Press Release
October 24, 2019
Contact: Laura Martin
Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-522-5225
lmartin@okhistory.org
www.okhistory.org
Oklahoma Historical Society to Tell Tales of “Mysterious Oklahoma”
OKLAHOMA CITY — On Thursday, October 31, from 1 to 3 p.m., the Oklahoma Historical Society Research Center will present “Mysterious Oklahoma,” a program exploring two intriguing topics in Oklahoma lore.
First, Michael Williams will speak about Elmer McCurdy, a train robber who became a funhouse mummy. He will describe McCurdy’s criminal activities, the gun that killed him, the lawman who fired the fatal shot and McCurdy’s postmortem career as a carnival attraction. Attendees will learn about continuing research that sheds light on McCurdy’s crimes and reintroduces Stringer Fenton as the hero of the story.
Michael Williams is a curator at the Oklahoma Territorial Museum and Carnegie Library in Guthrie. He is a graduate of the History-Museum Studies Program at the University of Central Oklahoma.
Second, Judith Michener will share the history of Bigfoot sightings in the state, and relate stories of Oklahomans who say they have encountered this mysterious figure.
Judith Michener is a former high school and college instructor, librarian, museum curator and archivist. She is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University and earned her master’s degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. She currently serves on the board of the Friends of the Oklahoma Historical Society Archives and the Pottawatomie County Museum and Historical Society.
The program is $5 for Oklahoma Historical Society members and $10 for nonmembers. Please register in advance by calling the OHS Research Center at 405-522-5225. This program will be held in the Clark and Kay Musser Learning Lab, which is located inside the Research Center on the first floor of the Oklahoma History Center. The Oklahoma History Center is located at 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive in Oklahoma City.
The Research Center is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www.okhistory.org.
###
