Home of Drumright, Oklahoma's Unique History

To see how life was in the oil fields during the glorious oil boom days and since, a visit to the Drumright community Historical Museum is a must.

The 8-foot murals in the central room are eye-catching. Five segments tell the history of Drumright and of Oklahoma. They feature the arrival of the Spanish and French, the trappers and traders, the Trail of Tears, the discovery of oil, finally ending with an educated, well-rounded community.

The painting of these murals was created and directed by James A. Brill, who had taught art and music in Drumright High School from 1920-1926. Brill was also a writer, educator, musician, historian, who later became vice-president of classroom films fro Encyclopedia Britanica.

When he retired, Brill came back to "give something to the town he loved." This was in 1966. He invited five Drumright artists to paint the murals. Each of them painted on of the five segments, under Brill's direction. This took several months to complete. The artists were Dorothy Parker, Maurice Saulsbery, Marie Talley, Gene Bond, and John Watson.

These artists, along with others, have brushed on canvas historical events of the history of Drumright, i.e. "the Morrow Hotel Fire", "Markham Ferry", "She's boiling Over", "The Mail Goes Through", "Newcomers", "The Dowser Man" and "The blue Goose Hotel". These oils and watercolors are splashed throughout.

When the museum was opened in 1965, citizens and clubs were invited to tell their "own story". These valuable records and "moments in history" are included in dozens of scrapbooks. They are on a long table, where visitors may sit and browse.

It was Tulsa World columnist, Fred Starr, who wrote this, after visiting the Drumright Historical Museum: "We dare say no town of its size in this great country, can boast of such a variety of things put together under one roof to show what, when, and how it happened".

The museum has an Entertainment Room in which exhibits of Alen Hart and Fernette Ashwell, a traveling vaudeville team, who ended up in Drumright and opened a dance studio. Some of their costumes are on display. There is a wood carving of Drumright High School's 1938 winning band, and a pair of clown shoes that belong to David Kiser, who is now traveling with the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey circus.

More than 50,000 people have visited the museum.

The Oil Room has a vast collection of memorabilia and tools used to drill the vastly rich oil field, that in about 1919, produced 3% of all the oil in the world.

Outside on the grounds is a collection of large equipment used in drilling and producing the oil sands. The cannon on the front lawn was used to shoot the "bottom of a 55,000 barrel tank of oil", when it was burning as a result of lightening.

The museum was the Old Santa Fe Depot, listed on the National Register of Historical Places. The museum has always been maintained primarily from proceeds of the annual Arts and Crafts festival.

Located at the corner of Broadway and Harley, the museum is open Sundays, 1:30-5:00 p.m. Special tours can be arranged: 918-352-2739

(Information taken from 1998 Drumright Historical Museum brochure.)