Oklahoma's diverse cultures and traditions have been spotlighted in more than 230 Oklahoma Centennial celebration events this year, and there are more to come with holiday events at Oklahoma Historical Society museums and historic sites.
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They will range from a variety of Christmas events to a dramatic exhibit of historic motorcycles at the Oklahoma History Center and finally to the second annual New Year's Eve Ball with 1820 to 1907 costumes and dances at the history center.
In each event, Oklahomans will celebrate the innovative instincts of our ancestors in decorating homes, designing costumes, providing presents and expanding new technologies. The growth of motorcycles led to automatic products now marketed globally by the Ridley Motorcycle Co. of Oklahoma City.
"This is one of the most vivid ways we preserve the heritage of Oklahoma,” said Dr. Bob Blackburn, Historical Society executive director. "We have learned the lessons and values of our ancestors in how to make each Christmas a memorable family experience and how to use new technologies that arrived in the early 20th century.”
The festivities will begin Saturday in Kingfisher, where the Seay Mansion and Chisholm Trail Museum will be decorated for Christmas tours through Dec. 25. On Saturday and Dec. 8, the history center and Oklahoma Museum of History in Oklahoma City will hold activities for children ages 6 and older. They will include crafts instruction, music, games, dancing, cookies, hot cocoa and readings by Santa and Mrs. Claus.
The Fred Drummond Home in Hominy will feature Victorian decorations from 1 to 5 p.m. Dec. 2 for the Hominy Tour of Homes. The Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum in Pawnee will hold its Christmas Open House on Dec. 6, with the Pawnee Bill Mansion decorated throughout December.
In Perry, the Cherokee Strip Museum will hold its annual Christmas Tea and Open House from 2 to 5 p.m. Dec. 9 as part of the Perry Christmas Tour of Homes. The museum will be decorated from Dec. 4-29 with Scherenschnitte, "a German technique of cutting paper into fanciful designs,” museum director Kaye Bond said. "The designs will include elaborately cut shelf papers, cards, doilies and seasonal decorations.”
In Enid, the Cherokee Strip Heritage Center will pass out Victorian holiday tree ornaments at 1 p.m. Dec. 8 at the center's satellite at the east end of Oakwood Mall. Director Glen McIntyre said each ornament will feature a surprise for the recipient. In Park Hill, the 1845 George Murrell House will be decorated with a 1907 theme for an open house 1 to 5 p.m. Dec. 9. Fort Gibson will hold its annual Candlelight Tours the evenings of Dec. 14-15.
The motorcycle exhibit presents a new approach to historical events in the history center, said Dan Provo, History Museum of Oklahoma director. Six motorcycles will be kept from a special show for the month of December in the Inasmuch Gallery.
"As the 20th century dawned, the armed services and local police forces utilized the performance and convenience of motorcycles at high speeds on poor roads,” said Jeff Moore of the museum staff. "As early as 1910, the Enterprise Motor and Cycle Co. sold Harley-Davidson and Indian motorcycles in Oklahoma City. During the 1920s, motorcycle races were featured on a dirt track at Delmar Gardens in Oklahoma City and later on a board track at the Stockyards Coliseum.
Climb races were held at Red Hill near Purcell, and cross country races drew large crowds. In 1937, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol became the first statewide police force using a "flying squadron” on motorcycles as well as modified Ford automobiles.
Motorcycle clubs were incorporated in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Movies such as "The Wild One” with Marlon Brando led to motorcycle gangs during the 1960s and 1970s. Motocross and other sports followed in the 1980s, and clubs began traveling in packs across the country as weekend warriors.
In 1995, Clay Ridley developed the Ridley Automatic Motorcycle in Oklahoma City as the world's first full-size, fully automatic motorcycle, which could be driven without clutching or shifting. From the start, the Ridley Factory has produced motorcycles at 35 NW 42 in Oklahoma City. Ridley and his son Jay have developed dealerships in more than 60 U.S. markets, Canada, Puerto Rico, the Philippines and Japan.
While the motorcycles reflect technical advances, the New Year's Eve Ball will feature a waltzing step back to the pioneer decades before statehood.
"With the band playing period music, we will offer dance instructions at 7 p.m.,” said Martha Ray, who leads the dance program. "The ball will begin officially at 8 p.m., and dinner will be served at 10. The tables will be set with mirrors reflecting on Oklahoma's history, period postcards, pictures and candy ‘crackers.' Dance cards will be used. The Virginia Reel, a popular last dance in 1907, will be our next-to-last dance.
"At midnight, we will usher out our centennial year and usher in the new year with a toast to Oklahoma. The last waltz will end with memories of 2007 in our heads.”
That will signify a perfect end to the tremendous centennial year in Oklahoma.
Max Nichols writes a monthly column for the Oklahoma Historical Society.
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