Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Vol. 37, No. 8 Published monthly by the Oklahoma Historical Society, serving since 1893 August 2006
Fort Gibson staff conducts archaeologicalremote sensing project
Locating the original site of the Fort Gib-son stockade has been the goal for histori-ans, among them the staff at the Fort Gib-son Historic Site, for decades. Sparse andconflicting information from the past doesnot provide clues for a definitive location.Researchers could only speculate, and theyneeded more clues. Traditional excavationis too intrusive and labor intensive. Entermodern scientific methods of investigation.
The Fort Gibson Historic Site,which is a designated NationalHistoric Landmark, received a Na-tional Park Service Heritage Part-nerships Program grant to fund ageophysical survey of areas thatwere suspected of holding poten-tial clues. During the week ofJune 6–9 Steve DeVore, of the NPSMidwest Regional ArchaeologyCenter, conducted a thorough,systematic search in and aroundthe replica WPA–era stockade, us-ing various electronic instru-ments. Assisting him were OHSstaff members Bob Rea, DavidFowler, Gary Moore, and RoryMontgomery.
The lack of historic documenta-tion and much site disturbance inthe modern era presented prob-lems for the search team. The ini-tial planning consisted of informa-tion gleaned from the historical re-
cord and from previous archaeological sur-vey work. On February 17 the OklahomaArchaeological Survey’s Dr. Lee Bementbrought an hydraulic coring device to sam-ple various sites. The soil cores pulled fromthe ground yielded clues to subsurfacestrata and materials that helped narrowthe later geophysical search areas. In Junethe site’s staff laid out rope-defined gridsover which four different types of data col-lection instruments were used. These in-
cluded resistivity and conductivitymeters, a magnetometer, and aground-penetrating radar unit.
Each instrument electronicallyprobed the subsurface and pro-vided data that downloaded to acomputer program. This informa-tion is combined to produce over-laying maps depicting what liesbeneath the surface.
DeVore will process the infor-mation and present his interpre-tations of the data in a report duethis fall. Initial analysis indicatesseveral locations that hold thepromise of providing informationthat may help locate the buriedremnants of the fort’s originalstockade.
OHS staff member Gary Moore operates theground-penetrating radar equipment (Staff photo).
OHS staff member Gary Moore receiving instructionin equipment operation from Steve DeVore of theNational Park Service Midwest Regional ArchaeologyCenter (Staff photo).
Red River wreck updateThe 2006 season for the Red River Wreck
Archaeology Project began in June with aone-month field school session. The steam-boat Heroine had hit a snag and had sunkin the Red River in May 1838, while deliver-ing provisions to the garrison at FortTowson. The project to recover informationabout Oklahoma’s only nautical archaeo-logical find is being conducted through acollaboration between the Oklahoma His-torical Society, the Institute of Nautical Ar-chaeology, and Texas A&M University. Be-sides INA staff and students, OHS diversJohn Davis (OHS Field Manager) andHoward McKinnis were assisted topside atvarious times by staffers Jim Argo, LarryMarcy, William Vandever, and Bob Rea.
Since 2003 a field school has been heldfor TAMU student archaeologists who haveworked under demanding conditions whiledredging, retrieving artifacts, and measur-ing and recording the wreck. Heat, watercurrents, and very limited visibility provideeveryday challenges. Much of the project’ssuccess is attributed to their hard work.
Kevin Crisman, INA project director,deemed this June’s session a success.Drought conditions in Oklahoma have con-tributed to lower water levels on the RedRiver, thus providing for better diving opera-tions. Information and artifacts from thewreck have shed light on early steamboattechnology and everyday life on the river. Ar-tifacts retrieved during the session are un-dergoing conservation treatment at theTAMU/INA lab in Bryan, Texas. One findwas the snag that punctured the hull. Thelog was 12 feet long by 2.5 feet in diameter.
Another work session on the river will beheld during September and early Octoberto continue to study the steamboat and itscontents. A main goal of that session will beto remove the steamboat’s unique drivemechanism.
The dredge barges are sitting on sanddunes created by removing sand from thewreck (Staff photo).
Oklahoma Historical SocietyPublications Division
Editorial Office: 405/522-4860Dianna Everett, Ph.D., Editor
Linda D. Wilson, Assistant Editor
William E. Siemens, Graphic Artist
Membership Office: Alma Moore405/522-5242
Mistletoe Leaves (USPS 018–315) is published monthly by the OklahomaHistorical Society, 2401 N. Laird Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73105–7914.Periodicals postage paid at Oklahoma City, OK. (ISSN 1032-0108)
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Mistletoe Leaves, 2401 N. Laird Ave-nue, Oklahoma City, OK 73105–7914.
By authorization of the Oklahoma Historical Society’s Board of Directors,5,100 copies are prepared at a cost of $1025.00 each month. The publicationis financed in part with federal funds from the National Park Service, UnitedStates Department of the Interior.
Contents and opinions do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of theOklahoma Historical Society or the United States Department of the Interior.Mention of trade names does not constitute endorsement or recommendationby either organization.
Mistletoe Leaves is published for the members and friends of the Okla-homa Historical Society in partial fulfillment of the Society’s purpose to“preserve and perpetuate the history of Oklahoma and its people, to stimulatepopular interest in historical study and research, and to promote anddisseminate historical knowledge.”
The public and OHS members are encouraged to submit heritage-relateditems for publication. Students and teachers are invited to share studies andprograms and to duplicate contents as desired. Editors are welcome to reprintmaterials with credit.
All Oklahoma Historical Society facilities are for the education and enjoy-ment of all. State and federal regulations prohibit unlawful discrimination instate and federally assisted programs on the basis of race, color, nationalorigin, and/or handicap.
Anyone denied benefits should contact the Executive Director of the Okla-homa Historical Society, 2401 N. Laird Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73105–7914, telephone 405/521-2491, and/or the Director, Office of Equal Oppor-tunity, United States Department of the Interior, Washington, DC 20240.
We’re approaching the height of the sum-mer season, and we’ve realized that theOklahoma Historical Society and its varioussites and museums are becoming more andmore important as tourist destinations.
It’s truly remarkable that thousands ofOklahomans and visitors from other statesare really hungry for the kinds of informa-tion that we can provide. And it’s very grati-fying for us to be constantly improving ourmeans of educating the public.
From its grand opening in mid-Novemberand through the end of April, more than100,000 people have visited new OklahomaHistory Center—thousands more than hadvisited our “old” headquarters building onLincoln Boulevard.
By the end of the school year, more than41,000 Oklahoma youth had participatedin all aspects of the OHS’s educational ser-
vices. For example, every eighth-grader inthe Moore school system (1,600 of them),participated in the Civil War outreachprogramming.
For those who come to the OklahomaHistory Center, the difference between theOHS’s home of a year ago and the one of to-day is truly like the difference betweennight and day. The new building is bright,sunlit, and inviting. Its public areas reallyplease the people who enter the building.When they go through the exhibits in theOklahoma Museum of History, they comeout full of enthusiasm for Oklahoma.
If you haven’t taken the opportunity tovisit the new History Center and see whatyour support has made possible, I encour-age you to come. I guarantee you won’t bedisappointed.
All of the OHS’s museums, sites, andhouses are going to see significant im-provements in their programming andmaintenance during the coming year.
As we now approach the Centennial Yearof 2007, the OHS will begin offering a vari-ety of commemorative activities.
As for the future, I predict that genera-tions of Oklahomans are going to thankyou for helping make all of this possible.
By Bob L. BlackburnExecutive Director
Director’sColumn
Development News
By Tim Zwink
I’m pleased to be able to announce a newfundraiser—the Centennial Coin. This collect-ible coin soon will be available for purchase.Scheduled for release in September, the coincommemorates the 100th anniversary of Oklahoma statehood.
The Centennial Coin features two major Oklahoma icons. One side portrays the impres-sive Osage war shield found on the state flag. The reverse side depicts the Great Seal of theState of Oklahoma. Both images represent Oklahoma’s fascinating history.
The coin will be available in three finishes: Antique Bronze, 24K Gold Plated, and .999Fine Silver Proof-like. The retail price for each coin is $10, $25, and $75, respectively.
As a reminder, the first commemorative coin in the series featured the façade of the newOklahoma History Center. The reverse side depicted the Oklahoma Capitol building. A lim-ited number of these coins are still available in bronze, gold, and silver finishes.
These special coins can be ordered from the Oklahoma History Center Gift Shop at405/522-5214 or by online mail order with the Gift Shop, using the OHC web site at<www.oklahomahistorycenter.org>. A portion of the proceeds of the coin sales goes to ben-efit the Oklahoma Historical Society and our new History Center.
OMH volunteers’ field trip!
The Oklahoma Museum of History Vol-unteer Services Program is alive and thriv-ing in the Oklahoma History Center. Re-cently 41 of the 120 OMH volunteersboarded a bus to travel to three museumsin Oklahoma: the Chisholm Trail Museumin Kingfisher, the Route 66 Museum inClinton, and the Thomas P. Stafford Airand Space Museum in Weatherford.
This volunteer “field trip” was the idea ofOMH Volunteer Coordinator Robbin Davis.Davis, hired in July of 2005 to originate theOMH Volunteer Services Program, de-signed the expedition as a way for the vol-unteers to not only get to know the muse-ums, but also to get to know each other.
“People volunteer for a variety of rea-sons,” said Davis. “They are interested inthe subject matter, have a desire to ‘giveback’ to their community, to make personaland professional connections, and also tosocialize and meet new friends. The fieldtrip was an excellent way to do that.”
OMH volunteers give educational tours,act as gallery hosts and greeters at theOHC, and provide support to the OMH col-lections staff and administrative offices.There are currently 120 active volunteers,who have served a total of more than 6,000hours since September of 2005, when theprogram originated.
The Volunteer Services Program beganlast fall as a way to provide support staff tothe educational programs of the OklahomaMuseum of History. Earlier this year theprogram received a $5,000 Capacity Build-ing Grant from the Oklahoma City Com-munity Foundation. Through part of thegrant funding, Davis recently attended theNational Conference on Volunteering andService in Seattle, Washington. Along with2,000 other attendees, she participated in avariety of workshops on volunteer programs.
For more information about the OMHVolunteer Services Program, please callDavis at 405/522-0754 or e-mail her at<[email protected]>.
EventsBoise City’s Cimarron County HistoricalSociety Foundation and the Cimarron Her-itage Center Museum has scheduled itsmajor fundraising event for September16–23. Volunteers will be cooking andserving three meals a day. From midnightto 2 or 3 a.m. they will also have a “Mid-night Café,” which will offer hamburgers,toasted cheese sandwiches, and snacks.For information telephone 580/544-3479.(Cimarron County Historical Society Foun-dation & the Cimarron Heritage Center Mu-seum Newsletter, Summer 2006)
In Chickasha, the University of Scienceand Arts of Oklahoma’s (USAO) Troutt HallAuditorium is the venue for the world pre-miere of Te Ata, an off-Broadway play withlive music. The theatrical production willrun from August 5 through 13. Chickasawplaywright Judy Lee Oliva of Albuquerquebrings the life story of Oklahoma-born,Chickasaw storyteller Te Ata Fisher(1895–1995) to the stage. Actress DonnaBrooks of New York and Los Angeles–basedactress DeLanna Studi portray the olderand younger Te Ata, respectively. Seatingin the auditorium is in two sections. TheGold Section costs $25 per ticket or $20each for a group of twenty or more. The Sil-ver Section costs $15 or $10 each for agroup of twenty or more. For tickets call theUSAO box office at 405/574-1213 or go on-line to <www.TeAtaWorldPremiere.com>.(Special to ML)
Miami’s historic Coleman Theatre is host-ing the Cotton Patch Gospel by the TulsaRepertory Theater. Come to the ColemanTheatre and join in the laughter and greatmusic on Saturday, August 26, at 7:30p.m. For information call 918/540-2425,e-mail <[email protected]>, or goto <www.colemantheatre.org>.(The Encore, Friends of the Coleman Thea-tre Beautiful Newsletter)
Anadarko fairgrounds will be the venue forthe American Indian Exposition on August7–12. Ceremonial dances, competitions,pageants, a carnival, and parades areplanned. Parades will be held at 11 a.m. onthe opening and closing days of the exposi-tion. Admission is free. Call 405/247-6651or go to <www.anadarko.org>.(Special to ML)
Hollis is hosting its Black-eyed Pea Festi-val on Saturday, August 12, from 9 a.m. to4 p.m. A variety of activities are scheduledincluding a parade, an antique tractorshow and pull, an arts and crafts booth,and a performance by the Harmon CountyOpry. In addition to a black-eyed pea meal
and free watermelon, food vendors will offerother treats. Call 580/688-9545 or e-mail<[email protected]>. Admission isfree. (Special to ML)
Rush Springs is hosting its WatermelonFestival on Saturday, August 12, from 9a.m. to 7 p.m. Visitors will enjoy entertain-ment, a carnival, and an arts and craftsshow. Free watermelon will be served start-ing at 4 p.m. In conjunction with the festi-val, a rodeo will take place on Thursdayand Friday, August 10–11. For more infor-mation contact Renee Hoover-Payton at<[email protected]>.(Special to ML)
ExhibitsOklahoma City’s National Cowboy andWestern Heritage Museum is the venue foran American Indian art exhibit entitled TheFirst 100 Years: Southern Plains Paintingand Drawing. On display through October8, the exhibit has been designated an offi-cial Oklahoma Centennial event. Works in-clude paintings by various Kiowa Fiveartists, works by those within the sphere ofMuskogee, Oklahoma’s Bacone College,and works produced by several self-taughtOklahoma Indian painters. SupportingSponsors are Phillips McFall McCaffreyMcVay & Murray P.C. and Standley Sys-tems, with additional support from Mu-seum Partners Devon Energy Corporation,Mustang Fuel Corporation, and Chesa-peake Energy Corporation. More informa-tion exists online at the museum’s website, <www.nationalcowboymuseum.org>.(Special to ML)
Chandler’s Lincoln County Historical Soci-ety Museum of Pioneer History is offeringentertainment and learning through its ex-hibit and demonstrations of marionettes.The museum is featuring fifty-five histori-cal, half-century-old marionettes on loanthrough August from the Kansas City Pup-petry Arts Center. Tom Ferenbaugh andfriends are presenting live marionette dem-onstrations at 2 p.m. on Tuesdays throughFridays. A video demonstration for makingstick puppets and the story of Miss Fay’sHistorical Marionette Theater by JoannMcMillan is available for viewing duringmuseum hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. onTuesdays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 3p.m. on Saturdays. Admission is free.Information may be obtained by e-mailing<[email protected]>. To re-quest reservations for large groups, pleasecall 405/258-2425. This summer’s event issponsored by the Children’s Committee ofthe Lincoln County Historical Society withassistance from the Oklahoma Arts Coun-cil and the National Foundation for theArts. The Lincoln County Historical Society
Museum of Pioneer History and Children’sResource Center is located in Chandler at717–721 Manvel Avenue, Chandler.(Special to ML)
WritingsArcadia Publishing is offering a new picto-rial history entitled Oklahoma City Zoo:1902–1959 written by Oklahoma City Zoohistorian and author Amy Dee Stephens.The 128-page, soft-cover publication hasmore than two hundred vintage imagesand tells the zoo’s history from its simplebeginning of one deer donated to a neigh-borhood park. The price of the book is$19.99. If the book is purchased at the zoo,two dollars of the proceeds will go towardthe rehabilitation of buildings on the zoogrounds. These will house a future zoo his-torical museum. Oklahoma City Zoo canalso be purchased at area bookstores. It isalso available from Arcadia Publishing bycalling 888/313-2665 or at the web site<www.arcadiapublishing.com>.(Special to ML)
WantedThe Pawnee County Historical SocietyMuseum, located at 513 Sixth Street inPawnee, is asking Pawnee County resi-dents for copies of old and current photo-graphs of county residents, places, andevents. If you do not want to donate yourimages or if you do not have them scannedon a CD, the museum staff will scan themfor you so that your originals can be re-turned to you. They are also requestingthat individuals donate a copy of their fam-ily histories and memoirs to be placed inthe museum’s archives. Everyone is wel-come to attend the Pawnee County Histori-cal Society’s meetings, which are held onthe first Thursday of each month at 7 p.m.at the museum. For information call918/762-4681. (Pawnee County HistoricalSociety Newsletter, June 2006).
In Oklahoma City, nominations are beingaccepted for the Oklahoma 2006 Gover-nor’s Arts Awards. Sponsored by theOklahoma Arts Council and the Governor’sArts Awards Committee, these honors arebestowed on individuals and organizationsto recognize their outstanding support forthe arts. Contact Ann Dee Lee of the ArtsCouncil, 405/521-2931 or e-mail her at<[email protected]>. Nominees must becurrent residents of Oklahoma and livinghere full time or be organizations that workin and for the benefit of Oklahoma. Nomi-nation forms must be submitted to theCouncil no later than August 15, 2006.(Special to ML)
Hidden Collections . . .
The John Ross PapersBy Larry O’Dell
A collection of letters written and received by John Ross (1797–1866), prin-cipal chief of the Cherokee Nation from 1828 until his death in 1866, are asignificant keystone of the Oklahoma Historical Society’s archives [82.01, 1document box, .3 cu. ft.]. This correspondence dates from 1829 until 1865, orfrom preremoval through the Civil War. Many of the letters, but not all, havebeen transcribed in The Papers of Chief John Ross, compiled by Gary E.Moulton. Moulton’s multivolume work is also available for viewing at the Re-search Library.
Several nationally and locally well-known men and women were writers orrecipients of these missives, including George Lowrey, Joseph Coodey, Rich-ard Fields, Evan Jones, Winfield Scott, John Bushyhead, Roman Nose, JohnQuincy Adams, Roley McIntosh, and Mary Stapler Ross. An example of themany subjects discussed by the correspondents is the December 27, 1832,letter to Ross from B. B. Wisner of the American Board of Commissioners forForeign Missions (not in the Moulton books). Wisner urges Ross to accept thetreaty terms offered by the U.S. government to the Cherokees to leave theirhomeland for another country west of the Mississippi River.
These letters exchange both personal and business information, framingnearly fifty years of Indian Territory development. By combining these withthe other letters contained in Moulton’s two volumes, a researcher can culti-vate a better understanding of Cherokee politics and of the social and politicalatmosphere of nineteenth-century eastern Oklahoma. Copies of the lettersheld by OHS can be viewed in the reading room, with the originals remainingsafely in collections storage.
If you see museum educator MikeAdkins at work outside the “office environ-ment,” you probably won’t recognize him.He will be portraying one of dozens of his-torical character types, and a hundred orso children will be sitting in front of him,mesmerized.
Adkins, a Tulsa na-tive, attended Okla-homa State Universityand received a BA inpolitical science in1972 and an MS insecondary education(history emphasis) in1974. He has taught awide range of sub-jects, including an-cient, Oklahoma, andAmerican history, so-ciology, psychology,and government. Afterbeginning his careerin 1974 in OklahomaCity at Central Junior High, he went on toteach at Moore High School. He spent thelast twelve years of his teaching career atWestmoore High School.
Mistletoe Leaves asked Adkins how hedecided to be a costumed historical inter-preter: “I started interpretive living historyin 1979 at Central and continued with thetwo high schools. I started because I had asummer job at Frontier City doing the gun-fights and began bringing them into the
classroom. My first attempts were fur trap-per, cowboy, Civil War soldier, and IndianWars cavalryman.”
Mistletoe Leaves asked Adkins when andhow he switched from just “looking like” anhistorical personage to actually “acting like
one” and “getting intocharacter”: “I starteddoing ‘third person’[’he’ or ‘they’] but soonchanged to the ‘firstperson’ format [’I’ or‘we’].” He began usingthe language and ter-minology of the dayand describing activi-ties as if he had justdone them. “My firstattempt was even be-fore I worked at Fron-tier City. In 1978,when I portrayed JohnWilkes Booth, I “shot”President Lincoln dur-
ing a school-wide Civil War festival.”Named Oklahoma’s State Teacher of the
Year for 1988–89, Adkins has also receivedTeacher of the Year Awards from the DAR,Oklahoma Jaycees, State PTA, Daughters ofthe Colonial Wars, and the OklahomaCouncil for Social Studies.
Six years ago OHS hired him to be Direc-tor of Education for the Oklahoma Mu-seum of History. In addition, he volunteersfor OHS–sponsored battle reenactments
and other such events and, with RalphJones, has written a National Park Servicecurriculum on the Battle of Honey Springs.
Mistletoe Leaves asked Adkins to de-scribe the favorite aspect of his job: “Thislast question is easy! I love to get studentsexcited about Oklahoma history. I love to
make the history come alive for them andfor them to want to know more about ourstate.”
The museum’s education staff servedmore than 41,000 persons in all aspects ofEducational Services from the beginning ofthe 2005–2006 school year and by July of2006.
OHS Faces . . .Mike Adkins, Education Director, Oklahoma Museum of History
OHS Places . . .
Fort GibsonP.O. Box 457907 North Garrison, State Highway 80Fort Gibson, OK 74434-0457Phone: 918/478-4088Hours: Summer (April 15–Sept.14):
Tues.–Sun.,10 a.m.–5 p.m.Winter (Sept.15–April 14):
Thurs.–Sun.,10 a.m.–5 p.m.Admission: Adults $3; Seniors (age 65+) $2.50;
Students (ages 6–18) $1;Children (5 and under) free.
Fort Gibson was the first U.S. military post established in the area that becameOklahoma. In 1824 Col. Matthew Arbuckle, commander of the Seventh Infantry at FortSmith, Arkansas, established Cantonment Gibson on the Grand River, near its confluencewith the Arkansas River. Originally intended to keep peace on the frontier, the fort alsoserved as a destination point when the Five Civilized Tribes were removed from the south-eastern United States to Indian Territory during the 1820s and 1830s. In 1832 the canton-ment was renamed Fort Gibson, and it became a staging area for military expeditions suchas the Dodge-Leavenworth Expedition of 1834. During the Civil War (1861–65), the fort wasfirst occupied by Confederate troops until Fort Davis was established across the ArkansasRiver. Union troops then occupied Fort Gibson and temporarily renamed it Fort Blunt.
Fort Gibson’s former commissary serves as the visitors’ center. Other structures withpublic access include the barracks, the hospital, the bakery, the stockade, married officers’quarters, the library, and the mess house. Visitors will see a reconstructed log fort and out-buildings reminiscent of the early 1800s and learn about the fort’s historical significanceduring its sixty-six years of existence.
In the early 1920s local residents clamored to preserve the fort’s history. During the1930s the stockade area was reconstructed through the efforts of the Fort Gibson StockadeCommission and through funding from President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal pro-grams. Fort Gibson is operated by the Oklahoma Historical Society and is listed as a Na-tional Historic Landmark. In 1966 the fort was listed in the National Register of HistoricPlaces (NR 66000631).
Annual events include a Victorian Valentine Workshop in February, a Public Bake Day inMarch, Old Fort Days Heritage Festival in April, Mexican War Fall Encampment in October,Ladies’ Camp of Instruction in November, and a Candlelight Tour in December.
Historic black gymnasiumand memorial hall are listed
in National RegisterThe State Historic Preservation Office is
pleased to announce that two Oklahomaproperties were recently added to the Na-tional Register of Historic Places, the federalgovernment’s official list of properties signifi-cant in American his-tory. L’Ouverture Gym-nasium in McAlester andthe Kingfisher MemorialHall are now included.
L’Ouverture Gymna-sium is a native-stonebuilding constructed inthe winter of 1934–35by laborers employedthrough the Civil WorksAuthority, an early NewDeal works agency. Theschool was McAlester’s“Separate” school, andthe gym also served theAfrican American popu-lation of the city as a so-cial center. Empty andthreatened for many years, the gymnasiumhas recently been leased from theMcAlester Schools by the L’OuvertureAlumni Association of Oklahoma City, whoare raising funds for needed roof repairs.
Memorial Hall in Kingfisher houses cityoffices. Its significance lies less in its archi-tecture, although it was designed byLayton, Smith & Forsyth, the same firmthat designed the state’s Capitol, but inwhat it represents. The Memorial Hall wasconstructed to pay homage to KingfisherCounty men who fought and died in theFirst World War. That war spawned a greatwave of memorial building, including the
stadia at the universitiesin Stillwater and Norman,as well as countless stat-ues, plaques, and monu-ments. Kingfisher’s Me-morial Hall, completed in1921, was the state’s firstlarge-scale memorial pro-ject. As such, it rode thecrest of a wave of memo-rial building that touchedevery corner of Oklahoma.
The State Historic Pres-ervation Office continuesto strive to gain recogni-tion for places that aresignificant in our history.These two disparate prop-erties add to the compen-
dium of the state’s documented history. Forinformation on these or other National Reg-ister properties, call SHPO ArchitecturalHistorian Jim Gabbert at 405/522-4478 ore-mail him at <[email protected]>.
1931 Ford Victoriadonated to Chisholm
Trail MuseumA few months ago Wesley Estill of Albu-
querque, New Mexico, was in Kingfisher atthe Chisholm Trail Museum to conduct re-search on his family. He mentioned that heowns a 1931 Ford Victoria and wanted tofind just the right home for it.
He decided to give it to the ChisholmTrail Museum. Because the car had trav-eled the roads across America and becausethe museum in Kingfisher stands for a timewhen travel through Oklahoma was signifi-cant in the lives of so many people, hewanted “Vicki” to be in Kingfisher, wherehis family had settled. On July 4, 2006,Victoria represented the museum in theannual Fourth of July parade down King-fisher’s Main Street.
After the parade, the car was delivered tothe museum, with the friends group wait-ing to maneuver her into her new home,which they accomplished very well.
Estill summed up his feelings for the carand what it represents to him:
“It is my great honor to bring this classicautomobile, a piece of 20th-century Ameri-can history, to a new home at the ChisholmTrail Museum in Kingfisher, Oklahoma.This original 1931 Ford Model A Victoriawas born 75 years ago and would have trav-eled across Route 66 through Oklahomaduring the Depression and the Dust Bowlon route to California. Like the pioneer fami-lies of Oklahoma (including my ancestors,the Lehenbauers and the Estills), it survivedthe hardship of extreme weather conditionsand a struggling economy.
“I have owned the car for 15 years andhave always considered myself ‘a caretaker’of this wonderful piece of Americana. Ifound Victoria in a dusty garage in north-ern California and purchased her. I knewshe was special because she was all there,her parts were all original, and she justneeded a little TLC to bring her back to life.I brought her first to New Mexico and nowback home to Oklahoma.
“It is fitting that Victoria be driven in theFourth of July parade to commemorate ourcountry’s birthday. She has been photo-graphed by thousands and even saluted bysome of our veterans on Memorial Day.
“Treat her like a lady; Vicki’s not fast, butshe’s grand at 75 years old. Besides, peo-ple want to see her, so give them a chance.”
The staff plans to do just that.
Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame selectsnine for 2006 induction
Nine Oklahoma educators have been selected for induction into the 2006 Higher Education Hallof Fame, according to John Parrish, president of the Oklahoma Higher Education Heritage Society.The induction ceremony will be held on October 3 in Oklahoma City.
Those selected include Marshall Allen, Don and Joy Beaver, Charles Butler, David Levy, AudreyOaks, James Plaxico, James Ronda, and Robert Todd (deceased).
Marshall Allen is widely known as a visionary leader in technological applications to higher learn-ing. Allen pioneered such early innovations as “Talkback Television” and “Candid Campus” and hasbeen instrumental in the development of OneNet. The telecommunications center at OSU, which helaunched, has served as a model for the nation. He is currently director of The Institute for Teachingand Learning Excellence.
Don and Joy Beaver have set deep roots in Southern Nazarene University; they met and fell inlove in the pews of the chapel in 1942. Little did they know that they would live lives in service tothat institution for a combined 82 years. Joy, a frequent speaker and school consultant, has beeninstrumental as founding director of the “lab school,” which services students in pre-kindergartenthrough the sixth grade. In his half-century of service Don held a variety of administrative positions,including vice president, and in retirement continues to play a vital role in the development of themany university projects.
Charles Butler served, between 1966 and 1970, as associate director of the Consultative Centerfor Equal Education Opportunity, credited for successful desegregation of Oklahoma publicschools. The first African American tenure-track faculty member in the College of Education at OU,Butler taught for 31 years. He is currently director of OU’s African and African American StudiesProgram, where he established a degree program in 1992.
David Levy, the official historian for the University of Oklahoma, is known as one of the finestclassroom teachers ever to serve on their faculty. In addition to his publication of Volume I of TheUniversity of Oklahoma: A Centennial History, he is a David Ross Boyd Professor, a Sam K. ViersenPresidential Professor, and an Irene and Julian Rothbaum Professor of History. Now retired, Levyserves on the Norman City Planning Commission.
Audrey Oaks served as professor of art education from 1964 to 1990 at Oklahoma State Univer-sity. Her writings and program development helped shape art education in Oklahoma. In 2003 shereceived national recognition by being named the National Retired Art Educator of the Year. She isa 2004 inductee into the OSU College of Education Hall of Fame. Her work is exhibited in galleriesthroughout the state.
James Plaxico has served with distinction in the areas of teaching, research, community service,and administration. In 1961 he was named OSU’s College of Agriculture Outstanding Teacher. Heserved on several distinguished councils, panels, and task forces at state and national levels. Un-der his leadership as department head of the OSU Agricultural Economics Program, graduate en-rollment doubled and faculty received numerous awards. He is currently self-employed as a con-sulting economist.
James Ronda, an inspirational teacher, has drawn admiration for his histories of the AmericanWest. He has supervised major exhibits at the Library of Congress and lectured in its Great Hall. Hehas served as expert commentator for televised documentaries for PBS, the BBC, OETA, the HistoryChannel, and the Discovery Channel. Ronda currently holds the H. G. Barnard Chair in WesternAmerican History at The University of Tulsa.
Robert Todd served in a variety of administrative capacities at Oklahoma City Community Collegeprior to assuming the presidency in 1995. Under his leadership OCCC experienced record-breakingenrollments, the construction of three new buildings, and recruitment, through OKC-GO!, of prom-ising disadvantaged students, setting them on a path to higher learning. Todd will be inductedposthumously.
The Higher Education Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Dinner will be held at 6:30 p.m., Oc-tober 3 at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. Information regarding the eventand tickets may be obtained by e-mailing <[email protected]> or by calling the Society at405/522-0779.
New Annual MembersAnderson, Martha, ChoctawBennett, Kenda, TulsaBrashears, Roy J., SapulpaClark, Wahnne C., LawtonCompton, Sydney, YukonCornish, Richard P., McAlesterCorrea, Patsy, Visalia, CACox, Richard, Oklahoma CityCrabtree, Reece J., CanadianDonaldson-Lewis, Jothlyn,Oklahoma CityDouzart, Ambronita, Dallas, TXDroke, Lt. Col. J. C., Jr., Fort Worth, TXDrummond, Maj.Gen. J.E., Montgomery, ALDurland, Alan D., TulsaEdwards, Delores J., NewallaEnnis, David, Oklahoma CityFelty, Octava, AltusFields, Stephenie, McAlesterFrazier, E. R., MuskogeeGambill, Darrell, PawneeGibbs, Caryl, Oklahoma CityGoins, Charles R., NormanGordon, Rawnie J., TulsaGossett, Beulah P., Moss Beach, CAGreene, William N., Irvine, CAHarris, Jan Owen, Gainesville, FLHeidlage, Pat, ClaremoreHendon, Bill, Ph.D., Boudette, MNHilburn, June, StroudJohnson, Paul H., TulsaJohnston, Ruthie, VinitaJohnston, Brenda, Oklahoma CityJones, Brian, Oklahoma CityJones, Judith A., GroveKirk, Sharon K., Sacramento, CAMcCloy, Stephen, Oklahoma CityMiller, Sharon, WellstonMosman, Brad W., ShawneeMull-Anthony, Dr. Chyanna, TulsaNall, Edwin P., Oklahoma CityNelson, Jay, TulsaOlbertz, Ludwig, Koblenz, GermanyParker, Andrew, Oklahoma CityPinx, Barbra C., Naples, FLPoyner, Shirley D., CollinsvilleQuaid, Tom, Oklahoma CityRansey, Charles, BartlesvilleRoberts, Charles E., Sacramento, CARobinson, Teresa L., BlanchardRoper, Joanna, ClintonRossi, Paul A., Rogers, ARRunion, Kate, Oklahoma CitySamulski, Jetta, Marietta, OHSteger, Ralph J., Baltimore, MDThomas, Koehler, NormanVelgos, Neal, TulsaVetter, Robert, Eastport, NYWarriner, Juanita C., TishomingoWetwiska, J. Steven, Oklahoma CityWilliams, Mary Lou, Vancouver, WAYoungblood, Julia K., Bartlett, TN
New Family MembersArganbright, Jim & Ann, TuttleAtwood, Crystal, Oklahoma CityBaer, Henry, Oklahoma CityBoulton, J. W. & Evelyn F., Oklahoma CityCheatham, Charles & Nita, Oklahoma CityCole, Charles & Marjean, TulsaDobson, Page & Nancy, Oklahoma CityDowning, Debbie & Carl, Oklahoma CityHines, Bill & Carolyn, Oklahoma CityHoward, Kevin D., ArdmoreHowarth, William H. & Luella M., BartlesvilleJackson, Donald & Kay, ArdmoreMcPherson, Charles L. & Joan, SapulpaParker, Richard H. & Carolyn, Oklahoma CityPhelps, Douglas & Vickie J., McAlesterPierson, W. Devier, Chevy Chase, MDPulse, Robertr O. & Diane B., CanadianRoberts, Eugene C. & Betty J., Richardson, TXRobinson, Jackie C., EdmondSorensen, Fran & Helmer E., StillwaterTrumbly, Joe & Arlena, PawhuskaTurner, Dan & Ann Kennedy, Oklahoma CityVaughn, Steve & Merrie, GoldsbyWaits, Kathleen & Martin Belsky, TulsaWeaver, Mr. & Mrs. Warren, Duncan
New Institutional MembersCentral Rural Electric, StillwaterDewey County Historical society, TalogaHobart Public Library, HobartOkmulgee Main Street, Okmulgee
New OHS membership structure to offera myriad of new, exciting benefits
In April the OHS Board of Directors approved a new membership structure. It expands yourchoices for contribution level, and it adds a wide variety of new benefits that you will receive as yourmembership contribution level rises.
The basic benefits remain the same—free admission to all OHS museums and sites for the mem-ber, voting rights in the Annual Board Election, a discount in the Gift Shop at the Oklahoma Mu-seum of History, a one-year subscription to The Chronicles of Oklahoma (published quarterly), and aone-year subscription to Mistletoe Leaves monthly newsletter.
The slate of new benefits will be under discussion during the July quarterly OHS Board meeting,and a full description of each category’s exciting new offerings will be presented to the membershipin the September issue of Mistletoe Leaves. The new categories and contribution levels will be effec-tive September 1, 2006.
For further information call Dr. Tim Zwink, Director of Development, at 405/522-5217 or e-mail<[email protected]>.
SHPO to sponsor historic window workshop in Guthrieon September 7
The Oklahoma Historical Society’s StateHistoric Preservation Office and GuthrieMuseum Complex, the National Park ServiceIntermountain Regional Office, and RockyMountain National Park are cosponsoringan Historic Window Workshop on Septem-ber 7, 2006, at the State Capital PublishingCompany Building (State Capital PublishingMuseum), 301 West Harrison, Guthrie,Oklahoma. The one-day workshop will in-terest architects, contractors, and ownersof historic properties, as well as other citi-zens. Registration is limited to 20 partici-pants on a first-come basis, with a registra-tion fee of $20 per person. The registrationdeadline is 5 p.m., Friday, August 25.
The workshop’s purpose is to increaseawareness of the significant role windowsplay in an historic building and to teachpractical and effective ways to restore thesewindows to their original condition. We willbriefly discuss the history of windows overthe last 200 years and the role they play inthe style and architecture of a historicbuilding. We will also offer hands on dem-onstrations on the proper techniques for re-moving, restoring, and installing historicsash. The discussions will include repairingversus replacing, proper techniques for re-pairs, the proper way to re-glaze a window,replacing sash cords and pulleys, andmuch more.
In 1999 the Secretary of the Interior des-ignated the heart of Guthrie’s central busi-
ness district a National Historic Landmarkfor its role in the opening of the last Ameri-can frontier to non-Indian settlement andfor its outstanding collection of late 1800sand early 1900s commercial architecture. Itprovides a perfect laboratory in which work-shop participants can examine various win-dow types and observe the results of appro-priate treatment of historic windows.
Architects can earn continuing educationcredits for attending the workshop. TheSHPO is a registered provider of the Ameri-can Institute of Architects (AIA) ContinuingEducation System (CES) learning units.The workshop provides Health, Safety, Wel-fare (HSW) credit to meet state licensingcontinuing education requirements. Eachperson submitting a completed WorkshopParticipation Form (available at the regis-tration site) will receive a certificate of atten-dance, and AIA members enjoy the benefitof having their workshop participation re-ported directly to the AIA for continuing ed-ucation tracking convenience. There are noadditional fees for this service. Just registerfor the workshop. For further informationcontact Catherine Montgomery, AIA, SHPOHistoric Preservation Architect at 405/522-4479 or <[email protected]>.
For registration information, contact theSHPO at 405/521-6249, send an e-mail to<[email protected]> or visit the web siteat <www.okhistory.org/shpo/shpom.htm>and select “Events.”
The future has arrived. OHS membersand researchers throughout the nation willsoon benefit from a new, state-of-the-artresearch tool that’s been instituted by thestaff of the Research Center. After complet-ing a three-year-long process of planningand testing, an electronic collections man-agement system is now operational. It isaccessible on a battery of new computersin the Kirkpatrick Reading Room of the Re-search Center, and it is also available on-line at the OHS web site, <okhistory.org>.
Provided through Cuadra Star Collec-tions Management applications software,“Star/Archives” is the name of the programthrough which researchers may now minethe OHS collections. In technical terms, theStar/Archives Public Access Catalog al-lows patrons to search across collectionsusing keywords. Searching for a given topic(by keyword) will bring up information onany related documents, photographs, au-dio and video holdings, and books in theOHS library/archive.
Staff are working diligently to place all ofthe OHS’s holdings information within thesystem. Go to the OHS web site,<okhistory.org>, click on “Research,” andthen click on “New Online Catalog.” Youmay select Archives, Library Catalog, or
Newspaper Articles. From those screens,you may enter search terms/keywords andfollow the links to the information you’reseeking.
Take a look at these three collections:the Arch Dixon Collection (type in “ArchDixon” at the search screen) provides alook at 145 aviation photos that Dixonaccumulated in the first half of the 20thcentury. Typing in the words “OklahomaCity Chamber of Commerce Collection” willsend you through various finding aids todiscover the contents of that 700-volumeholding. Another enormous collectionpresently being added to the catalog is thepolitical memorabilia and collat-eral materials recently acquiredfrom collector John Dunning,with funding from ChesapeakeEnergy. The program will accessfor you an amazing variety of po-litical buttons, photos, posters,and other political memorabilia.
For all practical purposes, theStar/Archives site is in a public“beta testing” stage, and as it isperfected, it will grow in the num-ber of OHS research collectionsthat are available for public ac-cess searching.
Many other institutions around the na-tion have also installed Star/Archives.Cincinnati Historical Society Library, Uni-versity of California Hastings Law Library,Texas Tech University Southwest Collec-tion’s Vietnam Archive, the Virginia Histor-ical Society, and the U.S. Geological SurveyNorthern Prairie Wildlife Research Centerare just a few. Rather than listing theirlengthy web addresses here, we recom-mend that you “Google” the library’s nameand then examine some other Star/Ar-chives sites as well as the OHS ResearchCenter’s.
Fire! Enid’s tragedies to besubject of Brown Bag
LectureEnid’s Museum of the Cherokee Strip
will host Fire Chief Phil Clover on Wednes-day, August 16 from 12 noon to 1 p.m. forthe next installment of the Brown Bag Lec-ture Series. Clover will speak about Enid’smajor historical fires and the evolution ofthe city fire department.
A disastrous conflagration occurred onJuly 12, 1901, wiping out the entire southside of the downtown square and threaten-ing to destroy the entire city. The only “fireprotection” was a brigade of volunteer menand boys. They had a two-wheeled hosecart, known as the “Pabst Hook and Lad-der Company Wagon,” with 500 feet ofhose. The Pabst Brewing Company had do-nated $425 toward its purchase in 1894.
After this fiasco, the City of Enid createda paid fire department. The museum is lo-cated at 507 South Fourth St.
Call 580/237-1907 for information.
Research Center inaugurates state-of-the-art electronic catalog in July
Mark your calendar!The Friends of the Murrell Home will
host a cap-making workshop on Sep-tember 8 and a Ladies’ Camp of In-struction on September 9.
To register, contact the MurrellHome at 918/456-2751 or e-mail thestaff at <[email protected]>.
PERIODICALS
Oklahoma Historical Society2401 N. Laird AvenueOklahoma City, OK 73105-7914
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Vol. 37, No. 8 August 2006
What is that?It’s a kingpost assembly that will holdup a very large object. That object is re-lated to the object that was shown inlast month’s Mistletoe Leaves. Both arepart of the new outdoor exhibit beingerected on the grounds of the OklahomaHistory Center.(Staff photo).
From the History Center . . .New Oklahoma Museum of History exhibits
On June 27 the Exhibits Department of the Oklahoma Museum of History installeda new temporary exhibition in the Chesapeake Events Center. The exhibition is enti-tled A Lasting Legacy: The Art and Culture of Jerome Tiger. It features an introductorygraphic panel and ten framed lithographs of paintings created by the famousOklahoma artist Jerome Tiger. Accompanying each piece is an interpretive label dis-cussing the technical aspects of each art work as well as the topics in Creek and Semi-nole history being portrayed. The exhibition will be available for viewing over the nextfew months.
The OMH Exhibits Department also recently completed work on a new traveling ex-hibition based on the permanent American Indian exhibit in the History Center’sOneok Gallery. Entitled We Are Who We Were, this exhibit covers many of the perma-nent gallery’s main topics, including Dwellings, Indian Lives, Languages, Living Ways,Origins, and Spirituality.
Utilizing some of the latest trade-show technology in exhibit design and construc-tion, the We Are Who We Were traveling exhibit is as functional as it is informative. Itincludes thirty vibrant graphics panels ontwo freestanding islands that can be set upby a single person. In addition, the exhibitincludes two video touch-screen interactivekiosks and a forty-two-inch plasma screen.
Although the exhibit has yet to travel,the museum will soon begin scheduling itfor touring, bringing the message of theAmerican Indian Gallery to the rest of ourstate and beyond.
Contact the Oklahoma Museum of His-tory at 405/522-0798 for additional infor-mation.
New SHPO publicationsavailable
The State Historic Preservation Office(SHPO) is pleased to announce the avail-ability of new editions of two of its publi-cations. Each of them is a basic tool forarchitects, preservation leaders, govern-ment agency officials with cultural re-source management responsibilities,and preservation professionals.
Oklahoma’s National Register Hand-book includes a complete listing of thestate’s entries in the register, the criteriafor evaluating National Register eligibil-ity, details about what listing means, therights of private property owners, andmuch more.
Tomorrow’s Legacy: Oklahoma’s State-wide Preservation Plan (2005) discussesthe state’s historic resource types andthreats to them. Additionally, it includesthe goals and objectives for the statewidepreservation effort and suggestions formeeting the objectives. The StatewidePlan is also an easy-to-use guide to pres-ervation-related laws, terminology, andpersons to contact with your questions.
To request a copy of either publication,contact the SHPO at 405/521-6249 ore-mail <[email protected]>. Both pub-lications are available on the internet atthe SHPO web page of the OHS web site,<www.okhistory.org/shpo/shpom.htm>.
Frank Phillips Home hostsvintage style show
The Friends of Frank Phillips Homehosted a Men’s and Women’s VintageStyle Show in Bartlesville during the OKMozart Festival in June. Men, women,and children dressed in early 1900sclothing treated the guests to differentfashions ranging from everyday wear tofancy ball gowns.
This year the style show displayed 80original and reproduction outfits that in-cluded hats for men and women, largebows adorning the dresses, and day andevening gloves. Several of the modelsdemonstrated how their clothing lookedwhile dancing the popular dances of theearly twentieth century. The modelscame to Bartlesville from all parts ofOklahoma. Martha Ray, Oklahoma His-torical Society Director of HistoricHomes, was the show’s emcee.
