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August 2018
Family Day at the Ranch, Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch
Experience life on a nineteenth-century ranch near Oologah! Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch will host Family Day at the Ranch on Saturday, August 18, from 1 to 3 pm. Hands-on activities and demonstrations will give visitors a glimpse of everyday life on the ranch during Will Rogers’s childhood. This month’s event will feature a cornhusk doll make-and-take activity with the Rogers County Cherokee youth group. Visitors also can enjoy a scenic stroll through the expansive property, with beautiful views of Oologah…
Find out more »September 2018
Septemberfest, Oklahoma History Center
Don't miss the 22nd annual Septemberfest on Saturday, September 8, from 10 am to 3 pm at the Oklahoma History Center. This free festival is hosted by the First Family, Friends of the Mansion, and the Oklahoma History Center. This year’s Septemberfest theme is “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!” This celebrates both the 75th anniversary of the Broadway debut of the famous musical and the exhibit now on display at the Oklahoma History Center. This free fall festival is open to…
Find out more »Family Day at the Ranch, Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch
Experience life on a nineteenth-century ranch near Oologah! Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch will host Family Day at the Ranch on Saturday, September 8, from 1 to 3 pm. Hands-on activities and demonstrations will give visitors a glimpse of everyday life on the ranch during Will Rogers’s childhood. This month is a special harvesting party! Guests will learn about harvesting crops from the growing season. Attendees can visit the carpentry station to build a crate, then use the crate to collect…
Find out more »A Long Walk in the Sun: Mexican-American War Days, Fort Towson Historic Site
Fort Towson Historic Site will be the setting for “A Long Walk in the Sun: Mexican-American War Days,” a Mexican-American War encampment September 28–30, 2018. Camps featuring US dragoons, infantry, and artillery, as well as Mexican cavalry and infantry, will be open to the public on Friday, September 28, from 10 am to 3 pm with various demonstrations throughout the day. There will be a skirmish at 1 pm on Saturday, September 29, and a tactical skirmish at 1 pm…
Find out more »October 2018
Antique Agriculture Festival, Hunter’s Home
Visit Hunter's Home in Park Hill for the Antique Agriculture Festival October 5–7, 2018. It is almost harvest season and once again the staff at Hunter’s Home are gearing up for winter preparations. Good friends from all over the region will gather together to help bring in the harvest, plow the fields, preserve produce, spin and weave wool. This exciting three-day event is fun for the whole family. Visitors will experience nineteenth-century agriculture and heritage farming on a historic 1850s…
Find out more »Family Day at the Ranch, Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch
Experience life on a nineteenth-century ranch near Oologah! Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch will host Family Day at the Ranch on Saturday, October 13, from 1 to 3 pm. Hands-on activities and demonstrations will give visitors a glimpse of everyday life on the ranch during Will Rogers’s childhood. This month’s activities will feature an open fire and chuck wagon cooking. Visitors also can enjoy a scenic stroll through the expansive property, with beautiful views of Oologah Lake, a longhorn herd, and…
Find out more »Archaeology Day, Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center
October is Archaeology Month, and to celebrate the Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center will hold a special day with a lecture and a guided walk on Saturday, October 20, 2018. Archaeology Month is sponsored and promoted by the Oklahoma Anthropological Society and the Oklahoma Public Archaeology Network and includes many more events throughout October. Lectures about the prehistory and history of this region will start at 11 am. There also will be a guided tour of the site at 2 pm…
Find out more »Fall in Love with Pawnee Bill Ranch festival, Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum
On Saturday, October 20, 2018, Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum will host Fall in Love with Pawnee Bill Ranch, a fall festival full of family activities from noon to 3 pm. Come and enjoy blacksmithing demonstrations at the blacksmith shop, children's crafts and refreshments at the museum, a hay maze, and activities in the children's pumpkin patch. Visitors can also enjoy horse-drawn wagon rides at the big barn, tractor-pulled hayrides through the exhibit pasture, and multiple photography stations.
Find out more »November 2018
Saltfork Craftsmen Artist-Blacksmith Association regional meeting, Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum
The Saltfork Craftsmen Artist-Blacksmith Association will hold its regional meeting at Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum on November 3 from 10 am to 2 pm. Blacksmiths from across the region will come together to learn from each other and demonstrate their craft to the public. Activities are structured to interest the entire family. The Saltfork Craftsmen Artist-Blacksmith Association is a nonprofit organization of amateur and professional artists and craftsmen. The purposes of the organization are the sharing of knowledge and…
Find out more »Fall Bake Day, Fort Gibson Historic Site
Visit Fort Gibson Historic Site for Fall Bake Day on Saturday, November 10, at 10 am. The aroma of fresh-baked bread will fill the air on Garrison Hill as OHS staff and volunteers bring the bakehouse to life. Enjoy bread making demonstrations in the original wood-fired oven from 1863. Visitors can even sample the finished product! Purchase a coffee mug in the gift shop and the bakers will be happy to fill it up. Bake Day is a fundraiser and…
Find out more »Reenacting 101 Second Saturday Demo, Fort Towson Historic Site
Visit Fort Towson Historic Site on Saturday, November 10, from 1 to 3 pm for “Reenacting 101,” a workshop 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 event, please call…
Find out more »January 2019
“Finding My Family Roots” Second Saturday Demo
Visit Fort Towson Historic Site on Saturday, January 12, from 1 to 3 p.m. for “Finding My Family Roots.” Chad Williams, director of the Oklahoma Historical Society Research Division, will be onsite for a question and answer session about genealogy. He will provide information about websites and tools to help you trace your family tree. Attendees also will learn the steps that need to be taken to begin your search. Don’t miss out on this informational discussion! This program is…
Find out more »February 2019
“Ask the Archaeologist” Second Saturday Demo
Visit Fort Towson Historic Site on Saturday, February 9, from 1 to 3 p.m. for “Ask the Archaeologist.” Do you have a family heirloom or a personal discovery you have a question about? No matter if it is an arrowhead, spear point, stone tool, or some other item that you think may have historic significance, bring it out and let Dr. Amanda Regnier tell you about it! Dr. Regnier is the director of the Oklahoma Archeological Survey. This program is free…
Find out more »March 2019
Living History Education Day
Fort Towson will host “Timeline,” living history event on Thursday, March 7, 2019. 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…
Find out more »“Spring Gardening” Second Saturday Demo
Visit Fort Towson Historic Site on Saturday, March 9, from 1 to 3 p.m. for the “Spring Gardening” Second Saturday Demo. This educational event will feature historical information about the three main gardens at Fort Towson from 1824 to 1854: the officer's garden, hospital garden, and the company garden. Attendees will learn why certain fruits and vegetables were chosen and how they were grown without the use of commercial chemicals. The educational garden also will be planted at this time…
Find out more »Spring Bake Day
Visit Fort Gibson Historic Site for Spring Bake Day on Saturday, March 30, at 10 a.m. The aroma of fresh-baked bread will fill the air on Garrison Hill as OHS staff and volunteers bring the bakehouse to life. Enjoy bread making demonstrations in the original wood-fired oven from 1863. Visitors can even sample the finished product! Purchase a coffee mug in the gift shop and the bakers will be happy to fill it up. Bake Day is a fundraiser and…
Find out more »April 2019
Saltfork Craftsmen Artist-Blacksmith Association regional meeting
Experience live blacksmithing at the northeast regional meeting of the Saltfork Craftsmen Artist-Blacksmith Association! The Cherokee Strip Museum will host the group's April meeting, and you are invited to come out and see how it is done! If you are interested in learning this age-old skill, this is a great opportunity to meet the craftsmen. This event will be Saturday, April 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission to the blacksmith shop and demonstration is free. Admission to the…
Find out more »Family Day at the Ranch
The Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch will host Family Day on Saturday, April 6, from 1 to 3 p.m. Jacob Krumwiede, Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch manager, will introduce families to preparing and planting kitchen gardens. In a spot behind the ranch house, Krumwiede will describe the purpose of a kitchen garden, vegetables and herbs that would have been planted by Will Rogers’s mother and how that produce would have been used. Visitors will help prepare the soil and plant seeds they…
Find out more »May 2019
Living History Education Day
Hunter’s Home in Park Hill will host its ninth annual Living History Education Day on Friday, May 3, with two sessions: 9:30–11:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Teachers are invited to bring their students and experience life in 19th-century Indian Territory through exciting hands-on presentations by OHS staff and costumed living historians. School groups will enjoy lawn games, live music, animals of the plantation, gardening, food preparation, fiber arts, blacksmithing demonstrations, and other farm work. Tours of the 1845 mansion…
Find out more »Archaeology Day
Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center will hold it 14th annual Archaeology Day/Birthday Bash on Saturday, May 11, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The site will celebrate its 41st year of increasing awareness of Oklahoma archaeology. As a bonus, Archaeology Day will be a free day with no entrance fees, although donations are gratefully accepted. All day during the celebration, items will be given away by drawing and 41st birthday cake will be served. If you have artifacts, like arrowheads or…
Find out more »June 2019
Blacksmithing Demonstrations
Visit the Cherokee Strip Museum in Perry on the last Monday of each month for Blacksmithing Demonstrations in the new blacksmith shop. The demonstrations will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. Guests can enjoy watching the craftsmen work and will have an opportunity for hands-on experiences. This educational event is free to attend, but donations are appreciated. For more information please call 580-336-2405.
Find out more »July 2019
“Choctaw Beadwork” Second Saturday Demo
Visit Fort Towson Historic Site for its Second Saturday Demo series on Saturday, July 13. This month’s theme is “Choctaw Beadwork.” Guests are invited to learn about the art and history of Choctaw beading from staff of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Historic Preservation Department. Please call 580-873-2634 for more information.
Find out more »“Carpentry” Family Day at the Ranch
Experience life on a 19th-century ranch near Oologah! Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch will host Family Day at the Ranch on Saturday, July 20, from 1 to 3 p.m. Hands-on activities and demonstrations will give visitors a glimpse of everyday life on the ranch during Will Rogers’s childhood. This month’s theme is “Carpentry.” Visitors also can enjoy a scenic stroll through the expansive property, with beautiful views of Oologah Lake, a longhorn herd, and many shade trees—perfect for picnicking. Family Day…
Find out more »Pawnee Bill’s Wild West Celebrating Women of the Wild West Shows
Due to 21” of rain with more projected, the Wild West Show has been postponed until July 26 and 27. Thank you for your understanding. The safety of the performers and spectators is our priority. Tickets now on sale! The Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum will celebrate the Women of the Wild West Shows with the re-creation of Pawnee Bill’s Original Wild West Show on July 26 and 27, 2019. Preshow entertainment begins at 7 p.m. and the Wild West…
Find out more »August 2019
“Civil War Weapons and Artillery” Second Saturday Demo
Visit Fort Towson Historic Site for its Second Saturday Demo series on Saturday, August 10, at 1 p.m. This month’s topic is “Civil War Weapons and Artillery.” Guests are invited to learn about the types of arms used by Union and Confederate troops during the Civil War. Please call 580-873-2634 for more information.
Find out more »Aviation Day
On Saturday, August 17, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center in Enid will host Aviation Day, a hands-on event celebrating the history of flight, particularly in Oklahoma. The family-friendly activities will include foam flyer demonstrations by the Enid Chapter of Remote Controlled Model Aeronautics, paper airplane flying contests, balsa wood glider races, appearances by pilots from Vance Air Force Base, and some activities for budding aeronautical engineers. On view during the event will be…
Find out more »“Corn Husk Dolls” Family Day at the Ranch
Experience life on a 19th-century ranch near Oologah! Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch will host Family Day at the Ranch on Saturday, August 17, from 1 to 3 p.m. Hands-on activities and demonstrations will give visitors a glimpse of everyday life on the ranch during Will Rogers’s childhood. This month, attendees will have an opportunity to make corn husk dolls. Visitors also can enjoy a scenic stroll through the expansive property, with beautiful views of Oologah Lake, a longhorn herd, and…
Find out more »Living History Season begins
Hunter’s Home in Park Hill is excited to announce that its Living History Season kicks off on Labor Day weekend! Each year from Labor Day weekend through Memorial Day weekend, the home will feature living history interpreters in period attire on the grounds. The interpreters will demonstrate 19th-century trades, chores, cooking, gardening, and crafts. Living history activities are available each week on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. As always, the historic site is open year…
Find out more »Traditional Trades Day
The Chisholm Trail Museum in Kingfisher will host Traditional Trades Day on Saturday, August 31, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This family-friendly event will give visitors the opportunity to explore several traditional trades and skills, such as woodworking, blacksmithing, fiber arts, and laundry. Craftspeople proficient in these skills and trades provided the items and services necessary for everyday life. This event is free to the public. The Chisholm Trail Museum and A. J. Seay Mansion is located at 605…
Find out more »“Pinhole Photography” Family Fun Day
On the last Saturday of each month, the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center will host Family Fun Day from 1 to 3 p.m. Each Saturday will feature a different theme and activity. All activities and supplies are included with admission and all family members are encouraged to participate. The theme for Saturday, August 31, will be “Pinhole Photography.” Please call 580-237-1907 for more information.
Find out more »September 2019
Blacksmithing Demonstrations
Visit the Cherokee Strip Museum in Perry on the last Monday of each month for Blacksmithing Demonstrations in the new blacksmith shop. The demonstrations will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. Guests can enjoy watching the craftsmen work and will have an opportunity for hands-on experiences. This educational event is free to attend, but donations are appreciated. For more information please call 580-336-2405.
Find out more »October 2019
Chuck Wagon Gathering and Dinner
Join us at the Chisholm Trail Museum for a day filled with cowboy fun on Saturday, October 5. Drop in and see a variety of working chuck wagons from across the region as they prepare some of their favorite dishes. Daytime activities include music, Dutch oven cooking demonstrations, blacksmithing, Straka longhorns, and more. Daytime activities run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The museum will close at 4 p.m. to prepare for dinner. Tickets are available in advance for the…
Find out more »Saltfork Craftsmen Artist-Blacksmith Association Regional Meeting
Experience live blacksmithing at the northeast regional meeting of the Saltfork Craftsmen Artist-Blacksmith Association! The Cherokee Strip Museum will host the group’s meeting on the first Saturday of the month from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you are interested in learning this age-old skill, this is a great opportunity to meet the craftsmen and see blacksmithing demonstrations. Admission to the blacksmith shop and demonstrations is free. Admission to the museum is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors, $3 for…
Find out more »Spiro Mounds Grand Reopening and Archaeology Day
On May 24, 2019, the staff of Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center was forced to evacuate the only prehistoric American Indian archaeological site open to the public in Oklahoma due to historic flooding on the nearby Arkansas River. After nearly five months of cleanup and repair work from flood damage, Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center will hold its grand reopening on Saturday, October 19, with a special Archaeology Month event including lectures, a guided walk, and many other activities. Oklahoma Archaeology Month…
Find out more »November 2019
Battle of Honey Springs Education Day
Take a trip to the site of the most significant Civil War engagement Indian Territory. Battle of Honey Springs Battle Education Day is an outstanding opportunity to experience Civil War history and culture. Education Day is specifically designed for youth and school groups. School groups pre-K through twelfth grade are invited to the Honey Springs Battlefield and Visitor Center for Education Day. Homeschool groups, scout troops, and other youth groups qualify for the school programs field trip and may participate…
Find out more »Fall Bake Day
Visit Fort Gibson Historic Site for Fall Bake Day on Saturday, November 9, at 10 a.m. The aroma of fresh-baked bread will fill the air on Garrison Hill as OHS staff and volunteers bring the bakehouse to life. Enjoy bread making demonstrations in the original wood-fired oven from 1863. Visitors can even sample the finished product! Purchase a coffee mug in the gift shop and the bakers will be happy to fill it up with a hot beverage. Bake Day…
Find out more »February 2020
Blacksmithing Demonstrations
Visit the Cherokee Strip Museum in Perry on the last Monday of each month for Blacksmithing Demonstrations in the blacksmith shop. The demonstrations will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. Guests can enjoy watching the craftsmen work and will have an opportunity for hands-on experiences. This educational event is free to attend, but donations are appreciated. For more information please call 580-336-2405.
Find out more »March 2020
Voices from Hunter’s Home: The Women exhibit opens
Women’s History Month at Hunter’s Home will see a continuation of Voices from Hunter’s Home exhibits. During the month of March, Hunter's Home will debut Voices from Hunter’s Home: The Women. The site will offer discussions and demonstrations revealing how the women who lived on the plantation contributed to society and their home. Visitors can expect interpreters dressed in 19th-century clothing demonstrating crafts and trades on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Throughout the week, the home will include displays about the women…
Find out more »Living History Education Day
Individual visitors and school groups are invited to a living history event at Fort Towson Historic Site on Thursday, March 5, 2020, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Educational stations will include reenactors portraying soldiers and civilians from the fort’s beginning through the 1870s. Individuals and groups will travel through the camps where the reenactors will show visitors uniforms, weapons and lifestyles of soldiers, trappers, storekeepers and other people who lived and worked in the region surrounding Fort Towson. Preregistration…
Find out more »“Art in the 19th Century: Beadwork” living history program
Join Lisa Rutherford as she demonstrates some of the beadwork techniques that may have been utilized by the artists in 19th-century Cherokee Nation. Demonstrations will run at intervals from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. During the month of March, the Hunter’s Home living history season is in full swing. Visitors will see interpreters dressed in 19th-century clothing demonstrating crafts and trades of the era on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
Find out more »