Stillwater History Museum Expands Programs, Secures $19K Grant

The Stillwater History Museum at the Sheerar is expanding its educational programming and community outreach efforts while continuing to preserve the city's history. Director Catarina de Araujo presented an update to the City Council on May 5, highlighting the museum's diverse offerings for all age groups and announcing a significant grant for a new oral history project.

"First, I just want to reinstate our mission, which is to illuminate, preserve and celebrate the diverse collective history of Stillwater," de Araujo told the council.

The museum recently received a $19,086 grant from the Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program to support an oral history project focusing on Jewish-owned businesses like Katz and long-time Stillwater residents. Former museum director Amelia Chamberlain will lead the project.

De Araujo emphasized two areas that set the museum apart from other nonprofits in Stillwater: lifelong learning opportunities and community building.

"I think the Stillwater History Museum does a fantastic job sort of offering programs for a range of age groups," she said.

The museum's "How Oklahoma Began" program, which aligns with third-grade educational standards, has welcomed over 300 students from Stillwater and surrounding schools this spring. Students from Skyline, Sangre Ridge, Highland Park, and Westwood elementary schools participated in interactive map activities, made spoon dolls, played traditional games, and explored a vintage kitchen.

"It's an excellent program. It's really fun. Students will not only do an interactive map activity, but they also do a craft and they also see the artifacts and they connect with their lives today as well, which I think is really important," de Araujo said.

The museum also partners with Oklahoma State University to provide educational opportunities for college students. This year, Dr. Hearn's World War I literature class visited the museum to examine authentic artifacts, including postcards from the Winfrey Houston collection and a 1918 songbook published in Stillwater.

Students connected these objects to key literature in their essays, with Savanna Anthony writing, "Viewing this artifact has deepened my understanding of the harsh realities of World War I."

Another student, Lyn Ferrela noted, "I benefited heavily from my excursion to the museum, and I am pleasantly surprised how even a small artifact such as a booklet can teach me so much."

For adult learners, the museum hosts town halls in partnership with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), which are free for museum members. The museum also collaborates with the Stillwater Public Library for the "Let's Talk About It" book discussion series.

"This year's first Let's Talk About It book discussion, in partnership with the Stillwater Public Library, featured Cheyenne Madonna by Eddie Chuculate," de Araujo said.

The museum's outreach extends beyond its walls, with staff visiting senior living facilities and community organizations. Upcoming programs include visits to Legacy Village, Golden Oaks, Rotary Club, and the Noon Lions Club.

"If you can't come to the museum, we can come to you to showcase items from our collection," de Araujo explained.

The museum's collection includes more than 22,000 objects, photographs, and archives related to Stillwater's history. These items help tell the story of the community's development and provide valuable resources for researchers and visitors.

Community involvement is central to the museum's operations, with volunteers contributing nearly 1,000 hours last year. De Araujo noted this figure is likely underreported as volunteers don't always record their time.

"We could not do what we do without the volunteers," she said.

The museum also serves as a good neighbor to other organizations in Stillwater. When the library had to close some of its classrooms, the museum provided space for the "Let's Talk About It" book club. The facility has also hosted the Red Dirt Film Festival and even some police chief interviews.

De Araujo expressed gratitude to museum members and corporate sponsors whose support keeps admission free and ensures educational programs continue for the community.

"We are so grateful to our members and corporate sponsors. Your support keeps the museum free and ensures educational programs for the community," she said.

The museum is also working on a three-part historical review of Stillwater's history in connection with the Block 34 development project.

Mayor Will Joyce acknowledged the importance of the museum's work in preserving local history.

"I think it is so important for us as a community to have access to and to interact with the history of our community," Joyce said. "There's so much that's happened here in Stillwater that is important for us to continue to know and to recognise and to use actually as we go forward from here."

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