Local programming for the upcoming Smithsonian exhibit in Durant has now been announced. The Three Valley Museum and Durant Main Street have been working together for more than two years on this effort.

The organizations are focusing on comprehensive programming to supplement a wonderful exhibit depicting the formation and development of the nation.

Durant was chosen by the Oklahoma Humanities Council to host Journey Stories as part of the Museum on Main Street Project—a unique collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), state humanities councils across the nation, and local host institutions. The exhibition is touring six communities in Oklahoma from June 2009 through April 2010 and appears for six weeks in each location.

Durant’s exhibit will be from Jan. 9 through Feb. 19, 2010. Hours at the Three Valley Museum, 401 W. Main, have been extended to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday during this time. Organizers indicate limited availability for remaining school field trip scheduling. For reservations, call (580) 920-1907.

Friends and families are encouraged to visit the museum as well, and no advance notice is required. Reservations are recommended for groups, however. Local programming will feature history specific to the area as well as touches to take visitors through experiences of the past.

A kickoff celebration will be held on Saturday, Jan. 9, at the Three Valley Museum in Downtown Durant. The grand opening will be held at 11 a.m. and will be emceed by State Sen. Jay Paul Gumm. Visitors will then be encouraged to experience the Journey Stories exhibit.

At noon Jan. 9, Wildwood Dean will be sharing stories about travels along the Red River. He entertains with his unique style of storytelling. At 1 p.m., Ron Wallace will share his award-winning Native Son poetry. He has stories about growing up in Durant that many will be able to relate to their own memories.

The Upper Crust will be the sponsor and meeting location to hear Wildwood Dean and Ron Wallace. The venue, behind the museum, will also host Tuesday Topics and Thursday Topics unless otherwise noted. The “Topics” will begin at 5:30 p.m. each Tuesday and Thursday throughout the tenure of the exhibit.

A chronological listing of special activities planned follows:

• Tuesday, Jan. 12, Dr. David L. Norris on “Establishing Durant”

• Wednesday, Jan. 13, Children’s Storytelling by Ernest Hooser (10:00 a.m. Robert L. Williams Library, host and sponsor)

• Thursday, Jan.14, Judge Joe Taylor on “Colbert’s Ferry” and Margaret Taylor “Crossing the Border from Texas”

• Tuesday, Jan.19, Ken Rainbolt on “Butterfield Trail”

• Thursday, Jan. 21, Dr. Terri McKinney Baker on “Pioneer Women”

• Tuesday, January 26, Barbara and Bill Grant on “Crossing the Mountain Fork River into Oklahoma”

• Thursday, Jan. 28, John Davis on “Steamboat Travel Along the Red River”

• Saturday, Jan. 30, Saturday Seminar (details follow listing)

• Tuesday, Feb. 2, Dennis Miles on “The Armstrong Academy”

• Thursday, Feb. 4, Kate Plunkett on “Carpenter’s Bluff Bridge”

• Tuesday, Feb. 9, Dennis Miles on “Three Valleys Overview”

• Wednesday, Feb. 10, Children’s Storytelling by Dottie Davis (10:00 a.m. Robert L. Williams Library, host and sponsor)

• Thursday, Feb. 11, Dr. David Norris on “The History of Southeastern” (5:30 p.m. at the Southeastern Library housing an extensive Native American Collection)

• Thursday, Feb. 11, Friends of the Library host Book Talk on “Red Dirt, Growing Up Okie” by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz (7:00 p.m. at the Robert L. Williams Library)

• Saturday, Feb. 13, Saturday Seminar (details follow listing)

• Tuesday, Feb. 16, Sharon Morrison on “Journey of the Magnolias”

• Thursday, Feb. 18, Chris Lynch on “Building of Lake Texoma”

Throughout the exhibit, the First Texoma National Bank (Main Bank in Downtown Durant at Third and Main) will host a special art exhibit put together especially for Journey Stories by members of the Texoma Arts Association. Students from Calera, Silo, Colbert and Durant will contribute to additional displays at various local banks. Durant Main Street’s Design Committee is putting together a pictorial history of Downtown Durant that will be presented in various businesses in the downtown district.

The Saturday seminar on Jan. 30 is a ticketed event. Tickets must be obtained from the Main Street office at 110 N. Second Ave. by Monday, Jan. 25. Lunch is $8, and seating is reserved. Those not wishing to purchase lunch are still required to obtain a free admission ticket in advance.

The day will begin at the Choctaw Nation Headquarters at 10 a.m. with a welcome by Janie Semple Umsted. Myrtle Edmonds, a student at Oklahoma Presbyterian College (OPC) will lead a tour and share memories. Everyone in attendance will then proceed to the Massey Building in Downtown Durant to a luncheon hosted by Southeastern Oklahoma State University.

The luncheon will feature a traditional Native American meal. Deborah Battiest, flutist, will play during the meal. Paintings from the Hogan Collection will be on display, courtesy of Southeastern. Ernest Hooser, a Distinguished Choctaw Elder, will tell stories of his family’s journey to this area on the Trail of Tears. Dr. Dan Littlefield will conclude the special day with details from his research on the Five Civilized Tribes’ Trail of Tears.

The Saturday Seminar on Feb. 13 will be held at the Upper Crust behind the Three Valley Museum. At 10 a.m., Janie Semple Umsted and Neal Taylor will share their artwork. The award-winning Durant artists will give the stories behind their painting.

At noon, Larry Marcy will tell the history of Fort Washita as it relates to the area. At 1 p.m., Dr. Bill Corbett, Journey Stories scholar, will help attendees understand the relationship of transportation on the region including the building of the Texas Highway. Dennis Miles will give a local history of railroads at 2 p.m. Dan Moore will conclude the day’s special events at 3 with a discussion on aviation at Eaker Field.

Journey Stories is an exhibit fabricated by the Smithsonian Institution that examines the human drive for freedom. The story is diverse and focuses on immigrants coming in search of promise in a new country, stories of individuals and families relocating in search of fortune, their own homestead or employment; the harrowing journeys of Africans and Native Americans forced to move, and, of course, fun and frolic on the open road.

Journey Stories will use engaging images with audio and artifacts to tell the individual stories that illustrate the critical roles travel and movement have played in building our diverse American society. Communities are encouraged to tell their own special journey story through exhibits and other public programming thus customizing the national theme to Oklahoma’s unique history.

Durant Main Street Program Manager Donna Dow is excited about the exhibit.

“The Three Valley Museum is a tremendous asset for our Downtown, and we are pleased to be working with the Durant Historical Society to host this event,” Dow said.

Dow applauds efforts of the organizing committee.

“We have a great group that has been meeting regularly for several months to maximize this experience,” she said. “We look forward to hosting visitors from throughout Oklahoma and North Texas to see and hear Journey Stories and the local history the committee has put together.”

Plans include capturing stories of citizens related to local history. For those with information on people willing to share an oral history, please contact the Museum or Main Street office. Forms will also be available at the Durant Main Street Web site for families wishing to record special details remembered for their own use or for sharing with the public.

This program is funded in part by the Oklahoma Humanities Council (OHC) and the We the People initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of OHC or NEH.

To learn more about Journey Stories and other Museum on Main Street Exhibitions, visit www.journeystories.org or www.museumonmainstreet.org. Support for Museum on Main Street has been provided by the United States Congress, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and the Hearst Foundation.

SITES connects millions of Americans of Americans with their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of art, science and history exhibitions. The Oklahoma Humanities Council delivers educational resources and cultural programming to communities across the state. To learn more, visit www.sites.si.edu or www.okhumanitiescouncil.org.

The Three Valley Museum serves the local community by protecting, preserving and promoting the local heritage. Complete details for the local exhibit are listed at durantmainstreet.org or can be obtained by calling the Main Street office at (580) 924-1550. Some presentations will be available for classroom use after the exhibit. Follow the organization on Twitter and Facebook, and become a fan of Journey Stories — Durant.