All Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) museums, historic sites and affiliates, including the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City, have been closed to the public since Tuesday, March 17, 2020. These facilities will remain closed until Monday, June 1. A list of OHS museums and historic sites can be found at www.okhistory.org/sites. All OHS-sponsored events at […]
Bob Blackburn
Posted inArts & Culture
40 years: City changes
Oklahoma City as we know it was unrecognizable 40 years ago. While physical changes — like the contemporaneous influx of entertainment and eatery options — are obvious, the attitudes of city residents were also drastically different in 1979 and in the following decades. “1979 was important for a lot of reasons,” said Bob Blackburn, executive […]
Posted inNews
Moving along
A heavy nail will be driven into the tracks that lead to modernity and a new chapter of Oklahoma history will be written with the launch of Oklahoma City’s streetcars Dec. 14. Weighing 80,000 pounds and stretching 67 feet long, each of Oklahoma City’s seven new streetcars is a sight to behold and possibly, Embark […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Cover: What we ate in ’68
In 1968, the biggest national restaurant news was the transition of a regional favorite into a coast-to-coast phenomenon as McDonald’s added the Big Mac to its permanent menu. In Oklahoma City, the restaurant scene was still dominated by cafeterias, but Mexican food began to establish a stronghold, and the city’s first true fine dining experience, […]
Posted inNews
Sonic sale
On Sept. 25, Oklahoma City-based Sonic Corp. officials announced the sale of their company and its more than 3,600 Sonic Drive-In locations to Inspire Brands Inc., owners of Arby’s and Buffalo Wild Wings, for $2.3 billion. The amount will include any debt accrued by the company, Sonic spokeswoman Christi Woodworth said. The deal will not […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Permanent trademark
A Sense of Time and Place: Work by Greg Burns 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-SaturdayThrough September 29 Oklahoma History Center 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive okhistory.org 405-521-2491 Free – $7 The ability to capture the essence of a certain setting is a unique talent few artists possess. In Oklahoma City, a lifelong painter is tracing his roots […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Cover: Fresh influence
During the 1950s and ’60s, Oklahoma City earned the reputation as “the cafeteria capital of the country,” which was given to the city by the president of the American Restaurant Association. Dr. Bob Blackburn, executive director of Oklahoma Historical Society, said that 37 independent cafeterias operated during that period and defined the food scene in […]
Posted inArts & Culture
The Oklahoma History Center exhibit Welcome Home explores the impact of the Vietnam War on Oklahomans
The exhibit is open through November 2019.
Posted inArts & Culture
Summer Guide: ’89er Trail gives guests a glimpse at historical landmarks
The trail is expected to be completed sometime this summer.
Posted inNews
Oklahoma Historical Society Research Center forced to cut open hours
The library, reading room and research center are now closed on Mondays.