The Stakeholder A quarterly publication of the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center

Our Mission: To tell the extraordinary stories of settling the Cherokee Strip and to share the inspiring lessons of leadership with future generations. So far this year, I told you a little about my family’s history in the settlement of the Outlet and gave you just a glimpse at the great work of our volunteers. This time I would like to write about you and thank you for all of the things that you do for the Heritage Center. The Heritage Center would not exist without your contributions. The matter of fact is that everything that is done to create these high quality presentations demands money. The Center’s fiscal year just ended June 30, 2015. This year we ended with a shortfall. We did not bring in enough to cover expenses. Obviously, that cannot be a continuous method of operation! Now comes our annual gala and the opportunity to begin the next year on the right foot. On Friday, September 4, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. is our major fundraiser. The party will be held at Enid Convention Hall. The Gala committee has sampled the menu and raved (although they did not invite me). It will be a wonderful dinner and evening of dancing, music and fun. The theme this year is SPANGLES AND SPEAKEASIES!!! Spend an evening with us in the Roaring 20s! Every year, this event gets more and more elaborate and fun. This year will be the best yet! I want to personally invite you. We will have a great event and lots of fun if we have a crowd of people like you! Make your reservations as soon as possible. Tickets are $200 per couple and tables of eight can be purchased for $750, so bring your friends or let the company sponsor a table and take a write off! Finally, I want to thank Brud Baker and Central National Bank of Enid for underwriting the event and being our 2015 Corporate Sponsor!! I want to thank him because I appreciate the contribution, because I know what it means to the Heritage Center and because he is my boss. Please join us and encourage Brud to harken back to the days of his youth and show us the Charleston!! Daron Rudy Chairman

Fall 2015 Vol. VIII, Issue III

From the Board Chairman ...

Tuesday-Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Closed: New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day

HUMPHREY HERITAGE VILLAGE Guided tours of historic buildings are available Tuesday—Saturday: 11:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., weather permitting

RESEARCH CENTER Closed: All state holidays

MUSEUM HOURSMUSEUM HOURSMUSEUM HOURS

Adults ..................................................................... $5 Seniors (age 62+) .................................................... $3 Students .................................................................. $3 Group Rate (10+) ........................................... $3 each Families (up to 4) .................................................. $13 Active Duty Military, Veterans, and Children (5 & Under) ................................. FREE CSRHC and OHS Members ............................. FREE

Special Discount— $1 Off Admission for AAA Members

ADMISSIONADMISSIONADMISSION

We have had several

construction projects

underway that have

been completed over

the summer and are

now ready just in

time for a busy fall.

In Humphrey

Heritage Village a

new historic working windmill has been added near the

front gates of the Village. We are grateful to The Sons

& Daughters of the Cherokee Strip Association for

underwriting the expenses of this fun new addition. The

fan and windmill mechanism were built in 1900 and the

wooden tower was built with volunteer help from Todd

Hays. The windmill, in addition to being eye catching,

adds a new learning element to the Village. The

windmill hand pump recirculates water into a tank. The

water will then be used by third grade students to wash

clothes as part of the Pioneer Life school program. In

addition to the windmill, a cute new bell tower was

recently added near Turkey Creek School in memoriam

of schoolmarm, Amanda Fields. The most significant

building in our Village, the Land Office is also getting

some much needed repairs with new windows and

doors. In the Heritage Center, we are happy to report

that all artifact collection spaces are now climate

controlled. The heat,

air and humidity will

now be set according to

best practices for the

ultimate preservation

and care of our

cherished heritage

treasures. We are

thankful for the

addition of these new

resources and for those

who have helped with

the finances to add

them. We know these

additions will add

value to our

organization and in

turn will be enjoyed by

those who visit.

Andi Holland

In Memoriam

Lloyd Austin, Mimi Leap and Jane Munger

From Lew and Myra Ward

Paul Porter

From Bill and Eleanor Taylor

and Bob and Pat Anderson

Jane Munger

From Dick and Lavonn McKnight

Honorarium

Col. J.J. and Col. Kelly Menozzi

for Vance AFB 75th Anniversary exhibit fund

From Dick and Lavonn McKnight

For more information on how you can honor a loved

one through a memoriam or honorarium,

please call (580) 237-1907 x221.

2015 Board of Directors

Daron Rudy ............................................... Chairman Jason Turnbow ................................... Vice-Chairman Hallie Caldwell ............................................Secretary Buddy Carroll ................................................ Treasurer Dr. David Russell ............... Immediate Past Chairman Don Angle April Danahy

Robert Dense Kathy Dickson Lish Glasser Becky Hodgen John Merz Bonnie Muegge Sandie Olson James Shepherd Sharon Trojan

Staff

Andrea Holland ..................................... Director/Editor Dana Reese ........................................... Office Manager David Kennedy ............................ Curator of Collections Cody Jolliff ....................................... Education Director Aaron Preston .................................................. Archivist Mike Caffey ................................. Maintenance Director Sarah Hardaway .............................. Museum Assistant

Ella Proctor ................................... Education Assistant Cheri Franklin ..................... Visitor Services Assistant Darlene Pottorf ..................... Visitor Services Assistant Mary McDonald ............................. Museum Educator Dee Taylor ..................................... Museum Educator

Director’s Corner

Come by and see the beautiful new windmill! The tower was built with volunteer help by Todd Hays.

You Are You Are You Are Cordially Invited ...Cordially Invited ...Cordially Invited ...

The “Roaring Twenties” was

the Age of Jazz, an era of

exciting social changes in dress,

music and entertainment. 1920

began a decade of Prohibition,

making the sale of alcohol

illegal nationwide. Secret

speakeasies sprang up with

barkeeps at times selling

admission to see a curiosity or

“blind pig,” which

consequently included a

complimentary cocktail.

The Cherokee Strip Regional

Heritage Center Board and Staff

invite you to a special night of

dinner and dancing at the

swankiest speakeasy in town.

We are putting on the Ritz with

elegant dining and live jazz

from the Civilized Tribe

Dixieland Band, from the

University of Central

Oklahoma.

The Cherokee Strip Days Gala

is the Heritage Center’s major

fundraiser of the year with all

proceeds supporting Heritage

Center operations.

Now taking reservationsNow taking reservationsNow taking reservations

$750 … table of 8 $200 … per couple $125 … per person

Call 580.237.1907 for more information.Call 580.237.1907 for more information.Call 580.237.1907 for more information.

Bring in Autumn

with Lantern Tours

As the days grow shorter and evenings cool, bring your family and enjoy a journey back in time to 1893, and experience tales of pioneer life in Northwest Oklahoma from the pioneers themselves. Guided small group tours will visit various scenes depicting early settler life, ending with refreshments and historic music. Tours begin at 7:00 P.M. with times available every quarter hour through 8:30 p.m. The tours last approximately two hours. Advance ticket sales for the most popular start times are available to Heritage Center members through August 31, with open ticket sales beginning September 1. Space is limited, so get your tickets early! Tickets are available at the Visitor Services Desk, or may be purchased with a credit card by calling (580) 237-1907 x221.

Saw in a Haystack By Kristen Mason, Heritage Center intern

When it comes to the history of Enid, there are not many stories better known than that of the Railroad War. The foundation for the war was laid in 1889 when Rock Island and Pacific Railroad followed the Chisholm Trail to Skeleton Ranch, close to where North Enid would be established. As North and South Enid developed, the Rock Island only stopped in North Enid. This was potentially devastating for South Enid, as trains were the life blood of the new west for commerce.

Thus sparked the Railroad War. Citizens of South Enid began attempting to stop the trains plowing past their town, once even stacking boxes as tall as a house on the train tracks and then setting them on fire. When these efforts proved unsuccessful, a new plot was hatched. Mrs. Loretta Rainey, wife of Governor Rainey, is quoted as saying, “About 30 of South Enid’s men folk gathered one night, foresworn to secrecy, and discussed sawing down the wooden bridge on the southeast edge of Enid to make the trains stop in Enid . . . they wouldn’t stop a passenger train, but would saw the bridge just ahead of a freight train.” (Enid News)

The plan was set into action on Friday, July 13, 1894 and worked like a charm. The first train to ever stop in Enid Oklahoma would be a crashed one, with wreckage covering a now broken bridge. While Col. Herman Edwin had as many as eighty arrest warrants for men related to the incident, none were ever served. Mrs. Rainey claimed, “None of the men involved ever squealed on the others,” and boasted of hiding the saw used to cut down the bridge in a nearby haystack.

Mrs. Loretta Rainey displaying the saw that

famously cut down the wooden bridge. The saw

can be seen on display at the Cherokee Regional

Heritage Center

Coming Soon to the Temporary Exhibit Gallery ...

Open August 28—October 20, 2015 Although taken for granted by many social and art historians, the apron is the subject of a fascinating reevaluation in this exhibition. Apron Strings: Ties to the Past, opening on August 28, features fifty-one vintage and contemporary examples that review the apron’s role as an emotionally charged vehicle for expression with a rich and varied craft history that is still viable today.

Using aprons dating from the late 1930s through present, the exhibition chronicles changing attitudes toward women and domestic work. It also surveys the wide range of design and craft techniques apron makers have used to express themselves, while still working within creative venues traditionally available to women. Today, artists continue using aprons to explore cultural myths and realities as well as their individual experiences with American domesticity.

Apron Strings is organized into several thematic groups addressing design, historical context, use, and cultural message. The exhibition serves as an excellent tool to bring together diverse parts of the community through shared experiences with, and memories of, a common, everyday textile.

Temporary Exhibit Gallery Available for Holiday Parties

Whether for business or pleasure, the J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation Temporary Exhibit Gallery is the perfect holiday party location. The Temporary Exhibit Gallery is available during the months of November and December for special events. This beautiful space is perfectly suited for small office parties, receptions, or dinners with seating up to 50 guests. The room will be tastefully decorated for Christmas, and the rental includes audio visual equipment, tables and chairs. Please call Andi at (580) 237-1907 x223 for all the details and to schedule your event.

Thank you to the following for your support:

1893 Club Membership—$1,000

Daron A. Rudy

David S. Russell, M.D.

Lew and Myra Ward

BROWN BAG LUNCH & LEARN CALENDAR The Heritage Center hosts a Lunch & Learn lecture on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at noon in the Humphrey Heritage Village Church. Please bring your lunch and join us:

AUGUST 12 Ranching in the Cherokee Nation David Fowler, Director of Murrell Home, Fort Gibson, and Cabin Creek Battlefield David Fowler will discuss ranching operations in the Cherokee Nation and Cherokee Outlet, and explain the differences in thought regarding ranching and land ownership. He will discuss the history of a group of Kansas cattlemen who formed the Cherokee Livestock Association and leased the Cherokee Outlet. David Fowler has worked for the Oklahoma Historical Society for over fourteen years. He has a passion for teaching Cherokee history and the daily life of the nineteenth century. SEPTEMBER 9 Territorial Governor Seay & Mansion Adam Lynn, Director of Chisholm Trail Museum & Seay Mansion, Kingfisher, OK Governor Seay served as second Territorial Governor of Oklahoma from 1892 to 1893. He built a three-story mansion named “Horizon Hill” for approximately $11,000.00 on fifteen acres of land purchased for $637.50 just outside of Kingfisher, OT. The mansion was completed in March of 1892 to host dignitaries present for the opening of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Land Run. OCTOBER 14 Pioneer Woman Museum Robbin Davis, Director The Pioneer Woman Museum preserves the legacy of women from all races, creeds and nationalities who have contributed to the development of Oklahoma. Standing at the entrance of the museum is The Pioneer Woman, a heroic bronze statue of a young, sun-bonneted pioneer mother. The lectures are free and open to the public.

Seay Mansion in Kingfisher, OK

To book a group tour or event rental, or for more information about upcoming programs or events please visit our website at www.csrhc.org, call (580) 237-1907, or e-mail: csrhcinfo@okhistory.org

AUGUST 2015 Wednesday, Aug. 12 Brown Bag Lunch & Learn Noon David Fowler—“Ranching in the Cherokee Nation” Aug. 28—Oct. 20 Apron Strings Exhibit Temporary Exhibit Gallery SEPTEMBER 2015 Friday, Sept. 4 6th Annual Cherokee Strip 6:30-10:00 p.m. Days Gala—“Spangles & Speakeasies” Enid Convention Hall Wednesday, Sept. 9 Brown Bag Lunch & Learn Noon Adam Lynn — “Governor Seay” Friday, Sept. 18 Lantern Tours 7:00-10:00 p.m. Humphrey Heritage Village Advance Tickets Only

OCTOBER 2015 Wednesday, Oct. 14 Brown Bag Lunch & Learn Noon Robbin Davis—“Pioneer Woman” Saturday, Oct. 17 Family Farm Day 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Humphrey Heritage Village NOVEMBER 2015 Thursday, Nov. 26 Thanksgiving Day (Closed) DECEMBER 2015 Friday, Dec. 4 Humphrey Abstract 5:00-8:00 p.m. Christmas in the Village Community Event Humphrey Heritage Village Wednesday, Dec. 9 Brown Bag Lunch & Learn Friday, Dec. 25 Christmas Day (Closed)

507 S. 4th Street Enid, OK 73701

Phone: (580) 237-1907 e-mail: csrhcinfo@okhistory.org

website: www.csrhc.org

Return Service Requested

Non-Profit Organization

U.S. Postage Paid Enid, OK

Permit No. 22

Fall Calendar of Events