May 6, 2016
Oklahoma Civil War Teachers Institute
July 6 - 8, 2016 
Multiple Locations | Tahlequah, OK
The Oklahoma Historical Society is pleased to announce the Oklahoma Civil War Teachers Institute set for July 6-8, 2016, in Tahlequah, Okla.
The Civil War Teachers Institute will explore the impact of the American Civil War on Indian Territory and the Five Civilized Tribes. Conference participants will visit important landmarks of the war, including Fort Gibson Historic Site, Honey Springs Battlefield and the George M. Murrell Home Historic Site. Facilitators for the event include education staff from the Oklahoma Historical Society and Northeastern State University. The institute will feature nontraditional classroom activities, field trips, interactive experiences and other lessons to share with students about the Civil War.

Each teacher will receive an extensive resource kit with classroom activities and lesson guides. The cost for the program is $249 per person and includes all materials, plus some transportation and meals. The program is open to public, private and home school teachers in Oklahoma. The institute is limited to 15 educators who will be selected on a first come, first served basis. Visit okteachersinstitute.weebly.com to apply for the institute or for more information.
Oklahoma History Center to Commemorate 178th Anniversary of the Sinking of Steamboat Heroine
On May 6, 2016, the Oklahoma History Center will mark 178 years since the sinking of the Heroine, an 1830s side paddle wheel steamboat that is the subject of one of the History Center's most popular exhibits. On May 6, 1838, Heroine was navigating the Red River on its way to Fort Towson to deliver much-needed supplies to the soldiers stationed there. Just twenty minutes from its destination, Heroine hit a snag and quickly sank into the sands of the Red River. All of the passengers survived, but the supplies and the ship were lost. In 1999 the Oklahoma Historical Society and the Institute of Nautical Archaeology at Texas A&M University were notified that the remnants of a ship had been exposed. Combining their efforts and resources, these institutions excavated the site, identified the ship and conserved many pieces of the structure. Opened in February 2014, the exhibit offers a glimpse of one of the earliest examples of western steamboats ever discovered. 
 
Although the majority of the superstructure of the Heroine had long since disintegrated, the surviving components were used to create an excellent representation of the original vessel, as well as a look into the lives of the people of that era. Among the artifacts found in the wreckage were a number of personal items belonging to the crew and passengers. Articles of clothing, food stuffs and pieces of equipment used daily were salvaged. As part of the effort to memorialize this anniversary, a number of additions have been made to the exhibit. After a great deal of research into journals, diaries, archaeological evidence and period paintings, a second deck has been assembled. The Heroine consisted of two decks: the lower deck that contained the mechanical and operational components and the upper deck that maintained women's and men's living quarters and a dining area. These areas have been reconstructed to offer a vivid reproduction of a colorful chapter of our history.
 
As a continually evolving exhibit, plans are in place to develop an interactive component to give visiting patrons an opportunity to fully experience life on the Heroine. A visitor will be able to walk in the shoes of a crew member or a passenger by clicking on that figure on a touchscreen. A hoist that was used to load and unload cargo will be added to the bow of the ship. Fire baskets will be installed to demonstrate how a ship maneuvered on the river in the dark.

The Oklahoma History Center (OHC) is located at 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive on the northeast corner of N.E. 23rd & Lincoln Boulevard in Oklahoma City. It is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society and is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, National Archives and is an accredited member of the American Alliance of Museums.  The OHC is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  For more information contact 405.522.0765 or visit www.okhistory.org.
Tonkawa POW Camp Presentation
Saturday, May 14, 2016, at 10 a.m.
Pioneer Woman Museum | Ponca City, OK
Pioneer Woman Museum Banner
Join us Saturday, May 14, for a presentation about the history of the World War II prisoner of war camp in Tonkawa, Oklahoma. Speaker Rex Ackerson will discuss the development of the camp, why it was in Tonkawa, and the history of the camp. Ackerson will also touch on the repatriation of the prisoners to Germany. The program begins at 10am and is free and open to the public.

More than thirty World War II Prisoner of War camps were located in Oklahoma. The Tonkawa camp was an economic boon to both Tonkawa and the surrounding area. Prisoners who returned to the site in later years remarked about how well they were treated in the camp. The Tonkawa camp was noted for the murder of a prisoner by his fellow prisoners and the subsequent trial and hanging of five German POWs.
Oklahoma History Center

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Oklahoma Historical Society

800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive

Oklahoma City, OK  73105

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Visitor Info  
From the Encyclopedia...
Learn more about steamboats with this entry, then come visit the OHC this weekend to see the new and improved Steamboat Heroine exhibit.   

Nicole Harvey, Editor

nharvey@okhistory.org
(405) 522-5202