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 Pawnee Bill Ranch Association Awarded Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) is proud to announce that the Friends of the Pawnee Bill Ranch Association has been awarded a grant through the Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program.
“Congratulations to the Friends of the Pawnee Bill Ranch Association on receiving this grant,” said Sen. Chuck Hall, Perry. “Pawnee Bill is a staple of our history and it's great to see this funding will enhance the visitor experience at the ranch and provide the public with more information about the site and Pawnee Bill.”
“My sense of pride for communities such as Pawnee is immensely high,” said Rep. Ty Burns, Pawnee. “Any time there is funding coming from the state to rural towns not only helps to preserve the history, it also helps the communities that are involved. The Friends of the Pawnee Bill Ranch Association is integral to the people and with these grants, I see the organizations and towns continue to grow and thrive.”
The Friends of the Pawnee Bill Ranch Association has been awarded $20,000 for a project titled “Pawnee Bill Ranch Exterior Interpretive Signs,” which will provide for the installation of outside signage that will add to the interpretation of the site. These signs will provide a mixture of interpretive history as well as maps of the site and information for guests in the form of answers for frequently asked questions. In total, the grant will help fund 10 to 12 signs around the site.
“We have been so grateful for the Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant and the opportunities that it has given our facility the past three years,” said Ronny Brown, director of the Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum. “With new interpretive signage, we can continue to serve the public and build upon the foundation of renewal that the grants program has allowed us to start.”
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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