MINCO HISTORICAL SOCIETY

 

 

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Updated
Apr 26, 2023

 

 

MINCO HISTORICAL SOCIETY
and MUSEUM


304 NW Main St, Minco, OK

MUSEUM HOURS:
Thursday and Friday,  10 AM - 3 PM
or by appointment. For appt, call 405-245-4181


Click on the link to see the Channel 4 special on the Minco museum
Great State:  Forgotten Treasures Caught in Minco Museum's Net

 


     The Minco Historical Society officially dedicated the opening of its new museum on October 20, 2007, just 4 1/2 years after the society formed.  For details see the Society's newsletter #5.
     Minco is on hwy 81 about 12 miles south of I-40.  The museum is on main street across the street north of the Minco Millenium office (formerly the Coffee Cup Cafe).

      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,
            reunions, El Meta Bond Collge, very early Minco,
            Minco sr pics for 1914 thru 1921, 1924, 1926, 1928,
            1930, 1932 thru 1937, and 1939.  (The school is missing
            those years.)
    - High School Yearbooks
    - El Meta Bond College Yearbooks
    - Anything related to Minco that would be of historical interest

     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
 AT THE MINCO HISTORICAL MUSEUM
 
   
     To join, please complete the membership application and mail with dues to the address shown on the application.

     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".
      NOTE:  Per IRS tax rules, a donation or gift of monetary value is tax exempt, but a membership is not.  

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


 
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