Museum of the Western Prairie

08/29/2026

08/28/2026

Happy ! For today we have Mr. and Mrs. Waldo Clark, who posed alongside their furry family in ca. 1945! 🐶🐕🐩🦮🐕‍🦺

Do you have information on this gentleman and lady and their fuzzy friends? Share your stories!

~Museum of the Western Prairie

08/27/2026

In 1988, the Museum of the Western Prairie identified ninety-one Living Legends residing in our community and presented their stories on KWHW radio. We believe that these are people we should still be celebrating and think you will agree with us. Watch for Living Legend posts and join the celebration by adding to the stories of the legendary individuals in the Comments section of our posts. Today’s post about Gail Miller was written in 1988 by Loweta Chesser, the first curator of the Museum of the Western Prairie.
Gail Miller is not an “olde timer” in Jackson County, but since he moved to Altus in 1969, he has really left his mark on our community. He came to Altus from Tinker Air Force Base and became Chief of Training with 443rd M.A.W. at Altus Air Force Base. He was involved in almost every civic and cultural event since his move to our community.
Gail had served as chairman of the official Board of the Grace United Methodist Church, on the Finance Committee, Board of Trustees, and taught a Sunday School Class.
He had been secretary of the Altus Noon Lions Club, vice-president, and president, had been district and state chairman of Lions’ International. He served as District Governor for District 3 L. He was a member of the Shortgrass Arts and Humanities Council and served on the Site and Grounds Committee for the “8L” Arts Festival.
Gail had been a volunteer worker for the Jackson County United way for many years and served on the Board of Directors and as vice-president in 1983.
He was a local and state member of Friends of the Library and had served on F.O.L.I.O. (Friends of Libraries in Oklahoma) Since 1979. He was elected as one of seven delegates to represent Oklahoma in the 1979 White House Conference on Libraries. He was a nine-gallon blood donor to the Jackson County Red Cross Bloodmobile and had been a member of the Great Plains Literacy Board of Directors since its creation in 1985.

08/26/2026

This Cearley sailor, ca.1942, had his sharp Navy uniform on, and his comb in his pocket! He had his priorities! The patch on his arm indicates he was a gunner!

We don't know who this Cearley man might have been. Do you recognize him? Let us know!

~Museum of the Western Prairie

08/25/2026

Today we have the dashing Bobbie Cearley, ca. 1918, in a WWI-era army uniform.

It appears he was on staff at the C.R. Anthony Co. department store, and his wife was active in the community and got herself mentioned in the Altus Times-Democrat quite a bit, but we don't know much more about him! Did you cross paths with Bobbie Cearley? We would love to hear your stories!

~Museum of the Western Prairie

08/19/2026

Today is International Bow Day
From hairbow, to bow ties, and adornments on dresses, the bow is a versatile accessory.
Please enjoy these photographs of bows being worn by early Southwest Oklahomans!
The first photograph, circa 1880, is of B. R. Kimbell at the age of 21 wearing a bow tie.
The second photograph, circa 1880, shows 3 young women, with the young women on the left wearing a dress that has a bow tied at the waist. The photograph includes Rancy Jones and Nina Roberts.
The third photograph, circa 1900, is of Lily Maupin Mansfield wearing a long dress with a bow on her front waist.
The fourth photograph, circa 1903, shows Berta Starkey with a bow in her hair in her wedding portrait with her husband Samuel Houston.
The fifth photograph, circa 1904, is of George, Senath, and Samantah Criswell. Samantha has a bow in her pompadour hairdo.
The sixth photograph, circa 1907, shows H. B. and Violet Bellenger from Headrick, Oklahoma. H. B. is seen wearing a dark bow tie.
The seventh photograph, circa 1910, is of the Walcott family. Ernest and Lucy are posed with their children, Ruth and Clint. Ruth has a dark bow in her hair and Clint is wearing a bowtie around his neck.
The eighth photograph, circa 1920, shows Jim, Fern, and Rowena Williams. Rowena is dressed up with a bow in her hair.
The ninth photograph, circa 1930, is of Pat Patterson at 86 looking dashing with a black bow tie.
The last photograph, circa 1954, shows Larry Derrberry, wearing a dotted bow tie, when he won a trip to New York for being an outstanding speaker.