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This day in history—108 years ago
On July 20, 1914, at 10 a.m., Oklahoma Governor Lee Cruce ceremoniously turned the earth with a silver pick axe (pictured below) at the groundbreaking exercises for the Oklahoma State Capitol. This historic event was witnessed by hundreds of Oklahoma citizens from across the state. Men, women, and children waved American flags and listened to elegant speeches commemorating the occasion, while photographers snapped images and a film crew captured the moment to be viewed on newsreels around the world. After many years of anticipation, construction had begun on the Oklahoma State Capitol.
Partially colorized image of Oklahoma Governor Lee Cruce turning the first dirt at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Oklahoma State Capitol in Oklahoma City on July 20, 1914 (7718, OHS Photograph Collection).
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Visit the Oklahoma State Capitol Museum!
Next time you are in Oklahoma City, explore the 4,400 square feet of exhibit space at the Oklahoma State Capitol Museum to learn more about the complex history of the building at the heart of the state's government. The silver axe that Governor Cruce used for the Oklahoma Capitol groundbreaking (pictured at right) is one of 125 artifacts relating to the history of the Oklahoma State Capitol and the work of Oklahoma’s state government that are currently on display in the museum.
Learn more about the Oklahoma Capitol in the OHS publication The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. You can also view the OHS's The Story of the Capitol e-exhibit or explore our historic photographs and film archives of the State Capitol.
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Save the date!
Come out to the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore on Thursday, August 18, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. to hear Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) Executive Director Trait Thompson make a presentation about his recent experiences leading the Oklahoma Capitol Restoration Project. He successfully supervised the completion of the project before taking on his leadership role at the OHS. Thompson will explore many interesting details of the Capitol's unique history and will open the discussion to questions following his talk. Visit willrogers.org for more information about all the activities and events at the Will Rogers Memorial Museums.
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Family Fun Day—old-fashioned fun for all ages!
Experience Family Fun Day at the Cherokee Strip Museum and Rose Hill School in Perry on Saturday, August 6, 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, living history gunfights, and live banjo music. The Rose Hill schoolmarm will hold short class sessions, a petting zoo will be on-site, and a fun photo station will be set up at the jail. The Blacksmith’s Shop will be open to show visitors the tricks of this important trade.
Follow the Cherokee Strip Museum on Facebook to get up-to-date information on events at the site. The Cherokee Strip Museum is located at 2617 West Fir St. in Perry. For more information, please call 580-336-2405.
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Catch up on A Very OK Podcast!
Have you missed an episode or two of A Very OK Podcast? July is the perfect time to get caught up on all of the interesting stories and fascinating personalities that OHS Executive Director Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn have explored over the past several months! While the podcast is on a recording hiatus for the month, sit in some air conditioning and learn about Spiro Mounds, the history of golf in Oklahoma, or the state’s early aviation history. We’ll be back with a new episode in August!
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Meet the “Ranch Lady,” Artist Dallas Mayer
On Saturday, July 23, from 6 to 8 p.m., exhibiting artist Dallas Mayer will hold a painting demonstration in the museum as a part of her Home on the Range: Dallas Mayer Art Show on exhibit through July 31 at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center (CSRHC) in Enid.
Mayer will introduce her work on display at the CSRHC and provide insights into her process as an artist. She will also present 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 inspire her work. The artist’s pastel, watercolor, and oil works will be available to purchase. Call 580-237-1907 to learn more.
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The Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center is where history comes alive!
On the first and third Saturday of each month, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., 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. Mark your calendar for upcoming History Alive! dates on August 6 and 20.
At History Alive! events, the historic buildings in the Humphrey Heritage Village at the 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 visit the Turkey Creek one-room schoolhouse and even file a claim in the region’s only remaining Land Office. To learn more about all of the events, exhibits, and programs at the CSRHC, visit csrhc.org.
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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 Pawnee Bill Ranch’s Anna Davis, Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore
23 - Museum After Dark: An Evening with Dallas Mayer, Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid
23 - Guided tours, Honey Springs Battlefield, Checotah
26 - Oklahoma Summer Social Studies Conference, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
27 - Oklahoma Historical Society Board of Directors meeting, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
28 - National History Day Boot Camp (IN-PERSON and VIRTUAL), Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
29 - Movie Night featuring Where the Red Fern Grows (1974), Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore
30 - Home on the Range: Dallas Mayer Art Show closes, Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid
30 - “Frontier service in the 19th century” living history program, Fort Gibson Historic Site, Fort Gibson
31 - Family Album: Photographs by Pierre Tartoue exhibit closes, Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum, Pawnee
4 - Back to School Bash, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
6 - Blacksmithing Demonstrations with the Saltfork Craftsmen, Cherokee Strip Museum and Rose Hill School, Perry
6 - Family Fun Day, Cherokee Strip Museum and Rose Hill School, Perry
6 - History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip, Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid
12 - Wreath-laying ceremony and flyover, Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore
12 - Museum After Dark: Village Sounds featuring Kalyn Fay Barnoski, Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid
13 - Will Rogers and Wiley Post Fly-In and National Day of Remembrance, Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch, Oologah
13 - Quilting workshop with Martha Ray, Sod House Museum, Aline
13 - Mushroom-growing workshop, Fort Towson Historic Site, Fort Towson
16 - Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission meeting, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
17 - Oklahoma Historical Society Executive Committee meeting, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
18 - Thursday Night Lecture Series featuring the Oklahoma Capitol Restoration Project presentation by Trait Thompson, Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore
20 - Will’s Cowboy Trader Days at the Ranch, Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch, Oologah
20 - Oklahoma All-Black Towns State Conference, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
20 - History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip, Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid
20 - Family Day at the Birthplace Ranch, Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch, Oologah
20 - Let’s Talk About It: The Virginian (1902) by Owen Wister, Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum, Pawnee
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Masthead photo: Pictured standing near the back of this group, wearing a suit and straw hat, is railroad promoter W. E. Wells. Seated in front of Wells are Cottie and Sammy Hallman. The Hallmans operated the Capital Hotel on Capital Avenue near the Pennington Creek Crossing in Tishomingo, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory, c. 1901 (20288.93.152.2, Chickasaw Council House Museum Collection, OHS).
This photograph is available on The Gateway to Oklahoma History
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