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Voices of Oklahoma launches a new website
On April 10, 2009—13 years ago—the Voices of Oklahoma project launched its oral history website with the story of Wilma Mankiller, the first female chief of the Cherokee Nation. In the last 13 years, over 255 influential Oklahomans have added their stories to this historical collection of audio recordings—many told in the first person.
To celebrate this anniversary, and as the project enters a new era in partnership with the Oklahoma Historical Society, Voices of Oklahoma has launched a new website. Click on the button below to listen to the voices of cherished personalities, influential leaders, and the many people who have made Oklahoma great.
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George “Machine Gun” Kelly, flanked by police and a G-Man with a submachine gun at the ready, heads for an airplane in Memphis after his arrest for the kidnapping of Charles F. Urschel, 1933 (2012.201.B1323.0505, Oklahoma Publishing Company Photography Collection, OHS). |
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Lawlessness and Notorious Criminals
The latest episode of A Very OK Podcast explores lawlessness and law enforcement in the 1920s and '30s. The advent of the automobile gave lawbreakers the ability to commit crimes and evade local law enforcement. During the 1920s and '30s, bank robberies and kidnappings became all too common in Oklahoma. In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn discuss the rise of notorious criminals and how the state created new agencies to enforce the law. Their guest, Leigh Dudley from the Federal Judicial Learning Center and Museum, tells the story of Charles Urschel’s 1933 kidnapping by George “Machine Gun” Kelly. Listen to the podcast episode by clicking here.
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“19th-Century Trading” living history program
On April 29 and 30 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Fort Gibson Historic Site will hold a living history program about 19th-century trading. This program will provide an interpretation of trade that occurred among the American Indian nations and other settlers in the area.
When Fort Gibson was established in 1824, it was the westernmost military outpost in the US at that time. With 300 to 500 troops stationed there, the fort was a supply point and bustling center for the trade activity of settlers, fur traders, and Indian Territory nations due to its location along the old Texas Road and the steamboat traffic that passed nearby on the Arkansas River.
This program is free with paid admission, which can be purchased at the commissary located at 907 N. Garrison Ave. or at the office located within the palisade grounds. Call 918-478-4088 for more information. Fort Gibson Historic Site is a National Historic Landmark.
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Silver Selections from the USS Oklahoma
Visit the Oklahoma History Center (OHC) through the end of April to view the special exhibit Silver Selections from the USS Oklahoma. The exhibit, featuring pieces from the USS Oklahoma's silver service will be on display through April 30 in the third-floor atrium and may be viewed during regular museum hours. The exhibit opened last year to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. On December 7, 1941, the USS Oklahoma was one of eight battleships docked at the Pearl Harbor Naval Base in Honolulu, Hawaii, when it came under attack by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service. The USS Oklahoma suffered 429 casualties and the battleship capsized due to multiple torpedo strikes.
Click here to learn more about the full history of the USS Oklahoma, originally built in 1916.
The OHC is a Blue Star Museum where active-duty military, veterans, and dependents (with ID) are admitted at no charge. For more information, please call 405-522-0765.
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Reserve your tickets for this coming Monday!
"From Broadway to Hollywood"
The Oklahoma History Center (OHC) will host a special Kilgen Organ concert on Monday, April 25, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. featuring award-winning organist Ken Double. The theme of Double’s performance will be “From Broadway to Hollywood.” Tickets are $10 for Oklahoma Historical Society members and $20 for nonmembers, and may be reserved by calling 405-522-0765. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. The Oklahoma History Center is located at 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive in Oklahoma City.
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OHS COVID-19 safety measures
We recommend that visitors who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 wear face masks in indoor public areas. We ask that you avoid visiting OHS museums, sites, and affiliates if you have COVID-19, are experiencing symptoms, have a fever, or are otherwise feeling sick or unwell.
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Click event listings below for more information.
21 - Historic Preservation Review Committee meeting, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
21 - Thursday Night Lecture Series featuring author Matthew Kerns, Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore
23 - Free Museum Day, Oklahoma Territorial Museum and Carnegie Library, Guthrie
23 - Handcrafted Soap Making class, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
25 - “From Broadway to Hollywood” Kilgen Organ performance featuring Ken Double, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
26 - “Shut the Door! Barns in Oklahoma” webinar series (VIRTUAL), State Historic Preservation Office, Oklahoma City
29–30 - “19th-Century Trading” living history program, Fort Gibson Historic Site, Fort Gibson
29 - Movie Night featuring Twister (1996), Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore
30 - Silver Selections from the USS Oklahoma exhibit closes, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
30 - Hammered Aluminum Ware exhibit closes, Fred and Addie Drummond Home, Hominy
6–8 - Museum After Dark: Gaslight Theatre’s The Importance of Being Earnest, Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid
7 - Crossroads: Change in Rural America exhibit closes, Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum, Pawnee
7 - Birthday Bash and Archaeology Day, Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center, Spiro
7 - Blacksmithing and Wheel Setting Demonstrations with Tom Nelson, Cherokee Strip Museum and Rose Hill School, Perry
7 - “Fleece to Fabric” Sheep-Shearing Event, Hunter's Home, Park Hill
7 - Milliner (hat-making) class, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
7 - History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip, Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid
8 - Dust, Drought, and Dreams Gone Dry exhibit closes, Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum, Pawnee
9–12 - Section 106 workshop series (VIRTUAL), State Historic Preservation Office, Oklahoma City
10 - Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission meeting, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
13–14 - Museum After Dark: Gaslight Theatre’s The Importance of Being Earnest, Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid
14 - Quilting workshop with Martha Ray, Sod House Museum, Aline
14 - Second Saturday Demo: Herb Gardening, Fort Towson Historic Site, Fort Towson
16 - Becoming Fearless exhibit opens, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
16–17 - University of Oklahoma Summer Field School Excavations, Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center, Spiro
16–17 - Working with the National Register of Historic Places workshops (VIRTUAL), State Historic Preservation Office, Oklahoma City
18–20 - Tax Credits for Certified Rehabilitation of Historic Structures workshops (VIRTUAL), State Historic Preservation Office, Oklahoma City
18 - Oklahoma Historical Society Executive Committee meeting, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
19 - Thursday Night Lecture Series featuring the Oklahoma Capitol Restoration Project with Trait Thompson, Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore
20–21 - “Beans to Bullets: Frontier Foodways” living history program, Fort Gibson Historic Site, Fort Gibson
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 George “Machine Gun” Kelly (left) and Kathryn Kelly (smiling at right) with their attorney James H. Mathers during the Urschel kidnapping trial, 1933 (2012.201.B1258.1174, Oklahoma Publishing Company Photography Collection, OHS).
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