Oklahoma Historical Society
June 11, 2013

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Martha Blaine Collection goes Live on Oklahoma Historical Society Audio Channel
by J.A. Pryse, Digital Archivist - Oklahoma Historical Society

The Digital Projects Department of the Oklahoma Historical Society is excited to announce the Martha Blaine Collection is LIVE on the

Oklahoma Historical Society Audio Channel  for public astonishment!
Sylvester Warrior, Ponca Wardance and Trot Dance songs. 1960/07/27
Sylvester Warrior, Ponca Wardance and Trot Dance songs. 1960/07/27

 

The Martha Royce Blaine Collection contains sound recordings generated by Blaine and her husband Garland in the course of their research concerning Native Americans, specifically the Pawnee and Ioway tribes in Oklahoma. Martha Blaine was employed by the OHS from 1967 to 1981 and oversaw the microfilming of the Indian Archives as well as the processing of manuscript and photographic materials. Her interest in the Pawnee Indians produced research that resulted in the publication of several notable books. The collection contains personal interviews, Native American music, rare recordings, and language lessons that span throughout Blaine's life.

 

The OHS Digital Projects Department not only recognized the importance of proper handling but also recognized the immediate need to take innovative measures to ensure that our State's oral history is safe and available for future usage.  

 

On August 24, 2012, the OHS received a grant to conserve and preserve the collection from the Oklahoma Historical Records Advisory Board and the Oklahoma Department of Libraries.  Susan Feller, Project Director, states, "in presenting this grant to the Oklahoma Historical Society it is our intention to help further its commitment to providing the best possible care of the historic materials in its collections. We hope that these grants will facilitate increased local support for the care of historic collections held by organizations such as the Oklahoma Historical Society."

 

The audio media of the Blaine Collection was created in a series of interviews, ceremonial recordings, songs, language lessons, Pawnee and Ioway language translations which are accompanied by field notebooks and other research notes located in the manuscript collection. With funds provided through the Oklahoma Historical Records Advisory Board and Oklahoma Department of Libraries the Digital Projects Department successfully digitized the audio portion of the Blaine Collection. The funds also provided for the systematic appraisal, cleaning and format transfer of all audio materials. The project resulted in the creation of 583 digital audio files which will be shared with the public through web-based content management systems already employed by the Research Division.

 

Listen to the collection here! 

 

Pawnee Bill Wild West Show
June 15, 22, 29 
Pawnee Bill Ranch 
Pawnee, OK 

Stagecoaches will roll amid thundering horse hooves while the lightning of gunfire explodes around Pawnee Bill and his cohorts as the talented cast thrill and amaze audiences at the 2013 Wild West Show series. Pawnee Bill's Original Wild West Show performs at 7:30 p.m. on June 15, 22, and 29 at the historic Pawnee Bill Ranch. This year's theme is the "Best of Pawnee Bill," and will feature some of the most long-standing and popular acts from the original Pawnee Bill's Wild West Shows. Producers and directors have combined stage and script with historical preservation to ensure that the Wild West Show is one of the most historically accurate productions to date. Kevin Webb will portray Pawnee Bill for the fifth time this year. Webb, a long time Wild West Show cast member and ranch employee, is also a whip artist and chariot racer.

    

In the tradition of the original Wild West Show, the cast will parade through downtown Pawnee at 4 p.m. The museum and mansion will be open to the public on show days from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. In addition, there will be historically accurate entertainment organized around each week's theme, all free and held continuously on the ranch grounds until approximately 7 p.m. The first show will be in honor of Wayne Spears, who portrayed Pawnee Bill for many years. The theme for the June 15 show activities on the museum and mansion grounds will be "Cowboys, Cowgirls, Settlers, and Pioneers." There will be blacksmithing, Dutch oven cooking, and more. The theme for the second show is "Western Music and Art." Cloggers and live music will entertain the crowds. The theme for the final show's activities on the hill is "American Indians and Congress of the World Performers." The ranch plans to have American Indian dancing and music and dancing from other areas of the world. The Friends of the Pawnee Bill Ranch Association will serve a meal in the big barn starting at 5 p.m.

 

Ticket prices in advance are $12 for adults, $8 for children age ten and under (ages three and under are free), and $10 for over 65. Box seats are $125 per box. Group rates (ten people and over) are $10 per ticket. On the day of the show ticket prices are $14 for adults, $10 for children ages ten and under (ages three and under are free), and $12 for seniors. Box seats are $150 per box. Call 918/762-2513 to purchase tickets or for more information. There are no online ticket sales for this show.

Do you know someone who remembers President Harry Truman's 1948 Whistle Stop Train Tour through Oklahoma?

Author Philip White needs your help. Do you remember seeing Truman speak at one of his Whistle Stop Train Tours in 1948 or listening to him speak on the radio? Do you know anyone who might have? If so, please contact Philip today so he can connect with you. Each person who Philip interviews will receive a copy of the Whistle Stop book. Thank you in advance for your help.  Please e-mail Philip at  [email protected] 

 

Philip White's first book, Our Supreme Task: How Winston Churchill's Iron Curtain Speech Defined the Cold War was featured on Fox News, C-Span and in the [London] Times Literary Supplement. Now Philip is reaching out to add first-hand accounts for his new book, Whistle Stop: How 31,000 Miles, 352 Speeches and Six Talented Young Men Saved the Presidency of Harry Truman (due fall 2014).

Oklahoma History Center

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Development Department

Oklahoma Historical Society

800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive

Oklahoma City, OK  73105

From the Encyclopedia...

Learn more about Pawnee Bill here 
Oklahoma
 Historical Society 
800 Nazih Zuhdi Dr.
Oklahoma City, OK 
 73105
  

 Nicole Harvey, Editor

[email protected]
(405)522-5202