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June 2021
“Life at Hunter’s Home: Farm Life at Hunter’s Home” begins (virtual)
During the month of June, Hunter’s Home in Park Hill will continue its “Life at Hunter’s Home” subscription Facebook page with a focus on Farm Life. “Life at Hunter’s Home: Farm Life at Hunter’s Home” will present video workshops about the farming aspect of the historic site. The June subscription will include instructions about how to prepare a Haymaker's Lunch, and how to build a single person bench in the workshop. “Life at Hunter’s Home” is a paid subscription Facebook group.…
Find out more »“Life at Hunter’s Home: Farm Life at Hunter’s Home” concludes (virtual)
During the month of June, Hunter’s Home in Park Hill will continue its “Life at Hunter’s Home” subscription Facebook page with a focus on Farm Life. “Life at Hunter’s Home: Farm Life at Hunter’s Home” will present video workshops about the farming aspect of the historic site. The June subscription will include instructions about how to prepare a Haymaker’s Lunch, and how to build a single person bench in the workshop. “Life at Hunter’s Home” is a paid subscription Facebook group. Subscribers…
Find out more »July 2021
“Life at Hunter’s Home: Cooking and Crafts” begins (virtual)
During the month of July, Hunter’s Home in Park Hill will continue its “Life at Hunter’s Home” subscription Facebook page with a focus on demonstrations and handmade items. “Life at Hunter’s Home: Cooking and Crafts” will present video workshops with a kitchen demonstration about roasting ears of corn, and a video about making hand-made fans for the warmer months. “Life at Hunter’s Home” is a paid subscription Facebook group. Subscribers can visit the Hunter’s Home Facebook page for a link…
Find out more »“Life at Hunter’s Home: Cooking and Crafts” concludes (virtual)
During the month of July, Hunter’s Home in Park Hill will continue its “Life at Hunter’s Home” subscription Facebook page with a focus on demonstrations and handmade items. “Life at Hunter’s Home: Cooking and Crafts” will present video workshops with a kitchen demonstration about roasting ears of corn, and a video about making hand-made fans for the warmer months. “Life at Hunter’s Home” is a paid subscription Facebook group. Subscribers can visit the Hunter’s Home Facebook page for a link…
Find out more »August 2021
Family Fun Day
Experience Family Fun Day at the Cherokee Strip Museum and Rose Hill School in Perry on Saturday, August 7, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bring the whole family to enjoy this free admission day full of cake walks, apple peeling, sack races, rope making demonstrations, gunfights, and live blacksmithing demonstrations. The Rose Hill schoolmarm will hold short class sessions, and Rooster Cogburn and his friends will stop by to entertain the crowd. The Roadside Grill food trailer will be…
Find out more »History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip
Step back in time and experience life in the Cherokee Outlet during History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center in Enid. On the first and third Saturday of each month, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the historic buildings in the Humphrey Heritage Village come alive with reenactors who are tending their shops, working their trades, or socializing at the Village Church. Visitors can learn about different skills and trades of the time, or…
Find out more »“Reenacting 101 and Fur Trade” Second Saturday Demo
Visit Fort Towson Historic Site on Saturday, August 14, from 1 to 3 pm for “Reenacting 101 and Fur Trade,” a presentation that will teach participants what it takes to be a living history reenactor. Instructor Nick Wallace will discuss how to dress, where to acquire supplies, and what is involved in becoming part of a reenactment or living history event. This workshop is a part of the Second Saturday Demo series at Fort Towson. For more information about the…
Find out more »Traditional Trades Day
Join us at the Chisholm Trail Museum for Traditional Trades Day on Saturday, August 21, and discover historic occupations and heritage skills. This free, family-friendly event will give visitors the opportunity to explore several historic occupations and heritage skills, such as carpentry, wet-plate photography, candle making, leatherwork, dressmaking, blacksmithing, spinning, weaving, lacemaking, flint knapping, laundry, traditional cooking, music, and more. Craftspeople proficient in these skills and trades provided the items and services necessary for everyday life. This year over 20…
Find out more »September 2021
“Historic Skills Expo” Second Saturday Demo
Fort Towson Historic Site will host “Historic Skills Expo” Second Saturday Demo on Saturday, September 11, from 1 to 3 p.m. Guests are welcome to watch and learn as craftsmen and artisans demonstrate how objects were made before industrialization. Historical interpreters will be demonstrating the art of candle making, wooden bucket making, the operation of a wooden lathe, the preparation of black powder, and a cooking demonstration. Living history reenactors will be on hand to explain a variety of time-honored…
Find out more »A Long Walk in the Sun: Mexican-American War Days Living History Encampment
Fort Towson Historic Site will be the setting for “A Long Walk in the Sun: Mexican-American War Days” living history Mexican-American War encampment on Saturday, September 18, 2021. The historic site will be open and free to the public on September 18 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. with various historic skills demonstrations throughout the day. Woodcutters teaching the skill of felling and cutting a tree, the art of making corn husk dolls, the cooper’s process of making wooden buckets,…
Find out more »History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip
Step back in time and experience life in the Cherokee Outlet during History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center in Enid. On the first and third Saturday of each month, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the historic buildings in the Humphrey Heritage Village come alive with reenactors who are tending their shops, working their trades, or socializing at the Village Church. Visitors can learn about different skills and trades of the time, or…
Find out more »Family Day at the Museum
Will Rogers Memorial Museum will host Family Day on Saturday, September 19 from 1 to 3 p.m. Through hands-on activities and demonstrations, visitors will get a glimpse of what life was like in the early days of Will Rogers’s childhood! Demonstrations and activities include 19th-century games, corn grinding, butter churning, candle dipping, wool spinning, and making corn husk dolls. Family Day is free and open to the public, and donations are appreciated.
Find out more »October 2021
Women’s Day at the Museum: “Crinolines and Separating Busks” presentation by Melissa Grice
On Saturday, October 9, the Cherokee Strip Museum and Rose Hill School will host a “women’s day” demonstration focused on fashion developments of the 1850s and 1860s. Resident schoolmarm and historical seamstress Melissa Grice will be exploring the topic of crinolines and separating busks, innovations in women's fashion in the early Victorian era that made wearing voluminous elegant dresses more tolerable for women. Her presentation will focus on a time when ladies wore cage crinolines and crinoline petticoats to create…
Find out more »International Archaeology Day celebration
October is Archaeology Month in Oklahoma and internationally, and Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center will celebrate International Archaeology Day on Saturday, October 16, 2021, with a lecture, a guided walk, and many other activities. Oklahoma Archaeology Month is sponsored and promoted by the Oklahoma Anthropological Society and the Oklahoma Public Archaeology Network, and includes many more events (some virtual) throughout Oklahoma during the month of October. Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center is the only prehistoric American Indian archaeological site in Oklahoma open…
Find out more »Family Day at the Museum
Visit the Will Rogers Memorial Museum on Saturday, October 16, for Family Day at the Museum! During this month’s Family Day, Lea McCormick will be on-site to teach a class on traditional basket weaving from 1–3 p.m. Family Day at the Museum is a free event, but donations are always appreciated. To find out more about the Will Rogers Memorial Museum, please call 918-341-0719 or visit www.willrogers.com.
Find out more »Family Farm Day
The Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center in Enid will host Family Farm Day on Saturday, October 30, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This family activity day celebrates the agricultural heritage of the Cherokee Outlet. Guests will experience hands-on activities, observe farm animals, learn about food preparation, see antique tractors, and more! Family Farm Day celebrates the proud farming heritage that built northwest Oklahoma. For additional information please call 580-237-1907 or visit www.facebook.com/CSRHC.
Find out more »November 2021
Blacksmithing Demonstrations and Saltfork Craftsmen Artist-Blacksmith Association regional meeting
The Saltfork Craftsmen Artist-Blacksmith Association will once again hold their regional meeting at the Cherokee Strip Museum's Blacksmith Shop on Saturday, November 6, from 10 a.m to 2 p.m. If you have ever wanted to try your hand at the craft, or if you just enjoy watching these craftsmen do what they love, come and join us. The Saltfork Craftsmen enjoy teaching young and old alike! We will start firing up the forge at 10 a.m. This event is free…
Find out more »January 2022
History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip
Step back in time and experience life in the Cherokee Outlet during History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center (CSRHC) in Enid. On the first and third Saturday of each month, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the historic buildings in the Humphrey Heritage Village at CSRHC come alive with historical interpreters tending their shops and working their trades. There will be many new things to learn and experience. You can even file a…
Find out more »Living History Demonstration: 19th-century broom making
Visit Hunter's Home in Park Hill on special dates in January to see a living history demonstration of 19th-century broom making. Historical Interpreter Maddox Cott will demonstrate the process of weaving and wrapping sturdy pieces of corn stalks together to make a household broom. In the 19th-century, more primitive versions of the broom were improved upon by using winding machines to tightly wrap the bundles of broom corn together using wire or string. Broom corn is a species of tasseled…
Find out more »February 2022
History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip *canceled due to weather*
Step back in time and experience life in the Cherokee Outlet during History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center in Enid. On the first and third Saturday of each month, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the historic buildings in the Humphrey Heritage Village come alive with reenactors who are tending their shops, working their trades, or socializing at the Village Church. Visitors can learn about different skills and trades of the time, or…
Find out more »24th at the Fort
On Saturday, February 19, the 24th Missouri Infantry Volunteers will be holding training drills at Fort Gibson Historic Site. The premier reenacting group is made up of living historians who are committed to authentic portrayals of Union soldiers in the Western Theater of the Civil War. The gentlemen of the 24th pay strict attention to detail, especially to the period correctness of their uniforms and equipment. The group travels to one military post each year in order to spend time…
Find out more »March 2022
Living History Education Day
Fort Towson Living History Education Day on Thursday, March 3. Educational stations will include reenactors portraying time periods from the fort's beginning in 1824 through the 1870s. Participants can expect to see soldiers in full gear and civilians who dealt with the soldiers at the fort. The reenactors will teach students about the uniforms, weapons, and lifestyles of soldiers, trappers, storekeepers, and other people around the region who were connected to the fort. Visitors will move from station to station…
Find out more »Blacksmithing Demonstrations with the Saltfork Craftsmen
Visit the Cherokee Strip Museum in Perry to watch the Saltfork Craftsmen give a Blacksmithing Demonstration in the blacksmith shop. The demonstration will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Guests can enjoy watching the craftsmen work and will have an opportunity for safe hands-on experiences. This event is for those who enjoy watching craftsmen at work, and for young and old alike to try their hand at the craft. The forge will be lighted at 10:00 am. This…
Find out more »Spring Bake Day
On Saturday, March 5, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. the smell of fresh-baked bread will once again permeate Fort Gibson Historic Site. Bake Day, an educational fundraiser, is a unique and delicious experience for the public to enjoy. Staff will operate the oven all day Saturday, and the fresh loaves will be available around noon and 3:30 p.m. from the tent in front of the bakehouse. Fort Gibson coffee mugs will also be for sale at the tent,…
Find out more »19th-century broom making
Visit Hunter's Home in Park Hill on special dates in March to see a living history demonstration of 19th-century broom making. Historical Interpreter Maddox Cott will demonstrate the process of weaving and wrapping sturdy pieces of corn stalks together to make a household broom. In the 19th-century, more primitive versions of the broom were improved upon by using winding machines to tightly wrap the bundles of broom corn together using wire or string. Broom corn is a species of tasseled…
Find out more »Family Kite Flite Day
Come celebrate the beginning of spring at the Family Kite Flite Day at Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center. Family Kite Flite Day will be held Saturday, March 19, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. This will be a free admission day at the site, although donations are appreciated. It will be a great day for families and folks of all ages. Each year since 1987, Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center has hosted a day of spring fun and learning for more than…
Find out more »Chuck Wagon Gathering and Fundraising Dinner
Visit the Chisholm Trail Museum on Saturday, March 19, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for a day filled with cowboy fun! Drop in and see a variety of working chuck wagons from across the region as the cooks prepare some of their favorite dishes. Activities include live music, cooking demonstrations, gunfights, Wild West Show performers, medicine man shows, Annie Oakley performances, and more. The daytime activities are free, and tickets for the delicious chuck wagon meal at noon are…
Find out more »April 2022
“Historic Skills and Trades Expo” Second Saturday Demo
Fort Towson Historic Site will host “Historic Skills and Trades Expo” Second Saturday Demo on Saturday, April 9, from 1 to 3 p.m. Guests are welcome to watch and learn as craftsmen and artisans demonstrate how objects were made before industrialization. Historical interpreters will be demonstrating the art of candle making, wooden bucket making, the operation of a wooden lathe, the preparation of black powder, and a cooking demonstration. Living history reenactors will be on hand to explain a variety…
Find out more »“Common Soldier” living history program
On April 15 and 16 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Fort Gibson Historic Site will host its first living history program of the season, exploring the types of common soldiers who were stationed at the frontier military post. Farmers, blacksmiths, hunters, coopers and even carpenters made up the ranks of those posted to Fort Gibson. Visitors can learn about the reasons common men joined the army and what clothing and equipment they would have used while there. This program…
Find out more »Family Day at the Birthplace Ranch
Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch will host Family Day at the Ranch from 1 to 3 p.m. Through 19th-century hands-on activities, crafts, games, and demonstrations, visitors will get a glimpse of what life was like in the early days of the ranch during Will Rogers’s childhood! Families can also enjoy hayride tours and mini hikes at the Birthplace Ranch. Family Day at the Ranch is free and open to the public, and donations are appreciated.
Find out more »May 2022
Oklahoma National History Day contest
Oklahoma National History Day is more than an academic exercise for thousands of Oklahoma junior high and high school students; it is a tradition. On Wednesday, May 4, and Thursday, May 5, more than 200 6th through 12th grade students will present their exhibits, documentaries, performances, websites and papers at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City for the opportunity to advance to the National History Day® contest held each summer. Due to the size of the event, there will…
Find out more »Blacksmithing and Wheel Setting Demonstrations with Tom Nelson
Visit the Cherokee Strip Museum in Perry on May 7, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for a special blacksmithing demonstration in the art of wheel setting. In addition to activities held in the blacksmith shop, the museum's resident blacksmith, Tom Nelson, will be demonstrating the advanced art of setting of a wagon wheel and a buggy wheel. The wheel-setting demonstrations will be held at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. The wheelwright's craft goes back thousands of years, and was…
Find out more »“Fleece to Fabric” Sheep-Shearing Event
Hunter’s Home in Park Hill will host the "Fleece to Fabric" sheep-shearing event on Saturday, May 7, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Visitors can observe the Hunter’s Home staff as they shear the site’s flock of heritage Merino sheep from 10 a.m. to noon. Other wool fiber arts activities like dyeing, spinning and the various techniques of processing wool also will be demonstrated throughout the day until 4:30 p.m. Hunter's Home is the only remaining antebellum plantation mansion in…
Find out more »OU and OAS Summer Archaeological Research begins
On May 16, 2022, students and faculty of the University of Oklahoma and staff of the Oklahoma Archeological Survey began a month of excavations at Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center. Visitors are welcome to observe the research and ask questions at this unique learning experience until June 17. Under the direction of Dr. Scott Hammerstedt, Dr. Amanda Regnier and Dr. Patrick Livingood, students will be excavating areas of interest from recent remote sensing projects. This is the first excavation at the…
Find out more »June 2022
OU and OAS Summer Archaeological Research concludes
Students and faculty of the University of Oklahoma and staff of the Oklahoma Archeological Survey are performing a month of excavations at Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center through June 17. Visitors are welcome to observe the research and ask questions at this unique learning experience. Under the direction of Dr. Scott Hammerstedt, Dr. Amanda Regnier and Dr. Patrick Livingood, students will be excavating areas of interest from recent remote sensing projects. This is the first excavation at the site since 2014…
Find out more »“Writing in the 1800s” living history program
On Friday, June 17, and Saturday, June 18, Fort Gibson Historic Site will be holding a living history program to demonstrate writing techniques and materials of the 19th century. Visitors will see writing implements, inks, papers, and other supplies used in scribing letters and official documents. In the 1800s, writing was the common method of long-distance communication. At Fort Gibson, staff used writing to create records, reports, and in tracking troop movement. In that era, writing was vital to the…
Find out more »Pioneer Family Fun Day
The Pioneer Woman Museum and Statue in Ponca City will be hosting Pioneer Family Fun Day with educational, hands-on pioneer crafts and activities on Saturday, June 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Most of the festivities will be held outdoors on the museum grounds. The museum will be open for guests to enjoy the exhibits from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Pioneer Woman Museum and Statue is located at 701 Monument Road in Ponca City. For more information,…
Find out more »Family Day at the Birthplace Ranch: 19th-Century Baseball Game
Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch will be hosting Family Day at the Ranch from 1 to 3 p.m. Take the family out to the ball game! Bring the family to the Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch to learn about the history of baseball and enjoy watching a 19th-century-style baseball game. Admission is free and open to the public, but donations are appreciated. Refreshments and food will be available for purchase at the game.
Find out more »“Functional Fiber Arts” living history program
On Friday, June 24, and Saturday, June 25, Fort Gibson Historic Site will be holding a living history program to demonstrate the many uses of functional fiber arts. Visitors will be treated to examples of crafts such as twined bags and finger woven belts, along with a discussion of the wide variety of uses for these beautiful pieces of functional art. Fiber arts provided many functions beyond personal and artistic expression. Upon arrival to the Americas, colonists encountered many different…
Find out more »July 2022
Museum After Dark: Home on the Range, an evening with artist Dallas Mayer
On Saturday, July 23, from 6 to 8 p.m., exhibiting artist Dallas Mayer will have a painting demonstration in the museum as a part of her Home on the Range: Dallas Mayer Art Show on exhibit this summer at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center (CSRHC).
Mayer will introduce her work that is exhibited at the CSRHC and provide insights into her process as an artist. She will also be holding a live painting demonstration showcasing her approach and style. In this special evening program, Mayer will lead a discussion on the subject matter of western landscapes that most inspires her work. The artist's pastel, watercolor, and oil works will be available to purchase.
Find out more »