Press Release
March 17, 2022
Contact: Nicole Harvey
Director of Strategic Initiatives, Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-522-5202
nharvey@okhistory.org
www.okhistory.org/grants
Friends of the Murrell Home Awarded Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) is proud to announce that the Friends of the Murrell Home has been awarded a grant through the Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program.
The Friends of the Murrell Home has been awarded $9,500 for a project titled “Traveling Sheep Program,” which will build upon a previous Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant–funded project on sheep husbandry. While that project developed a program focused on sheep care and fiber arts, this project will allow the staff to bring these educational experiences to those who may not be able to visit Hunter's Home. The safety of the livestock is the top priority, which will be ensured by a comfortable sheep box for them to travel in and sturdy gate hurdles to protect and secure them at the destination site. These tools will enable them to reach a more diverse audience from all across the state at events such as Fort Towson Historic Site’s Education Day, the Folklife Festival held at the Oklahoma History Center and other education days, folk festivals, and living history events all over Oklahoma.
“Congratulations to the Friends of the Murrell Home on receiving an Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant,” said Sen. Blake Stephens, Tahlequah. “Having been a former school counselor with a background in agriculture I oversaw similar traveling programs, and I am delighted that this grant continues to allow this group to bring historical educational programs to other parts of Oklahoma!”
“Congratulations to the Friends of the Murrell home on being awarded this grant,” said Rep. Bob Ed Culver, Tahlequah. “Hunter’s Home is a big part of history in Cherokee County and I'm thrilled this will allow them to showcase that history even more.”
“The Friends of the Murrell Home is pleased to accept this grant that will enhance its mission of aiding Hunter's Home to establish a working historical farm to tell the story of antebellum agriculture,” said Joyce Varner, president of the Friends of Murrell Home.
The total amount of funds that will be distributed this year is just over $558,000, with projects ranging from collections care and strategic planning to exhibit development and educational programming. “Entering our third year of the Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program, the OHS is thrilled with the program’s success,” said Nicole Harvey, director of strategic initiatives and grants administrator for the OHS. “To date, the program has funded over 120 projects that are aiding with collecting, preserving and sharing Oklahoma history for local communities across the state.”
The Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program is a grants-in-aid program offered by the Oklahoma Historical Society with a goal of encouraging the collection, preservation and sharing of Oklahoma history at the grassroots level in all parts of the state. Open to tribal and municipal governments and not-for-profit historical organizations located in Oklahoma and registered with the Oklahoma secretary of state, this grants program offers funding ranging from $1,000 to $20,000 for projects focused on collections, exhibits and programming. Applications for this annual program open in the fall and award announcements are made in January. For more information visit www.okhistory.org/grants.
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.
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