November 12, 2015
Oklahoma History Center Celebrates 10th Anniversary with New Exhibit "Crossroads of Commerce"
Oklahoma History Center
On November 16, 2015, the Oklahoma History Center will celebrate 10 successful years of collecting, preserving and sharing the story of Oklahoma through museum exhibits, educational programs, and research collections. In conjunction with the 10th anniversary, the History Center will be opening a new exhibit called "Crossroads of Commerce: A History of Free Enterprise in Oklahoma." The exhibit will open to the public on November 19.

The 8,000-square-foot exhibit will tell the story of economic development in Oklahoma through five time periods from 1716 to the present day. In each section, the exhibit will set the stage of history with the challenges and opportunities that ended one era and began another. Onto that stage will march the men and women who had ideas, decided to invest and developed a business plan that worked in that particular place and time. The rest of the story is adapting to subsequent changes, opening doors of opportunity for others, and giving back to the community through jobs, philanthropy and a better quality of life. The intent is to connect the dots between history and economic development in a way that celebrates creativity and hard work and inspires young people to take a chance.

The exhibit will feature a number of structural reproductions and eye-popping interactive opportunities. In one section, visitors will see an actual truss from the Wiley Post Hangar and enter the simulated cockpit of a Lockheed Vega airplane where he or she can fly over Oklahoma City and Tulsa with skylines as they would have appeared in 1935. Other features will include scenes of a newspaper printing operation, grist mill, cotton gin, grain elevator, Cain's Ballroom, a TG&Y store in the 1950s, the studios of WKY-Radio and WKY-TV, the Shelter Church Studio, and the Thunder scoreboard from Chesapeake Energy Arena.  
Rushmore Four Program
Thursday and Friday, November 19 and 20
Oklahoma History Center | Oklahoma City, OK
The Oklahoma History Center is proud to present the Rushmore Four, a program featuring the presidents who appear on Mount Rushmore, on Thursday and Friday, November 19 and 20. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt will be portrayed by four living history professionals. Each president will offer stories from his respective era and will answer questions about his service to the United States. Performances are scheduled for Thursday, November 19, at 7 p.m., and Friday, November 20, at 10:30 a.m. for students and 2 p.m. for the general public. There is no charge for these performances, but seating is limited so an early arrival is suggested. For more information call 405-522-3602. 
 
As the official George Washington historical actor at Mount Vernon, George Washington's Estate and Gardens, Dean Malissa has become the nation's most sought-after Washington reenactor. He has portrayed General Washington in several television productions for the Discovery Channel, NBC, National Geographic Channel, Armed Forces Network, CNN and the Showtime Network. He also has appeared in many films.
 
Professional actor and theater director Bill Barker has been portraying Thomas Jefferson since 1983 when he was invited to interpret the author of the Declaration of Independence at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. He has portrayed Jefferson on television, in film and at locations including Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest, the University of Virginia, the Jefferson Memorial, the White House, the U.S. Capitol, the National Archives, the Newseum and the Palace of Versailles. Barker is featured throughout the year as Jefferson in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia.
 
Fritz Klein of Springfield, Illinois, has been an actor and speaker for many years. He was first asked to portray Abraham Lincoln for a small, local celebration during the bicentennial year. Now a full-time actor and a member of the National Speakers Association, he has had the opportunity to travel the world portraying Lincoln on stage, in feature films, documentaries and for professional speaking engagements.
 
Gib Young is a businessman from Huntington, Indiana, and has played many roles in local theater productions. He is also an avid American history buff. After a lifetime of being asked, "Has anyone ever told you that you look like Theodore Roosevelt?" Young decided to take on the role professionally. He truly admires the 26th president and wishes he had the zest and energy for life that Roosevelt displayed every day.
American Indian Heritage Month Events
Saturday, November 21
Oklahoma History Center | Oklahoma City, OK
Join us November 21 for a day featuring traditional children's games and clothing with demonstrations and exhibitions from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. All events are free with museum admission. For more information please contact education@okhistory.org or (405) 522-3602.

In addition, the OHS Office of American Indian Culture and Preservation is hosting an event on Saturday, November 21, from 1 to 3 p.m. in the classrooms at the Oklahoma History Center. Dr. Lindsey Claire Smith, Oklahoma State University professor and editor of the American Indian Quarterly, will present a lecture entitled "Native Writers of Oklahoma and Urban Homeland." This presentation is free to the public, although seating is on a first-come basis and is limited. For more information on this lecture, please call Bill Welge at 405-522-5206 or Tara Damron at 405-522-2298. 
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Visitor Info  
From the Encyclopedia...
In honor of the Rushmore Four visit next week, learn about the following Oklahoma towns: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln City, and Roosevelt.

Nicole Harvey, Editor

nharvey@okhistory.org
(405) 522-5202