MINCO HISTORICAL SOCIETY
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MINCO
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
MUSEUM HOURS:
The museum
is a place where anyone
can learn of Minco's history in the form of pictures,
artifacts, narratives, genealogies, and records. Or one can just take a
stroll down memory lane.
A goal of the Society and its
museum is to seek out, both locally and across the US, recover, and preserve Minco's history
that has departed due to its residents following the job market.
A descendant of Minco's Halversons has provided us with a valuable memoir and pictures of early Minco. A G. A. Brown descendant has donated a 1906 announcement for Minco's El Meta Bond College that contains names, pictures, course outlines, behavior rules, and local advertising. He also donated a 1930s era 45th Division Yearbook that contains a picture of Minco's members at that time. Virgil Robbins left Minco with a large book of clippings and snapshots of Minco's history. The museum was built to ensure that Minco's rich history does not escape us. The museum has obtained historical data and photos that are very important to Minco's history. Some is fascinating, as Minco had at one time a college that was recognized as one of the finest, if not the finest, in the Indian and Oklahoma territories and early Oklahoma statehood. Minco was a focal point of cattle drives beginning in 1891 and long after the railroad was built further south, with the cattle drives a mile long coming from the west by the Canadian River and going through main street to the railroad's huge cattle pens. The five wagon yards held farmers wagons on Saturdays, served as KOAs, and rented out wagons to salesmen who drove them to prospective customers in western and southwestern Oklahoma. True cowboys came into town on Saturday nights, and shot up the town when they went back to their ranches late at night. Knifings sometimes occurred at a hotel nick-named the "Bloody Bucket Hotel". One cowboy was killed by another rancher's cowboy in an argument over stray cattle. As late as 1908, gunfire could be heard coming from Main Street.
The Minco Historical Society and its
Museum work with the Minco Public Schools as a heritage research
center. Students may study Minco's history in conjunction with school
activities and use the Museum resources.
We have the
hope that the community will support the museum with memberships, and those
with annual memberships will continue to renew each year. We have
established a Perpetual
Fund to ensure the museum will always have the funds to continue in
operation for centuries.
Donations are tax deductible, as the Society is a fully qualified 501(c)3 non-profit corporation. For IRS purposes, one needs a receipt from the Society's treasurer and the Society''s EIN (Tax ID). Checks should be made payable to "Minco Historical Society". Mailing address is Minco Historical Society, P.O. Box 72, Minco, OK 73059. For further information, contact Marvin Woodworth, Secretary, PH 405-732-0527 or (soon to add new officer and phone number). NOTE: IRS rules that memberships are not tax deductible, but donations and gifts of monetary value are. Background Minco's rich history that, fortunately, was preserved in large part by Virgil Robbins (deceased). After selected photos were publicly exhibited in the fall of 2002 from his sizable collection, public interest grew in preserving and expanding the history of Minco in a museum of images, memorabilia, and recorded history. On January 16, 2003, a group of present and former Minco citizens met in City Hall to form the Minco Historical Society. Following is a photo of those attending that first meeting:
The Society provides historical research services, specializing in genealogical research. The Society built its museum on land donated by Ervin Masonhall, with funds provided by the descendants of Ole and Laura Halverson. The Society now needs donated exhibits, stories, histories, and photographs that represent the history of Minco and its people. WE NEED HISTORICAL ITEMS, and immediate needs are items that can be scanned digitally, such as: - Pictures: Businesses, school, school
activities, homes, Arrangements can be made to scan pictures and memorabilia at the museum or by appointment. As an alternative, as many don't want pictures to be removed from their house, Marvin Woodworth can scan the items with a portable scanner and laptop at one's home. Call Woodworth at 732-0527 to make an appointment. The Society currently meets on the first Friday of the month at 1:30 PM, and as needed and voted on in meetings. NEXT MEETING: First Friday of each month The Society is an
IRS 501(c)(3)
approved organization, meaning that monetary gifts and gifts of monetary value are tax
deductible. We have an
"Employer
Identification
Number" or "EIN" (also called "Tax ID number"). One needs only the EIN and a receipt from the
society treasurer for the donated amount to qualify as a tax deductible
donation. Checks should be made payable to "Minco Historical
Society". The MInco Historical Society is a member of the Oklahoma Museums Association (OMA). The OMA's resource page is http://www.okmuseums.org/resources/ which includes help for local museums such as fundraising and grant sources. Back issues of the OMA's quarterly newsletters and other information are found at http://www.okmuseums.org/programs-services/. Contact: Marvin "Woody" Woodworth, mwoodworth@cox.net
http://www.minco-ok.com/woodyinthekootenai/
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