Oklahoma Historical Society

Oklahoma Historical Society Collecting, preserving, and sharing Oklahoma history since 1893
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Thirty organizations across Oklahoma will receive a combined $509,439 through the Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant P...
05/31/2026

Thirty organizations across Oklahoma will receive a combined $509,439 through the Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program, the Oklahoma Historical Society’s primary tool for supporting grassroots history and preservation efforts statewide.

Funded projects include restoring an 1840s Mountain Howitzer, digitizing historic newspapers and athletic film reels, improving archival storage, developing living history programs, and preserving historic structures across the state. These grants help local organizations collect, preserve, and share Oklahoma’s stories for future generations.

Applications for the next grant cycle open January 1, 2027.

1957 souvenir map of the Butterfield Overland Mail route (20751.36, Oklahoma Historical Society Photograph Collection, OHS)

05/30/2026

The Five Moons achieved the pinnacle of success in their respective ballet careers, making their marks in America and on the international stage. In this clip from an episode of “A Very OK Podcast,” co-host Trait Thompson discusses how unique and significant this group of Native American women, all born in Oklahoma in the 1920s, remains today.

Listen to the full episode wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. This episode was originally released on March 19, 2024.

Then and Now: Route 66The Cities Service Station is in Afton, Oklahoma, one of the first towns Route 66 travelers would ...
05/29/2026

Then and Now: Route 66

The Cities Service Station is in Afton, Oklahoma, one of the first towns Route 66 travelers would encounter while traveling west. It was built in the 1930s.

🎉 It’s our birthday! 🎉The Oklahoma Historical Society was founded on May 27, 1893, by members of the Territorial Press A...
05/27/2026

🎉 It’s our birthday! 🎉

The Oklahoma Historical Society was founded on May 27, 1893, by members of the Territorial Press Association to preserve newspapers. Over the years, the OHS has developed numerous collections, programs, research centers, museums, historic homes, and military sites across the state. All of this helps us fulfill our mission to collect, preserve, and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people.

(20615.10, Oklahoma Historical Society Photograph Collection, OHS)

05/26/2026

The ultimate Route 66 road trip should include a stop in Clinton, Oklahoma! Check out the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum to learn about the nation’s most revered highway, which was established in 1926.

The Oklahoma Route 66 Museum is located less than a mile north of I-40 at exit 65. It is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Memorial Day, formerly called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance to honor the men and women who died while serving ...
05/25/2026

Memorial Day, formerly called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance to honor the men and women who died while serving in the United States military.

This day originated after the American Civil War to recognize fallen soldiers and to decorate their graves. Today, we honor all the fallen heroes who died in service to our country.

This photo from 1975 is at Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery in Cleveland County, Oklahoma.

(2010.011.B081.0499, Oklahoma Journal Photography Collection, OHS)

Kate Barnard was born on this day in 1875. In 1907, Kate Barnard made history by becoming the first woman elected to a m...
05/23/2026

Kate Barnard was born on this day in 1875. In 1907, Kate Barnard made history by becoming the first woman elected to a major statewide office in Oklahoma—a time when women did not even have the right to vote. She served as the state’s first Commissioner of Charities and Corrections.

Today, the Oklahoma Historical Society Research Division preserves several documents by Kate Barnard, including her typewritten diary and a campaign document she distributed during her run for office.

Discover the history of Route 66 at the Oklahoma History Center Museum in Oklahoma City! “The Longest Stretch: Route 66 ...
05/22/2026

Discover the history of Route 66 at the Oklahoma History Center Museum in Oklahoma City! “The Longest Stretch: Route 66 in Oklahoma” opens THIS SATURDAY (May 23) in the Ga***rd Special Exhibit Gallery.

The exhibit explores how Oklahoma’s 400-plus miles of drivable highway shaped communities along the route and continues to draw travelers today. It might even inspire your next road trip!

Major artifacts on display include a 1915 Model T Roadster, a restored Taft Stadium sign, a Big Boy statue, and a 1961 Corvette on loan from the National Corvette Museum. Hands-on interactives will allow visitors to engage directly with the story of Route 66 and its evolution.

The Oklahoma History Center Museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This exhibit was made possible with support from the Inasmuch Foundation and the Robert Glenn Rapp Foundation.

The spring edition of “The Chronicles of Oklahoma” is now arriving in OHS members’ mailboxes! This issue is all about th...
05/21/2026

The spring edition of “The Chronicles of Oklahoma” is now arriving in OHS members’ mailboxes! This issue is all about the Route 66 centennial. It includes articles that highlight the history of the road, the preservation of the Threatt Filling Station, the Chicken in the Rough restaurant, and Bob Waldmire.

Not an OHS member? Comment on this post or send us a message to learn how to join!

Copies of this issue will be available soon at some bookstores around the state and in the Museum Store at the Oklahoma History Center Museum in Oklahoma City.

Mark your calendars! Pawnee Bill’s Original Wild West Show will take place on Saturday, June 13, at the Pawnee Bill Ranc...
05/20/2026

Mark your calendars! Pawnee Bill’s Original Wild West Show will take place on Saturday, June 13, at the Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum in Pawnee, Oklahoma.

This annual event celebrates Major Gordon W. “Pawnee Bill” Lillie, his wife May Lillie, and their famous Wild West Shows each June. The event is held at the original historic ranch site. These photos are from the 2025 event.

Join us in celebrating Pawnee Bill’s Wild West Show and experience some of the best of historic western entertainment.

Address

800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive
Oklahoma City, OK
73105

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+14055212491

Website

http://okhistory.org/podcast, http://okhistory.org/join

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