Past Events › Programs and lectures
Events List Navigation
June 2019
Juneteenth program with Carmen Fields
On Tuesday, June 18, at 7 p.m., the Oklahoma Historical Society will celebrate Juneteenth by hosting an evening with acclaimed journalist Carmen Fields at the Oklahoma History Center. This “Inside the Actors Studio”-style interview will be conducted by Oklahoma City journalist Joyce Jackson. The event is free to the public, but donations will be accepted to benefit the Shirley Ann Ballard Nero Endowment Fund. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Tulsa native Carmen Fields earned a bachelor’s degree from Lincoln…
Find out more »“Juneteenth: Segregation and Emancipation of the African American Cowboy” Brown Bag Lunch and Learn program by Dr. Laura Arata
The Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center will host a free Brown Bag Lunch and Learn program on Wednesday, June 19, at noon. This month’s presenter will be Dr. Laura Arata, history professor at Oklahoma State University. Arata’s presentation is titled “Juneteenth: Segregation and Emancipation of the African American Cowboy.” Attendees are welcome to bring their lunches and learn something new! The Brown Bag Lunch and Learn program series is sponsored by Park Avenue Thrift of Enid. For more information please…
Find out more »“Locating Early Oklahoma and Indian Territory Death Records” genealogy program
On Wednesday, June 19, from 1 to 3 p.m., the Oklahoma Historical Society will present “Locating Early Oklahoma and Indian Territory Death Records.” Genealogist Mahlon Erickson will share information about death records and resources pertaining to early Oklahoma, Oklahoma Territory, and Indian Territory. Researching early deaths in Oklahoma can be difficult, as official death records were not consistently recorded until 1920. Erickson has compiled an extensive database with more than 600,000 entries for deaths found in sources including newspapers, cemeteries, county histories, census records, American Indian records, and…
Find out more »Summer Solstice Walks
Start your summer with a trip to Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center for a special guided tour on the summer solstice. On June 21 there will be three walks led by archaeologist Dennis Peterson starting at 11 a.m., 2 p.m., and 7 p.m. Each walk will include one mile of easy walking on paved trails and last about two hours. There is a fee of $5 per adult and $3 per child this event; cash or check only, please. Due to…
Find out more »“The Jefferson Highway” presentation by author Jonita Mullins
Oklahoma author Jonita Mullins will present a program about the Jefferson Highway at the Honey Springs Battlefield and Visitor Center on Saturday, June 22, at 1 p.m. Honey Springs Depot was a major stop along this historic road. Mullins has released a book sharing the road’s long roots titled The Jefferson Highway in Oklahoma: The Historic Osage Trace from the History Press. American Indians built the first interstate roads, and the one connecting Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas was first called…
Find out more »19th-Century Music program by Preston Ware
Join us at Fort Towson Historic Site on Saturday, June 29, at 1 p.m. for a special 19th-Century Music program. This educational demonstration and program will be provided by Preston Ware of the Oklahoma Historical Society. Ware will share the history and importance of music and musical instruments in the early, mid, and late 19th centuries. The program will feature a bit of historical background information and Ware will perform musical examples from instruments such as rhythm bones, jaw harp,…
Find out more »July 2019
“Dick T. Morgan: A Lifetime of Politics” Brown Bag Luncheon Lecture by David D. Morgan
The Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center in Enid will host a free program on Wednesday, July 10, at noon. Listen as David Morgan recounts stories of his great grandfather, Dick T. Morgan, a pioneer attorney in Oklahoma Territory, registrar at the Woodward Land Office as appointed by President Theodore Roosevelt, and a six-term US congressman. For more information please call 580-237-1907.
Find out more »Battle of Honey Springs Memorial Service
Honey Springs Battlefield and Visitor Center near Checotah will host a memorial service honoring the 156th anniversary of the Battle of Honey Springs on Saturday, July 13, at 10:30 a.m. The memorial service is open to all visitors. Guest speaker Steven Alcorn, an independent scholar and former history teacher, will present the “whys” of the Battle of Honey Springs. James Floyd, principal chief of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, will provide opening remarks. A presentation of colors by the color guard…
Find out more »“Treasures of the State Archives” program
On Wednesday, July 17, from 1 to 3 p.m., the Oklahoma Historical Society will present “Treasures of the State Archives” with speaker Jan Davis. Davis is head of the Archives and Records Management Division of the Oklahoma Department of Libraries (ODL). She will discuss records in the state archives that may be of interest to genealogists and historians. Davis will demonstrate how to access records online through ODL's Digital Prairie website. The Digital Prairie is constantly growing and includes documents,…
Find out more »“Oklahoma’s Medal of Honor Recipients” presentation by Jody Turner
On Thursday, July 18, at 7 p.m. the Museum of the Western Prairie in Altus will host a presentation about Oklahoma’s Medal of Honor recipients. Jody Turner of Enid, Oklahoma, will review the history of the Medal of Honor from the Civil War through the most recent military conflicts, focusing on the interesting and inspiring stories of Oklahomans who have earned the oldest US military award for bravery. Turner is a veteran of the US Air Force with 21 years…
Find out more »“The Revolutionary War Your Mother Didn’t Tell You About” living history program
The Oklahoma Genealogical Society and the Oklahoma Historical Society will present a Revolutionary War living history program on Saturday, July 27, from 1 to 3 p.m. Historian Mike Sheriff will give this presentation in two parts. It will begin with a first-person narrative of a 1783 Virginia regimental soldier talking about the American War of Independence. This will include events leading up to the war, some battles, the life of a soldier, the division between people living in the colonies,…
Find out more »August 2019
“Finding the Girls” genealogy program
The Oklahoma Historical Society will present “Finding the Girls” on Saturday, August 3, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Persons researching their families for any length of time have encountered the problems with researching females. In our society, their names change with marriage, and in the past, females could not own property or enter into contracts, which makes locating them in legal records even more difficult. So, what’s a researcher to do? Learn how to consider the times and some of the techniques for researching the females in…
Find out more »Victorian Tea Party at Horizon Hill
Visit Kingfisher on Saturday, August 10, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a Victorian Tea Party at Horizon Hill, the home of Oklahoma Territorial Governor A. J. Seay. Guests will be treated to a variety of traditional teas and snacks in the parlors of Horizon Hill. During the event, Dr. Lindsey Churchill, associate professor in the Department of History and Geography at the University of Central Oklahoma, will speak on the topic of women’s movements. The cost for the…
Find out more »“Aviation and Vance Air Force Base” Brown Bag Luncheon Lecture
The Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center in Enid will host a free Brown Bag Luncheon Lecture on Wednesday, August 14, at noon. This month’s topic will be “Aviation and Vance Air Force Base.” Attendees are welcome to bring their lunches and learn something new! The Brown Bag series is sponsored by Park Avenue Thrift of Enid. For more information please call 580-237-1907.
Find out more »“Judge Parker’s Court” presentation by Dr. Aaron Mason
The Sod House Museum near Aline is excited to host a presentation titled “Judge Parker’s Court” on Saturday, August 17, at 10 a.m. It will be presented by Dr. Aaron Mason, professor of political science at Northwestern Oklahoma State University (NWOSU) in Alva. Isaac C. Parker was appointed as judge of the US District Court at Fort Smith, Arkansas, in 1875. The court had jurisdiction over 11 western Arkansas counties and Indian Territory. Most people recognize Judge Parker as the…
Find out more »Civil War–Era Concert and Presentation
Honey Springs Battlefield and Visitor Center is excited to announce a Civil War–era concert and presentation by the Loco Focos band on Saturday, August 17, from 1 to 3 p.m. Loco Focos attempts to represent songs of the Civil War period as closely as possible to their original form, using period instruments. This program will be held at the Visitor Center and is free to the public, but donations are welcome. Musicians performing in this concert will be Chris Rucker…
Find out more »“UCO: the Best-Kept Secret in the OKC Metro Area” program
The Oklahoma Historical Society will present “UCO: the Best-Kept Secret in the OKC Metro Area” Wednesday, August 21, from 1 to 3 p.m. Nicole Willard will speak about collections at the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO). The Max Chambers Library, Archives, and Special Collections at UCO have a rich tradition of collecting materials to document the history of the university, Edmond, and other Oklahoma communities. In this session, you will learn about special collections that may help with your genealogical research. Nicole…
Find out more »Oklahoma City Ballet program and Field Trip Day
The Oklahoma History Center and Oklahoma City Ballet are partnering to present a special program on Friday, August 23, at 10:30 a.m. Teachers, students, and home school groups are invited to visit the museum and experience the Oklahoma City Ballet’s presentation. It will include information about life as a dancer, the history of dance in Oklahoma, and attendees will even learn a few steps! For more information please call 405-522-0785. To sign up please fill out our Field Trip Registration…
Find out more »September 2019
“Woody Poets” presentation
The Museum of the Western Prairie in Altus is excited to host a “Woody Poets” presentation on Tuesday, September 3. Members of The Woody Guthrie Poetry Group, including Dorothy Alexander, Terri Cummings, and Jessica Isaacs, will present a program of poetry. They will read both original poems and Woody Guthrie poems. For more information please call 580-482-1044.
Find out more »Brown Bag Luncheon Lecture
The Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center in Enid will host a free Brown Bag Luncheon Lecture on Wednesday, September 11, at noon. This month’s topic will be announced soon. Attendees are welcome to bring their lunches and learn something new! The Brown Bag series is sponsored by Park Avenue Thrift of Enid. For more information please call 580-237-1907.
Find out more »“Land Run of 1893” program
The Pioneer Woman Museum in Ponca City will host a special “Land Run of 1893” program on Saturday, September 14. Learn what it was like to stake your claim in the land run. A Dutch oven meal will be served at noon. Land run activities for children begin at 1 p.m. Attendees can also learn about women who participated in the land run during a special presentation by Barbara Byrd at 2 p.m. For more information please call 580-765-6108.
Find out more »“More Than a Spit Bath” program presented by Martha Ray
On Saturday, September 21, at 10 a.m. the Sod House Museum will host a program titled “More Than a Spit Bath,” presented by Martha Ray. Ray will address everyday life in the 1800s, explaining the challenges that were faced during a typical day in the 19th century. Audience members will be encouraged to think about their answers to questions like, “Could you survive in a world without electricity?” and “What would you do for entertainment?” Ray’s presentation will cover topics…
Find out more »“The Dust Bowl Years in Southwest Oklahoma: Told in Living Histories, Song, and Lecture” presentation by Dr. Sterling Evans
The Museum of the Western Prairie in Altus is excited to host “The Dust Bowl Years in Southwest Oklahoma: Told in Living Histories, Song, and Lecture” presentation by Dr. Sterling Evans. There will be two chances to see this special presentation—Monday, September 30, and Tuesday, October 1. For more information please call 580-482-1044.
Find out more »October 2019
Brown Bag Luncheon Lecture
The Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center in Enid will host a free Brown Bag Luncheon Lecture on Wednesday, October 9, at noon. This month’s topic will be announced soon. Attendees are welcome to bring their lunches and learn something new! The Brown Bag series is sponsored by Park Avenue Thrift of Enid. For more information please call 580-237-1907.
Find out more »An Evening with Max Weitzenhoffer
The Oklahoma History Center will host the launch of the latest book from Full Circle Press, To The Max: Max Weitzenhoffer’s Magical Trip From Oklahoma To New York and London—And Back, with a program and book signing on Wednesday, October 9. The program will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Oklahoma History Center, located at 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive in Oklahoma City. To The Max was written by Tom Lindley and published by Full Circle Press, a division of Full…
Find out more »“An Old-Fashioned Bed Turning” Quilt Presentation
Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum will host “An Old-Fashioned Bed Turning” quilt presentation on Sunday, October 13, at 2:30 p.m. The program will be led by Martha Ray, and light refreshments will be served. Preregistration is required, so call the museum at 918-762-2513 to reserve your place. In the nineteenth century, a young girl would have made 13 quilts before she got married. Before her wedding, her friends and family would visit to bring gifts and well wishes. During these…
Find out more »USS Oklahoma presentation by Joe Todd
The Oklahoma History Center is proud to announce a presentation on the USS Oklahoma by Joe Todd, noted Oklahoma author and military historian, on Saturday, October 19, from 3 to 4 p.m. The program will take place in the Musser Learning Lab, and is included in the price of admission to the Oklahoma History Center. For more details, please call 405-522-0765. Oklahoma native Joe Todd served in the armed forces in Vietnam, and also in Kuwait and Iraq during Operation…
Find out more »“Mysterious Oklahoma” program
This Halloween, the Research Center will present “Mysterious Oklahoma,” a program exploring two intriguing topics in Oklahoma lore. Registration is $5 for OHS members and $10 for nonmembers, and preregistration is required. Contact the Research Center at 405-522-5225 to preregister. This program will be held in the Clark and Kay Musser Learning Lab, located on the first floor of the Oklahoma History Center. Elmer McCurdy: Train Robber Turned Funhouse Mummy Michael Williams will speak about the criminal activities of Elmer McCurdy,…
Find out more »November 2019
Native Women Artists Discussion
The Oklahoma Historical Society and First American Art Magazine will host an afternoon of discussion about American Indian women artists of Oklahoma on Saturday, November 9, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Oklahoma History Center. At 1 p.m. America Meredith (Cherokee Nation), publishing editor of First American Art Magazine, will present an introductory overview of Oklahoma Native women’s art history. At 1:45 p.m. Mary Jo Watson (Seminole) will moderate a roundtable discussion with artists Anita Fields (Osage/Muscogee), Sharron Ahtone…
Find out more »Brown Bag Luncheon Lecture
The Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center in Enid will host a free Brown Bag Luncheon Lecture on Wednesday, November 13, at noon. This month’s topic will be announced soon. Attendees are welcome to bring their lunches and learn something new! The Brown Bag series is sponsored by Park Avenue Thrift of Enid. For more information please call 580-237-1907.
Find out more »“Cold War Oklahoma” presentation by Landry Brewer
The Museum of the Western Prairie in Altus is pleased to host a presentation by Landry Brewer, author of Cold War Oklahoma, on Thursday, November 21 at 7 p.m. Oklahoma might seem like an unexpected place for Cold War tensions to boil over, but the state played a key role in a conflict that threatened global annihilation. Altus Air Force Base served as a hub for twelve intercontinental ballistic missile launch sites. Cold War Oklahoma, explores the deep ties that…
Find out more »December 2019
Brown Bag Lecture Series
The Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center in Enid will host a free Brown Bag Lecture Series program on Wednesday, December 11, at noon. This month’s topic will be announced soon. Attendees are welcome to bring their lunches and learn something new! The Brown Bag series is sponsored by Park Avenue Thrift of Enid. For more information please call 580-237-1907.
Find out more »Sod House 125th Anniversary Open House
The Sod House Museum near Aline will celebrate the 125th anniversary of its centerpiece sod house by unveiling a sculpture of Marshal McCully, the man who built it, at an Open House on Saturday, December 14, from 1 to 3 p.m. The Open House is free to visitors as a “thank you” for continued support of the museum. State Senator Roland Pederson will welcome guests, and State Representative Carl Newton will give a statement celebrating the occasion. Renowned sculptor and painter…
Find out more »January 2020
Brown Bag Luncheon Lecture
The Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center in Enid will host a free Brown Bag Lecture Series program on Wednesday, January 8, at noon. This month’s presenter is to be announced. Attendees are welcome to bring their lunches and learn something new! For more information, please call 580-237-1907.
Find out more »“The Indian Nations and the Civil War” presentation by author Dr. Clint Crowe
Dr. Clint Crowe, Oklahoma professor and newly published author of the book Caught in the Maelstrom: The Indian Nations in the Civil War, will present a program based on his new book about the history of American Indian nations in the Civil War at Honey Springs Battlefield on Saturday, January 25, at 1 p.m. Caught in the Maelstrom chronicles the often-overlooked experiences of the Five Tribes—the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Muscogee (Creek), and Seminole—during America’s Civil War. From 1861 to 1865,…
Find out more »February 2020
“The Buffalo Train Ride” presentation by author Desiree Morrison Webber
Author Desiree Morrison Webber will review her book The Buffalo Train Ride at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, February 4, at the Museum of the Western Prairie. This book explains how a plea from Comanche leader Quanah Parker to President Theodore Roosevelt opened the way to save the bison from near extinction. In 1907 fifteen buffalo from the Bronx Zoo boarded a train bound for a wildlife preserve in Oklahoma Territory. The Buffalo Train Ride received a positive review by School…
Find out more »“American Bison: Past, Present, and Future” Brown Bag Luncheon Lecture by Dr. Jim Shaw
The Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center in Enid will host a free Brown Bag Luncheon Lecture on Wednesday, February 12, at noon. This month’s program will be “American Bison: Past, Present, and Future,” presented by Dr. Jim Shaw. Attendees are welcome to bring their lunches and learn something new! For more information please call 580-237-1907.
Find out more »Lunch and Learn with Dr. Bob and Governor George Nigh *Full*
This program is full! Add a little history to your lunch by joining Dr. Bob Blackburn and his guest, Governor George Nigh, as they explore seven decades of Oklahoma’s political history. The first installment of this monthly Lunch and Learn series with Dr. Bob will be held on Wednesday, February 26, at noon. Join us at Farmstead Cafe inside the Oklahoma History Center for some delicious local fare. Come early to purchase your lunch at Farmstead Cafe, and you will…
Find out more »“It’s All About Water!” program
On Thursday, February 27, Museum of the Western Prairie will present “It’s All About Water!” at 7 p.m. A companion program to the Smithsonian on Main Street Water/Ways exhibition, “It’s All About Water!” traces the development of our community and the roles water has played in that development. The story begins with the first obstacle our early-day settlers encountered—crossing the often treacherous Red River—and then explores other challenges, like determining the main channel of Red River and thus the border between…
Find out more »March 2020
“When the Country Was New” Brown Bag Luncheon Lecture by Jenny Entsminger
The Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center in Enid will host a free Brown Bag Lecture Luncheon on Wednesday, March 11, at noon. This month’s program will be “When the Country Was New,” presented by Jenny Entsminger. Attendees are welcome to bring their lunches and learn something new! For more information please call 580-237-1907.
Find out more »