AMPLIFY: Edmond History Museum Awarded Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant

The Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) is proud to announce that the Edmond History Museum has been awarded a grant through the Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program.

“This grant underscores the significance of initiatives to collect, preserve, and share Edmond and Oklahoma history,” said Sen. Adam Pugh, Edmond. “The Edmond Historical Society is incredibly deserving of this recognition and award as they work to digitally encapsulate decades worth of local history. I appreciate the dedication of the Legislature and the Oklahoma Historical Society to preserve our history and heritage for future generations to learn from.”

Edmond History Museum received $20,000 for a project that will facilitate the digitization of “The Edmond Sun” newspaper archives from 1964 to June 2000, making them accessible on The Gateway to Oklahoma History.

“‘The Edmond Sun’ was Oklahoma’s longest-running newspaper from 1889 to 2020. The entire Edmond community is pleased about the upcoming access to its missing news and photographs,” said Amy Stephens, executive director of the Edmond Historical Museum. “By placing these digital records on The Gateway to Oklahoma History, anyone can access Edmond’s history, which is valuable to both researchers, the city government, and Edmond citizens seeking to look back at their place in history.”

The OHS will distribute over $520,000 in grant funds, with projects ranging from collections care and strategic planning to exhibit development and educational programming.

“Through the Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program, we’re not just funding projects; we’re investing in the preservation of Oklahoma’s rich and dynamic history,” said Nicole Harvey, director of strategic initiatives for the Oklahoma Historical Society. “These grants empower communities across the state to uphold their heritage for future generations, ensuring that the stories of Oklahoma continue to inspire and educate for years to come.”

The Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program is a grants-in-aid program offered by the Oklahoma Historical Society to encourage the collection, preservation, and sharing of Oklahoma history at the grassroots level in all parts of the state. Open to tribal and municipal governments and not-for-profit historical organizations located in Oklahoma and registered with the Oklahoma secretary of state, this grants program offers funding ranging from $1,000 to $20,000 for projects focused on collections, exhibits, and programming. Applications for this annual program open in the fall, and award announcements are made in January. For more information visit okhistory.org/grants.

The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit okhistory.org.