The Sequoyah County Historical Society

02/10/2026

Troy Wayne Poteete served as a Tribal Council member from 1991-1999, and was a justice of the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court from 2007 - 2017.

02/06/2026

02/01/2026

135 years ago this week, it was falsely reported in newspapers across the country that Marshal Bass Reeves had been killed by Ned Christie. In actuality, Reeves, with his posse, made an attack on the house of Christie. According to newsprint at the time, Christie was considered the "most notorious outlaw and desperado in the Indian Territory". Prior to the report, Christie's home was burned to the ground and it was supposed he had been killed or wounded and was consumed in the fire. But Christie escapes and "is said to be on the war path fiercer than ever and vows vengeance on the marshal and his posse". Info from the Weekly Chieftain, photos from the Oklahoma Historical Society and the Univ. of Oklahoma Library.

12/16/2025

On Saturday, members of the Gore Elementary Character Council honored those who served our country by placing wreaths on graves at the National Cemetery in Fort Gibson.

12/09/2025

Just before 8am on December 7, 1941, a surprise attack on a United States Naval base at Pearl Harbor began.The attack resulted in the loss of 2,400 Americans, including 415 on the battleship USS Oklahoma.

Pictured: Photograph used for a story in the Daily Oklahoman newspaper. Caption: “The “sacred flag of the U. S. S. Oklahoma,” saved from the battleship which was sunk at Pearl Harbor and forwarded to Oklahoma by the Pearl Harbor American Legion, was presented to the Oklahoma Historical Society by Governor Kerr in an impressive ceremony Wednesday in a joint session of the house and senate.”

(2012.201.B0338.0476, Oklahoma Publishing Company Photography Collection, OHS)

12/09/2025

12/08/2025

Town of Gore Christmas Parade
Saturday December 13th @ 11:00 am

Santa @ the Park directly following

12/05/2025

Gore History Tidbit by Paul, 13th Edition

12/02/2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: December 2, 2025
Media Contact: Daron Hoggatt,
Public Information Officer
Phone: 405-523-4026
Email: [email protected]

Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs to Host Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Ceremony in Ardmore

Ardmore, OK — The Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs (ODVA) will host a Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day ceremony on Sunday, December 7, 2025, at 12:00 PM at the Seaman First Class Billy Turner Veterans Cemetery, 1555 Myall Street, Ardmore, OK 73401.

The ceremony will honor the 2,403 service members and civilians who died during the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor. It will also recognize Seaman First Class Billy Turner, namesake of the state veterans cemetery, for his service aboard the USS Oklahoma.

The ceremony will acknowledge the loss of the USS Oklahoma and its crew. The ship capsized 13 minutes after the first torpedo struck. The ceremony will last 13 minutes to reflect that timeline. At 12:08 PM—corresponding to 8:08 AM in Hawaii, the moment the USS Oklahoma sank—Taps will sound in honor of the 429 sailors and Marines who died, including Seaman First Class Billy Turner.

“Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day allows us to honor those who served and died,” said Jamee Cassity, Director of Memorial Affairs. “By recognizing Seaman First Class Billy Turner and those who died aboard the USS Oklahoma, we continue to share their history and ensure their service is remembered.”

The public may attend. A program announcement will be made at the ceremony regarding a one-year time capsule project that will be sealed on the 85th anniversary of Pearl Harbor in 2026 and opened on the 100th anniversary in 2041. Media representatives are welcome.

About the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs:
The Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs (ODVA) delivers high-quality care, benefits, and support to Oklahoma veterans and their families through programs such as State Veterans Homes, Claims & Benefits, OKVetWorks, Women Veterans, Health & Wellness, Mental Health, OKSTEP, and the Veterans Registry.
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11/30/2025

🎄🚂 The Holiday Express is less than a week away!
December 4th kicks off the first ride of the season, and holiday cheer will be rolling down the tracks all through town. The train runs December 4–10 & 12 — don’t miss your chance to experience this magical tradition!

🎟️ To book your ride, call A&M at (479) 725-4017 or visit https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/arkansasandmissourirailroad/items/632542/?full-items=yes&flow=1395630

All aboard for holiday magic! ✨🚆

11/28/2025

Early this year, the Oklahoma Historical Society established a one-year grant project throughout the state in regards to any direct relatives whose family walked the Trail of Tears, granting it to those who were eligible to enroll in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share their family legacy.....