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200th Anniversary Commemoration
at Fort Towson Historic Site
On Saturday, May 18, the Fort Towson Historic Site will commemorate its bicentennial, marking 200 years since the military outpost was first established in Indian Territory.
The 200th Anniversary Commemoration will recognize the contribution of the soldiers who manned Fort Towson when it was active while celebrating the tremendous contributions of the Choctaw and Chickasaw people. The event will be held from 10 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Living historians will present a glimpse into the lives of military members and civilians who lived in military outposts 200 years ago. Scheduled presentations will be held every hour between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The event will be free to the public.
Throughout the day, guests can explore the site and learn from living historians about period infantry, artillery, laundresses, officer’s wives, topographical engineers, 1st Choctaw mounted rifles, dragoons, historical music, and 1800s merchandise.
The event will include presentations and demonstrations about the clothing of the period, the importance of trade at the military outpost with the civilian sutler, and the connection between the fort’s establishment and the Choctaw and Chickasaw people.
An artillery demonstration will be held to show that cannon fire was a part of daily life for soldiers at Fort Towson. The bicentennial programming will also include livestock care, harnessing a team of mules, and a historical overview of the roads leading into the fort.
For more information, call 580-873-2634 or email fttowson@history.ok.gov.
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Situated near the Red River, Fort Towson initially served as an outpost on the border between the United States and Mexico (present-day Texas).
The Fort Towson Historic Site visitor center offers engaging exhibits that delve into the fort’s rich history from its construction in 1824, its role in the Mexican-American War and the Civil War, to the steamboats that ferried people and supplies through the region. Visitors will hear the story of nearby Doaksville, first established as a trading post that later became a thriving commercial center and capital of the Choctaw Nation.
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A model of the Heroine is on display at the Fort Towson Historic Site’s Visitor Center.
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About the Steamboat HEROINE
Heroine was one of the first steamboats to navigate the upper Red River. This newspaper advertisement for the ‘Steamer’ Heroine lists how far south the vessel was operating. It made stops at Vicksburg, Grand Gulf, Rodney, and Natchez, Mississippi, and connected with Natchitoches, Louisiana, by ascending the Red River.
Initially built in 1832 in New Albany, Indiana, it delivered essential goods to various towns and military installations for six years. In 1838, Heroine was transported down the Mississippi and up the Red River with goods destined for Fort Towson in Indian Territory when it hit a snag and sank. A portion of the ship’s cargo was salvaged and brought to Fort Towson by keelboat. Items found with the wreckage by underwater archaeologists included pork barrels, a soap box, a cotton dolly, flour barrels, two hand trucks, and other artifacts.*
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*Read the full story by Kevin Crisman about the steamboat Heroine in The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture.
Read the article “Shipwrecked in Oklahoma: The Last Voyage of the Steamboat Heroine, 1838,” featured in The Chronicles of Oklahoma 91 (3), Oklahoma Historical Society, 2013, pp. 260-295, by Kevin Crisman; Nina Chick, and John Davis.
Newspaper advertisement for the Red River Packet, Steamer Heroine (Captain J. R.) Hord, Master. From the Southern Telegraph (Rodney, Mississippi), May 2, 1838, page 4 (Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Library of Congress).
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Experience the interactive Steamboat Heroine exhibit in Kerr McGee Gallery located in the Oklahoma History Center Museum. It has an upper and lower deck reconstructed to offer visitors a vivid reproduction of life on a steamboat. Touchscreens, hands-on elements, reconstructed machinery, and excavated artifacts bring the story of the steamboat Heroine to life.
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History Day Camp at Fort Towson
Fort Towson Historic Site will host History Day Camp for kids ages nine to 12 from Tuesday, May 28, through Thursday, May 30. The camp takes place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. During the three-day camp, young people can explore the site with physical and experiential learning activities that will encourage them to learn what life was like in the 1840s. Historical interpreters will lead campers in hands-on activities such as archaeology, military drills, old-fashioned games, and hands-on crafts.
Registration is required and limited to 15 students on a first-come, first-served basis. You may register by calling 580-873-2634, emailing fttowson@history.ok.gov, or visiting the Fort Towson Historic Site. The deadline to apply is May 3.
This camp is made possible by the Carolyn Watson Rural Oklahoma Community Foundation.
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR MAY 4!
Spring on the Farm at Hunter's Home
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On Saturday, May 4, Spring on the Farm, a free event at Hunter’s Home will feature demonstrations about the ways of 19th-century agriculture from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will allow the public to see the Hunter’s Home staff prepare for the upcoming growing season. Adults and children can observe the gardens, fields, and animals while learning how farms prepare for the changing seasons. Sheep shearing and other demonstrations will be happening on this special day. There will also be a story time and craft for kids. Staff will be teaching about the importance of bees and gardens. Spring on the Farm is a free event open to the public.
The Oklahoma Historical Society’s Research Division will have a booth on-site with puzzles, playing cards, historical maps, photographs, and more available for purchase.
For more information, call 918-456-2751. Hunter’s Home is located at 19479 E. Murrell Home Rd. in Park Hill.
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AT THE HISTORY CENTER
Oklahoma National History Day
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Oklahoma National History Day (OkNHD) is more than an academic exercise for thousands of Oklahoma junior high and high school students—it is a tradition. Starting today, May 1, and continuing tomorrow, May 2, more than 200 6th through 12th grade students will present their exhibits, documentaries, performances, websites, and papers at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City.
Due to the size of the OkNHD event, there will be some Oklahoma History Center gallery closures on May 1 and 2. Please call ahead to 405-522-0765 to ensure that exhibits are open for visitors.
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“Perspectives in History,” presented by the Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS), will take place at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City on Saturday, May 4. A book signing with four authors will be taking place that day from 10:45 to 11:30 a.m. The authors and titles include:
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Victor Luckerson, Built from the Fire: The Epic Story of Tulsa’s Greenwood District, America’s Black Wall Street (Penguin Random House, 2023)
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Stanley Nelson, A Chickasaw Historical Atlas (Chickasaw Press, 2018) and Toli: Chickasaw Stickball Then and Now (Chickasaw Press, 2016)
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Sammie Rude Compton, The Cowboy Ike Rude: Riding Into The Wind (Texas A&M University Press, 2023)
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Robert B. Pickering, Luck is a Fortune: Adventure, Duty, and Buffalo on the 1841 Frontier (Paragon Press, 2024)
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Civil War-Era Music program in Checotah
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Oklahoma Restaurant Roundtable
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On Wednesday, May 8, from 6 to 9 p.m., the Oklahoma History Center, in collaboration with the Bigger Than Food Foundation, will host an Oklahoma Restaurant Roundtable discussion on the history and evolution of the food industry and restaurants. This roundtable will feature historians and current Oklahoma City metro area restaurant owners.
The discussion will take place in the Chesapeake Event Center from 6 to 8 p.m., followed by a networking hour from 8 to 9 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. This is a pay-what-you-can event, with a suggested donation of $5 per person. Attendees will need to register in advance as space is limited. Register for the Restaurant Roundtable by clicking here.
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BEHIND THE SCENES
Turning the page
One part of the Oklahoma Historical Society’s (OHS) mission is collecting, preserving, and sharing newspapers. Last month, when that process was replaced with digital technology, it marked the end of an era for our agency. On April 17, 2024, the Newspaper Archives of OHS Research developed its last role of microfilm.
Over the years, 42,679 rolls of microfilm capturing newspapers have been created at OHS. That number does not include several thousand microfilm rolls that contain American Indian records, county records, and manuscript collections.
Click here or on the image above to see a video of the last newspaper committed to microfilm at the OHS. It shows volunteers and staff at work, capturing the pages of the November/December 1939 Oklahoma City Times Home Edition. OHS Volunteer Delbert Amen (seen above) has been microfilming at OHS since his retirement in 2001, personally filming over 7,000 rolls. Clark Duffe, the Research micrographics lab specialist, also featured in the video, has been processing and developing microfilm at OHS for over 20 years.
Although transitioning to a new technology, the OHS Newspaper Archives Department will continue collecting and preserving newspapers. The progression from microfilm to digital preservation will allow more accessible, searchable records. The department currently collects over 200 titles and digital copies through a partnership with the Oklahoma Press Association.
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The Chisholm Trail Museum in Kingfisher first began in 1964, and last month marked 60 years of its operation.
The museum, previously known as Chisholm Trail Museum and Horizon Hill, is changing its name to “The Chisholm” beginning today. The site will still specialize in telling the history of Oklahoma’s farming and ranching while it plans for the future by rebranding and refocusing its mission. To learn more about significant changes and improvements at the museum, call 405-375-5176 for more information or visit thechisholm.org.
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Click event listings below for more information.
1–2 - Oklahoma National History Day State Contest, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
2 - Boots, Beer, & BBQ Gala Dinner *postponed due to weather,* Chisholm Trail Museum and Horizon Hill, Kingfisher
3 - “Hunter Trapper” Living History program begins, Fort Gibson Historic Site, Fort Gibson
3 - Oklahoma Historical Society Board of Directors meeting, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
4 - “Perspectives in History” The Oklahoma History Symposium, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
4 - Spring on the Farm, Hunter’s Home, Park Hill
4 - Oklahoma Historical Society Membership Meeting, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
4 - Blacksmithing Demonstration, Cherokee Strip Museum and Rose Hill School, Perry
4 - Oklahoma Historical Society Board of Directors Organizational Meeting, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
4 - History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip, Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid
6 - From Our Hands, exhibit opening, Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid
6 - Virtual Field Trip with Dr. Theodore Gonzalves *canceled,* Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
8 - Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) webinar, State Historic Preservation Office
8 - Oklahoma Restaurant Roundtable, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
9 - Drafting and Executing Section 106 Agreement Documents with the OKSHPO webinar, State Historic Preservation Office
11 - Quilting Workshop, Sod House Museum, Aline
11 - Civil War-Era Music Program, Honey Springs Battlefield, Checotah
13 - OU/OAS Archaeological Field School at Spiro Mounds begins, Spiro Mounds Archaeological Site, Spiro
13 - The Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program Overview webinar, State Historic Preservation Office
14 - The Historic Preservation Tax Credit: A Case Study webinar, State Historic Preservation Office
14 - “Asian American Pacific Islander Experiences in Oklahoma: A Historical Journey,” Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
15 - Oklahoma Historical Society Executive Committee meeting *canceled,* Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
16 - Summer Sounds Concert featuring Jason Scott and High Heat, The Chisholm, Kingfisher
18 - 200th Anniversary Commemoration, Fort Towson Historic Site, Fort Towson
18 - History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip, Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid
18 - The Wayne McCombs Classic, 1880s-era Baseball Game, Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore
19 - Picnic in the Village, Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid
22 - “Cats and Cathouses” presentation, Oklahoma Territorial Museum and Carnegie Library, Guthrie
23 - Thursday Night Lecture Series: The Will Rogers Medallion Award with Chris Enss and Preston Lewis, Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore
28–30 - History Day Camp, Fort Towson Historic Site, Fort Towson
31 - “Hunter Trapper” Living History program ends, Fort Gibson Historic Site, Fort Gibson
31 - Movie Night featuring Angels in the Outfield (1994), Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore
1 - Clem Rogers and the Legacy of the Rogers Ranch exhibit closes, Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore
1 - Vintage Snack Sets exhibit opens, Fred and Addie Drummond Home, Hominy
1 - History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip, Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid
1 - Sounds of the Prairie bluegrass performance, Cherokee Strip Museum and Rose Hill School, Perry
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Masthead image: Colorized image detail of a letter written by Josiah H. Vose from Fort Towson, April 22, 1834 to Major General Thomas S. Jesup, Quartermaster General in Washington, D.C. The letter requests that a "suitable house" and stable be built for Vose in his role as commanding officer by first of December of 1834. (Detail page 1, RG94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762–1984, NAID: 423, National Archives). Hear the full contents of the letter being read in the "Post Commander's Quarters" episode of Fort Towson's video series Towson Tales. |
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