Price Av enue in Hom iny. Oklahoma and Fritz Baily, P.C., rehabilita- Also cited were the co sponsors of the 18th Annual Preser va tion Confer ence at Pawnee Bill Ranch is set for a busy July
Plan on en joying a huge break fast of The museum will offer a Wire An gel ham, eggs, biscuits and gravy, fried pota - Mak ing Work shop on Mon day, July 23, toes, and more when you visit the Paw nee from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Vol. 38, No. 7 July 2007 Bill Ranch and Mu seum on Satur day, Mar tha Ray, OHS His toric Homes Di - July 7, for the annual Cow boy Ride-In rec tor, will teach the class, which is also Break fast at the ranch at 6:30 a.m. pre sented at other homes and sites in the OHS membership elects directors If horse back riding is not your style, OHS sys tem. come out, any way. Every one is wel come. The class costs $15 and is lim ited to 15 In April at the OHS’s Annual Meeting, Emmy Scott Stidham, chair of the OHS Nomi - Those who plan to ride should as sem ble par tic i pants. Pay ment is ap pre ci ated (but nat ing Com mit tee, an nounced the names of three in divid u als cho sen by the mem ber - at the Paw nee County Court house at 6 not required) prior to the class day. Stu - ship to serve on the Board of Directors in 2007–08. a.m. to ride as a group to the ranch’s pic- dents are asked to bring a pair of nee - In Dis trict 1, Dr. Guy W. Logsdon of Tulsa was elected. A for mer board member, nic pa vil ion. There is no charge for the dle-nose pli ers. Logsdon joined the OHS in 1988. Repre sent ing Dis trict 3, Dr. Marvin Kroeker of Ada break fast, but dona tions are greatly ap - At the end of the class, you will have re tained his seat. Dr. William D. Penning ton of Tishomingo, also a former board mem- pre ci ated. Come hun gry! The ranch is sit - fin ished a beauti ful, hand-crafted wire ber, was elected At-Large. The oaths were admin is tered by Oklahoma Supreme Court uated one-half mile west of Paw nee on an gel to take home. They make beauti ful Jus tice Steven W. Tay lor. U.S. 64. Call 918/762-2513 or e-mail the Christ mas or na ments and are very dec o- At the reorganizational board meet ing, which fol lowed the An nual Mem ber ship lun - staff at
The staff of the OHS’s Honey Springs Battle field, north of Checotah, are busy fi nal iz - ing their plans for this year’s Honey Springs Memo rial 5K Run and 1-Mile Fun Run and Walk on the eve ning of July 13. The 5K run is a sanctioned event, and win ners will Back by demand! Victorian Style Show and Ladies’ re ceive med als for first, second, and third place in each cat egory. The “fun run” be gins Tea to reprise on August 11 at 7:30, and the sanc tioned 5-K race be gins at 8 p.m. The staff will load and fire a re - In March 2007 the OHS pre sented a Vic to rian Style Show and La dies’ Tea, held at pro duction Civil War can non to start the races. Run ners must sign up and pay an en - the Oklahoma His tory Cen ter. The event proved to be wildly popu lar and really try fee, but spec ta tors are admit ted free. “wowed” the la dies. Many ea ger would-be specta tors were turned away be cause the On Sat urday, July 14, at 10:30 a.m. the staff will conduct the annual Me mo rial Ser - event sold out al most the day tickets were of fered. vice, which hon ors the sol diers who died or were wounded in the Civil War en gage ment But de spair not! On the af ter noon of Sat ur day, at Honey Springs on July 17, 1863. Dur ing that fight, ap proxi mately 9,000 men on Au gust 11, a se quel will be pre sented from 1 to 4 both sides met on the bat tlefield. An es ti mated 134 Con fed er ate and 77 Union men p.m. at the Oklahoma History Center. More than died, and un told num bers were wounded. two dozen la dies will model fash ions from the de - Follow ing the ser vice the Friends of Honey Springs Bat tle field will hold its an nual cades 1820 to 1920 as Mar tha Ray, OHS Di rec tor of lun cheon and mem ber ship meet ing. The next reenactment of the Battle of Honey His toric Homes, pro vides a nar ra tive de scrib ing Springs will be in fall 2008. For more in forma tion call 918/473-5572 or e-mail each dress or gown and its ac cesso ries. Women’s
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