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Battle of Honey Springs Education Day on Friday, November 3, kicks off a history-based educational weekend for families and students alike. On this day, students from schools across the state and the general public will have the opportunity to explore numerous education stations teaching topics related to the Civil War in Indian Territory at the Honey Springs Battlefield near Checotah. Education Day is free to the public, but preregistration is required.
On Saturday, November 4, and Sunday, November 5, Honey Springs Battlefield will host biennial demonstrations of the Civil War Battle of Honey Springs.
On Saturday and Sunday, unique living history stations will open at 10 a.m. The Battle of Honey Springs Civil War demonstrations will take place at 1 p.m. Visitors will see military drills, demonstrations, and living history programs while also getting the chance to tour Confederate, Union, and civilian camps and explore “Sutlers’ Row,” featuring vendors selling 19th-century reproduction military equipment, clothes, books, and souvenirs. Tickets are $10 for anyone over the age of 12. Children ages 12 and under are free.
The Battle of Honey Springs, which took place on July 17, 1863, was the largest Civil War battle to occur in Indian Territory and on Muscogee (Creek) lands. Also remembered as the most ethnically diverse battle in the Civil War, the Battle of Honey Springs was fought by Indigenous, Black, and white soldiers. The tribal nations of the Muscogee, Cherokee, and Seminole divided, joining both the Union and Confederate armies. Of the 9,000 who fought, approximately 200 total casualties were suffered. After a decisive Union victory, Confederates lost control of Indian Territory north of the Arkansas River. The Union victory also ensured Federal control of Fort Gibson in Indian Territory and Fort Smith in Arkansas.
For more information call 918-617-7125 or email honeysprings@history.ok.gov.
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The Battle of Honey Springs Demonstrations take place every two years.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to learn about the history of the Civil War in Oklahoma while experiencing the sights and sounds of this significant living history weekend!
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The Battle of Honey Springs (2021) OHS film televised
The Oklahoma Historical Society and the Friends of Honey Springs Battlefield film The Battle of Honey Springs (2021) is scheduled to air on OETA, Oklahoma’s statewide PBS station, on Thursday, November 2, at 7:30 p.m. It will air again on Saturday, November 4, at 8:30 p.m. on the OETA WORLD Channel.
The Battle of Honey Springs is a Pantheon Digital Production written and directed by Bryan Beasley and produced by Jaime Roman and Jon Roman. Please check your cable provider and local listings to confirm viewing of the film in your area.
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“Territory of Lincoln” workshop
The Oklahoma History Center (OHC) will host a free workshop on Saturday, November 4, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to discuss the “Territory of Lincoln.”
After Abraham Lincoln’s death, several proposals were made to take existing Territories and create a state named “Lincoln.” Yet, during the Civil War, maps labeled Indian Territory—now present-day Oklahoma—as “Lincoln.” This workshop will explore the brief history window when the state was considered for a name change. Black groups pushed for an All-Black state after the Civil War, much like the Native advocacy in 1905 to create the State of Sequoyah.
All sessions will take place in the Chesapeake Event Center and Gallery at the OHC. The event is free, but registration is required. Click here to learn more about the workshop.
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The Will Rogers Memorial Museum (WRMM) will host Will Rogers Days and Motion Picture Festival from November 1–4 to celebrate Rogers’s 144th birthday. The festivities will include the 2023 Will Rogers Motion Picture Festival, a gentleman’s cigar and whiskey evening to celebrate the “end of Prohibition,” annual wreath laying, and parade. Immediately following the parade, the WRMM will host a birthday party on the grounds with cake, inflatables, and family fun—no admission required.
The Will Rogers Motion Picture Festival features G- and PG-rated films from artists worldwide. The festival entries will be screened daily in the Will Rogers Theatre. Screenings run Wednesday, November 1 through Friday, November 3. Admission is free to all screenings, thanks to the Cherokee Nation. See a full schedule of film dates and times.
The weekend will wrap up with a reception honoring the Will Rogers Motion Picture Festival entries at 6 p.m. and the Dog Iron Awards Ceremony at 7 p.m. For more complete information, call 918-341-0719 or visit willrogers.com.
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The People's House film screening
On Wednesday, November 1, at 12:30 p.m., The People’s House will be shown at the Will Rogers Motion Picture Festival at the Will Rogers Theatre located at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore. The film has earned a nomination in the Dog-Iron Award category.
The People’s House covers the in-depth history of the Oklahoma Capitol, the importance of the building, the years-long restoration process, the building's resilience over the decades, and more. It was directed by Oklahoma native Bryan Beasley and produced with support from the Inasmuch Foundation and the Oklahoma Historical Society.
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“Preservation and Care of Photographs”
Learn how to preserve your photos in a workshop at the Oklahoma History Center on Friday, November 3, from 1 to 4 p.m. The “Preservation and Care of Photographs” workshop will be conducted in partnership with the Oklahoma Historical Society’s John and Eleanor Kirkpatrick Research Center, which has over 11 million images in its archives. The workshop will focus on teaching participants how to care for their photographs. The class costs $20 for members of the Oklahoma Historical Society and $25 for nonmembers. Tickets can be purchased online by clicking here. All supplies will be provided, and attendees will take a photograph storage box home.
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OHS Halloween events and activities |
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Whether you like looking at classic cars, trick-or-treating, playing games, watching a scary movie, deciphering symbols, or hearing ghost stories, the Oklahoma Historical Society has several fall offerings to choose from! Click on the images below to read more about late October events at an OHS museum or historic site near you!
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 See the classic movie!
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 Trick-or-Treat in Claremore
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 Listen to Ghost Stories
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 Attend the Rolling Thunder Car Show and Fall Festival
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 Explore cemetery symbols in Ponca City
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 Haunt the Heritage Hills neighborhood
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 Experience the "History Never Dies" Halloween Carnival in Guthrie
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Did you know?
Today’s practice of carving Jack-o-lanterns is a tradition that finds its roots hundreds of years ago in Ireland. Children would carve small turnips or rutabagas and place a burning ember or candle inside. Sometimes, they were placed on sticks so they could be carried or perched in the windows of homes. This photo is courtesy of the folks at Hunter’s Home, where even the seasonal decorations of the only surviving pre-Civil War plantation home in Oklahoma spark conversations about history.
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Click event listings below for more information.
3–31 -“Storekeeper and Trader” living history program, Fort Gibson Historic Site, Fort Gibson
25 - Oklahoma Historical Society Board of Directors meeting, Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid
26 - “Going to Church in Old Greer County” presentation and pump organ performance, Museum of the Western Prairie, Altus
27 - Movie Night featuring Dracula (1931), Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore
27 - History and Haunts at the Overholser *Sold Out,* Henry and Anna Overholser Mansion, Oklahoma City
28 - Pawnee Bill’s Rolling Thunder Car Show and Fall Festival, Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum, Pawnee
28 - Cemetery Symbols program, Pioneer Woman Statue and Museum, Ponca City
28 - “History Never Dies” Halloween carnival, Oklahoma Territorial Museum and Carnegie Library, Guthrie
28 - History and Haunts at the Overholser *Sold Out,* Henry and Anna Overholser Mansion, Oklahoma City
28 - Ghost Stories Tours, Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum, Pawnee
29 - Annual Quilt Show closes, Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum, Pawnee
29 - Heritage Hills Halloween Festival, Henry and Anna Overholser Mansion, Oklahoma City
29 - History and Haunts at the Overholser *Sold Out,* Henry and Anna Overholser Mansion, Oklahoma City
31 - Halloween Night at the Museum, Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore
1 - The People's House film screening at Will Rogers Motion Picture Festival, Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore
1–4 - Will Rogers Days and Motion Picture Festival, Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore
2 - The Battle of Honey Springs (2021) OHS film televised, OETA
3 - Battle of Honey Springs Education Day, Honey Springs Battlefield, Checotah
3 - "Preservation and Care of Photographs" workshop, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
4 - Blacksmithing Demonstrations with the Saltfork Craftsmen, Cherokee Strip Museum, Perry
4 - “Territory of Lincoln” workshop, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
4 - History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip, Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid
4 - Cast-Iron Cooking Class *class is full,* Chisholm Trail Museum, Kingfisher
4 - The Battle of Honey Springs (2021) OHS film televised, OETA WORLD
4-5 -The Battle of Honey Springs Civil War Demonstrations, Honey Springs Battlefield, Checotah
6 - “Working with the National Register of Historic Places: An Overview” webinar (VIRTUAL), State Historic Preservation Office, Oklahoma City
7 - “Do’s and Don’ts: Best Practices for National Register Nominations” webinar, State Historic Preservation Office, Oklahoma City
11 - Quilting workshop with Martha Ray, Sod House Museum, Aline
13 - Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) webinar, State Historic Preservation Office, Oklahoma City
14 - “Archaeological Investigations and Site Evaluations” webinar, State Historic Preservation Office, Oklahoma City
15 - Oklahoma Historical Society Executive Committee meeting, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
16 - Oklahoma Territorial Museum 50th Anniversary Celebration, Guthrie Depot, Guthrie
16 - “The Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program: An Overview” webinar, State Historic Preservation Office, Oklahoma City
16 - Chunky Knit Blanket workshop, Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum, Pawnee
16 - Oklahoma Territorial Museum 50th Anniversary Celebration, Guthrie Depot, Guthrie
17 - “The Historic Preservation Tax Credit: A Case Study” webinar, State Historic Preservation Office, Oklahoma City
17 - Learning Lecture with author Gary Clayton Anderson, Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore
18 - "Hunting and Recreational Shooting in the 19th Century" program, Hunter’s Home, Park Hill
18 - Story Time at Hunter’s Home, Hunter’s Home, Park Hill
18 - History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip, Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid
18 - “Glass and a Glass” glass fusion class, Pioneer Woman Statue and Museum, Ponca City
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Masthead image: Staff photo by Trait Thompson. A campsite at the Battle of Honey Springs Civil War Demonstrations, 2021.
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