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THIS WEEK IN HISTORY
48 Hours in Atoka: 50 year anniversary
Fifty years ago on August 30–31, 1975, a large two-day music festival took place in Atoka. “48 Hours in Atoka” was Oklahoma’s answer to the infamous Woodstock Music and Art Fair that took place on a farm in rural New York in August 1969. In the 1960s and 1970s, music festivals were staged across the country as the hippie counterculture movement grew, making sharp generational distinctions between beliefs about sexuality, women’s rights, the Vietnam War, and many other social issues.
At the 1975 Atoka event, the crowd size was estimated at 40,000 people! Performers included Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Jerry Lee Lewis, Freddy Fender, Jessi Colter, Larry Gatlin, Hoyt Axton, David Allan Coe, and Jerry Jeff Walker, which makes it surprising that a 2-day ticket to the event only cost $10! Many music historians consider this festival to be the beginning of the Outlaw Country music movement.
Stop by the Atoka Museum and Civil War Cemetery in Atoka to see more memorabilia from this unique event. Regular hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and admission is always free!
Photos by Fred W. Marvel (Oklahoma Department of Tourism Collection, OHS). Official 48 Hours in Atoka program and event ticket are found in the collections of the Atoka Museum and Civil War Cemetery.
Cindy Donovan-Wallis, “48 Hours in Atoka,” The Chronicles of Oklahoma 91, no. 1 (Spring 2013): 82–98.
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Saving the Sacred webinar series
Starting in September, the State Historic Preservation Office will be holding a three-part "Saving the Sacred" webinar series that will comprehensively cover the details of the cemetery preservation planning process for stewards of historic cemeteries. The webinars will include the basics such as ownership, stewardship, memorialization, interpretation, short-term and long-term planning, signage, community engagement, fundraising, and grant writing. More information and links to register are below.
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Participate in the 2025 Oklahoma Folklife Festival
The Oklahoma History Center invites organizations to participate in the 2025 Oklahoma Folklife Festival this fall on October 25. This festival is designed to engage visitors with opportunities to experience other cultures and traditions.
Call for Organizations and Vendors
The Oklahoma History Center invites organizations to participate in the 2025 Oklahoma Folklife Festival. Please complete the form below, and our staff will contact you. A $50 booth fee will apply for groups wishing to sell products. Please note that not all applicants will be selected to participate in the festival. Applications will close on August 29, 2025, with selections made by September 8.
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An "all-nighter for grown ups
This is your invitation to stay overnight at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum on Friday, September 12, and enjoy an unforgettable evening! Stay overnight, choose your sleeping spot, and enjoy activities into the early morning. Your ticket includes a BBQ dinner on Friday night, a light breakfast on Saturday morning, and many activities throughout the night. Up Late with Will Rogers is an excellent event for a friend’s night out or a date night. Enjoy a truly one-of-a-kind experience!
Activities will include behind-the-scenes museum tours, Arty Party with Studio B Artworks, a scavenger hunt, movies in the Will Rogers Theatre (with popcorn), a pajama fashion show, a BB gun range, and more! Tickets are $75 per person, $65 for museum members.
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“Back to School” online membership special!
Oklahoma Historical Society museums and historic sites are great places to learn about history! In August 2025, OHS Family memberships will be available for $50 instead of $75. This offer is only valid online; memberships must be purchased through the Oklahoma History Center Museum Store website. OHS Family memberships include unlimited free admission to all OHS museums and historic sites and many other benefits. This offer will conclude on Sunday, August 31.
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Peyote Politics: The Making of the Native American Church, 1880–1937 book discussion with author Dr. Lisa Barnett
On Thursday, September 11, at 6 p.m., the Oklahoma Territorial Museum and Historic Carnegie Library will host Dr. Lisa Barnett for a book discussion on her new book, Peyote Politics: The Making of the Native American Church, 1880–1937 (2025, University of Oklahoma Press). Dr. Lisa Barnett is an associate professor of American Religious History at Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa.
Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed during the program do not necessarily represent those of the Oklahoma Historical Society.
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Secure your tickets for the next Kilgen Theatre Organ concert!
On Monday, September 15, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., a Kilgen Organ performance will be held in the Devon Great Hall at the Oklahoma History Center (OHC) featuring mega-talented songwriter, film composer, and organist Nathan Avakian, with vocalist Claire Avakian.
Tickets are $10 for Oklahoma Historical Society members and $20 for the general public and are available by calling 405-522-0765.
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On Friday, September 5, from 5 to 9 p.m., a special concert with Beau Jennings and the Tigers will take place on the outdoor third-floor terrace, with the beautiful Tulsa skyline as the backdrop.
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TULSA
First Friday OKPOP-IN: Beau Jennings Rooftop Concert
Don’t miss First Friday at OKPOP in the heart of the Tulsa Arts District! The OKPOP Museum will host a “First Friday OKPOP-IN” on Friday, September 5. The public is invited to an evening of music, pop culture, and behind-the-scenes access, offering an exclusive look inside the future of OKPOP with behind-the-scenes tours of the museum!
All ages are welcome with free admission!
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Grant applications open September 1
The Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) will begin accepting applications for the 2026 Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program on Monday, September 1.
This program awards grants ranging from $1,000 to $25,000 to municipal, county, or tribal governments, nonprofit historical organizations, and support groups for these entities.
Nonprofit applicants must be registered and in good standing with the Oklahoma Secretary of State. Grants will be awarded in four categories: collections, exhibits, programs, and capacity building.
For program rules or to register for a workshop, visit okhistory.org/grants or contact Angela Spindle at 405-522-0472 or grants@history.ok.gov.
Upcoming online workshops
The Oklahoma Historical Society will host two online workshops on Tuesday, September 2, at 2 p.m. and Monday, September 8, at 2 p.m. to inform the public about the Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program application process. The online workshops are free, but participants are asked to register in advance.
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The Chronicles of Oklahoma
clearance sale at the Museum Store!
Now’s your chance to complete your collection! The Oklahoma History Center Museum Store at the Oklahoma History Center is offering pre-2025 editions of The Chronicles of Oklahoma for just $2 each or 4 for $7. Available for a limited time while supplies last. Stop by the store or call 405- 522-5214 to reserve or order your copies today!
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This is the year when Honey Springs Battlefield offers its biennial multiday event, which begins with an Education Day for school groups on Friday, November 7. Activities continue on Saturday, November 8 and Sunday, November 9 with self-guided tours through the Union, Confederate, and civilian camps, and a reenactment at 1 p.m. Visitors can experience military drills, demonstrations, and living history programs, and take a walk through Sutler’s Row, which features a number of vendors selling clothes, books, souvenirs, and reproduction nineteenth-century military equipment. Visitors from around the state come to see special presentations and watch the battle unfold. Select from the buttons below to learn more and to register for this special event. |
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Follow the OHS website calendar to learn about our events and programs at OHS museums and historic sites across the state! Our calendar constantly changes with the latest programs and activities, from seasonal events to celebrations, exhibits, films, educational classes, and workshops. |
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Connect with the Oklahoma Historical Society on social media—where you can learn more about Oklahoma history and get up-to-date information about events and exhibits across the state!
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Masthead image: The surface of a wooden desk in the Turkey Creek one-room schoolhouse in the Humphrey Heritage Village. A McGuffey's® Fourth Eclectic Reader, a penmanship booklet, an ink blotting paper, a quill pen, and ink bottle are arranged on the antique desk top. |
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