Jan. 9, 2010, is the date for the opening of the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) exhibit at the Three Valley Museum.

Durant Main Street was notified on Jan. 9, 2008, that the organization had been chosen by the Oklahoma Humanities Council to host Journey Stories as part of the Museum on Main Street Project.

Durant’s exhibit will run through Feb. 19, 2010, and will serve as the kickoff for the Durant Area Chamber of Commerce’s centennial year. An organizational committee has been meeting and working diligently since the announcement by the Humanities Council. A full schedule of activities is on tap beginning in the fall of 2009 to supplement the Smithsonian exhibit.

The host committee is hoping to attract school field trips as well as families from throughout the region. Educational activities include an opportunity to display art created by students, writing assignments encouraging recording of family histories and historic presentations that teachers may share in their classrooms. Lesson plans are available online through www.museumonmainstreet.org.

Journey Stories, the focal point, 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.

Local programming will feature Tuesday and Thursday “Topics” as well as Saturday “Seminars”. Topics will allow speakers to share experiences of the past including the Trail of Tears, steamboat travel along the Red River, the railroad, the Butterfield Trail, Colbert’s Ferry, the establishment of Durant, a pioneer woman, crossing the border from Texas, the Texas Road/HWY 69, the journey of the magnolias, information on aviation in the community, the building of Lake Texoma and related relocation of residents, Armstrong Academy, Carpenter’s Bluff Bridge, and more.

Each topic of discussion will be completed by attendees bringing photographs. Organizers anticipate people staying around after the presentation to tell their story. Anyone with information to share in more detail is welcome to contact the Durant Main Street office to see how the information can best be incorporated.

Southeastern’s Native American Collection and the private collection of Robert L. Williams will be showcased at the University’s library and the public library respectively. Storytellers, poets, and a Choctaw Elder will be highlights.

Many activities and events occurring throughout the community are being promoted as a prelude to Journey Stories. The Native American Symposium at Southeastern will be held on Nov. 4-6. The Three Valley Museum will host a “Night at the Museum” on Nov. 12. An advanced genealogy workshop will be hosted by the Robert L. Williams Public Library on Nov. 14.

On Nov. 21, Preservation Oklahoma and Durant Main Street are holding “This Place Matters” tours of historic properties. The day will begin in the Robert L. Williams Public Library, and will continue throughout Downtown Durant detailing the daily trek of the former Oklahoma Governor. Special treats are planned for this tour of public buildings built by famous architects. 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. “We look forward to showcasing the facility and providing this educational experience for our residents and visitors. We are in great need of volunteer docents. Those interested should contact the Main Street office.”

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 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.The Three Valley Museum serves the local community by protecting, preserving, and promoting the local heritage. To learn more, visit www.sites.si.edu, www.okhumanitiescouncil.org, and www.durantmainstreet.org.