“Awesome photo! I wonder who it is?” Any museum professional or family historian understands how tragic it is to stare at an amazing old photo—and have no clue as to its identify, date or location. The photo was taken for a reason, but the reason is lost forever. So, I beg you to PLEASE, take […]

I’m an 80’s girl. I grew up in the era of big hair, leg warmers, and Whitney Houston. Unlike my teen peers, I had an unusual interest in the “oldies.” I thought it was fun to watch black-and-white movies and read old books. But listening to Old Time Radio shows became the habit that has […]

As of 2018, Edmond has proof of 130 Christmas seasons under her belt. Here’s our list of Top 5 Holly Jolly historical treasures from the vault at the Edmond History Museum & Museum. #5 FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE PHOTO Look close and you can see Edmond’s very first Christmas tree, a black oak covered with cotton, […]

I’ve always loved photography and it’s been a hobby of mine on and off since I graduated from high school. I love researching all the cameras and photography-related artifacts in the museum’s collection. Since one of our upcoming exhibits is on cameras and photography in Edmond, I wanted to take some time to highlight one of […]

What caused the town of Edmond to form? (answers at bottom) The West Edmond Oil Boom Santa Fe Railroad 1889 Land Run Settlement 2. What was the first structure built on the prairie of “future Edmond” in 1887? Water and Coal Station Sod House Territorial Schoolhouse 3. Where did the name Edmond come from? John […]

By Amy Dee Stephens We all have iconic Gatsby images in our mind about the 1920s—the drinking, the partying, the jazz, the rebellion. NOT in Edmond. By American standards, Edmond was squeaky clean. The town was openly supportive of prohibition. The college students, all training to be school teachers, mostly kept themselves out of trouble […]

One of my favorite artifacts in the entire collection, not just the Snapshots exhibit, is a Polaroid SX-70 Land Camera from 1974. Although Polaroid’s “instant” cameras had been around since 1948, the first truly “one-step, instant” camera wasn’t a reality until the SX-70 was released in 1972. Until the SX-70, Polaroid instant cameras required the […]

By Brandy Smith Hello, everyone! Just your friendly neighborhood intern here.  As a full-time UCO student, the homework can be monstrous, especially on my old laptop which is big, bulky, and has keys that no longer work. I’m sure many other students can relate, but as bad as we have it, imagine doing your homework […]

I’ve never seen a ghost in the Edmond History Museum & Museum–but I haven’t ruled it out.  The 1936 National Guard armory that houses the museum is ripe for a good ghost story. If These Walls Could Talk In the quiet moments when I’m by myself at the armory, I’m deeply aware of how much […]