Press Release
March 23, 2023
Contact: Nicole Harvey
Director of Strategic Initiatives, Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-522-5202
nicole.harvey@history.ok.gov
www.okhistory.org/grants
Claremore Museum of History Awarded Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) is proud to announce that the Claremore Museum of History has been awarded a grant through the Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program.
Claremore Museum of History received $20,000 for a project titled “Surrey with the Fringe on Top Exhibit and Restoration,” which will help with properly conserving one of the two surreys used in the movie “Oklahoma!” The project will also fund an interactive exhibit as part of the surrey display.
“The preservation of such an iconic artifact is important for not just our community here in Claremore but for the state of Oklahoma,” said Sen. Ally Seifried, Claremore. “I congratulate the Claremore Museum of History on receiving these grant funds.”
“The Claremore Museum of History is a wonderful resource for our community,” said Rep. Mark Lepak, Claremore. “These conservation efforts will ensure that this important artifact highlighting the movie ‘Oklahoma!’ and based on the stage play by one of Claremore’s favorite sons, Lynn Riggs, can continue to be enjoyed by future generations.”
“The Claremore Museum of History is thrilled to have been chosen as a recipient of the Oklahoma Historical Society’s prestigious Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program,” said Steve Robinson, board chairman. “The funds from the grant will be utilized to add an exhibit case to provide more information about our famous ‘Surrey with the Fringe on Top’ featured in the movie ‘Oklahoma!’ The restoration and exhibit project should be completed and unveiled later this year in August.”
The OHS will distribute over $575,000 in grant funds, with projects ranging from collections care and strategic planning to exhibit development and educational programming.
“These grant funds continue to empower local communities to collect, preserve and share their history for future generations of Oklahomans with over 150 projects funded to date,” said Nicole Harvey, director of strategic initiatives and grants administrator for the OHS.
The Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program is a grants-in-aid program offered by the Oklahoma Historical Society to encourage 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 okhistory.org.
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