By Michael Pineda
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Funds are needed to ensure the history of Healdton’s relationship with the oil industry is preserved.
The museum is planning fundraisers to cover expenses for much-needed repairs. Museum secretary Amber Ford said the museum was built in 1974 through funds raised by citizens. Until 2007, the Oklahoma Historical Society funded the building and ran the museum. That came to an end in 2007 when the museum lost its funding.
“After that, we had a museum board doing fundraisers to basically pay the bills,” Ford said. “Nothing has been updated. Recently, the chamber of commerce has accrued the responsibility of the bills and the maintenance. There are a lot of things that needed to be updated.”
The most pressing issues are a new heating and air conditioning system and electrical work. The HVAC system dates back to 1974 and will take $15,000 to replace. Ford said electrical upgrades are needed to address the lighting. Only five lights work in the building, forcing Ford to rely on skylights.
The roof is in decent condition, but it flattens out over the museum entry and suffers heavy leaking during downpours. Complicating issues for the Healdton Chamber of Commerce is that the Oklahoma State Historical Society still owns the building and the property it is located on.
“So, even though we have taken responsibility of the bills and maintenance, they still own the building and there is only so much we are allowed to do,” Ford said.
Ford said the museum has been in touch with the society to see what all is available to do work on some grants. The society had its person who is over state museums visit last year, which was the first time it had anyone visit in Ford’s eight years with the museum.
“They didn’t even know that it was here,” she said. “I wasn’t getting any type of newsletters or anything.”
Healdton’s museum, like others in small towns, has its share of funding struggles. Ford said she believes part of the reason is the younger generations have lost interest in their history.
“It is sad to me,” she said. “I feel as if museums and history are important to the way people are now-a-days and I am trying to preserve that. The Healdton Chamber is trying to preserve that for our community and our children.
“The museum was built to recognize the history of the oil here in town.”
Ford pointed out Healdton was the first in the area to discover oil. Among the prize exhibits in the museum is the 1920 Piere Arrow that Franklin Wirt drove over dirt roads to secure land to drill for oil. There are pictures of the men who have been named Oilman of the Year along with historical pictures of early Healdton during the boomtown era.
“We had ice cream parlors, we had movie theaters, car lots, all kinds of stuff,” she said. “All those pictures I look through. I have been here eight years and I still find new stuff.”
There are also cases filled with memorabilia from the old oil companies that drilled the oilfields of Healdton, creating generational wealth throughout the county.
“There is a lot of rich history here that is important,” she said. “We are still an oil town. We may not be thriving like we used to, but it is still very relevant here. It is important to keep it.”
The Healdton Masonic Lodge #23 will host a breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m., Saturday at 2232 W. Texas Ave. in Healdton. The breakfast will be for donations only with all proceeds benefit the museum. Pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon, biscuits and gravy will be served.
