The reunion will once again be held at the Chisholm Trail Museum in Kingfisher. It’s scheduled for June 13, 2015 from 1:00 to 3:00. An email will be sent to the current list soon but we wanted to get it out on the site.
We look forward to seeing many of you again this year and we hope others who were unable to make it in 2014 can in 2015!
The press release announcing the permanent exhibit follows:
T.G.&.Y. Exhibit from the museum’s permanent collections now open at the Chisholm Trail Museum!
The Chisholm Trail Museum is proud to announce that the T.G.&.Y.: An Original Oklahoma Icon is now on display. The exhibit displays original TG&Y items and memorabilia from stores across Oklahoma and surrounding States! The items displayed were generously donated from former employees of T.G.&.Y. during the museum’s recent T.G.&.Y. temporary exhibit. Additionally, the rich history of T.G.&.Y is displayed along with many photographs and memorabilia spanning from the 1930s through the 1980s. The museum is proud to host this exhibit for all T.G.&.Y enthusiasts and past employees for years to come!
Kingfisher is directly connected to the history of TG&Y, as Raymond A. Young (the Y of TG&Y) started his venture into the retail business in 1927 with the opening of his first store, R.A. Young Co. 5c to$1.00 stores, in the small farming community of Kingfisher. Young’s future success was due in large part to the effects of his poor childhood working on a small farm near Stillwater in the early 1900s. Influenced by his mother’s desire that all of her children would attend college and earn degrees, Young channeled the lessons of hard work and strength from his earlier years towards his studies as a student at Oklahoma A&M, now Oklahoma State University. Mr. Young would join forces with two other small town Oklahoma natives, E.L. Tomlinson and Les Gosselin, to eventually co-own the T.G.&Y. Stores. After retirement, Mr. Young was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, and was instrumental in the expansion and development of Oklahoma City in the 19 60s and 1970s. T.G.&.Y. and former Kingfisher resident, Raymond A. Young, will highlight the exhibit, with special attention given to his instrumental influence in relation to the greater history of Oklahoma and United States.
After touring the T.G.&.Y. exhibit, visitors are encouraged to tour the rest of the museum, where they will learn about the histories of Jesse Chisholm, The Chisholm Trail, The Land Rush of 1889, and early territorial and statehood days in relation to Kingfisher and Kingfisher County. There is also a Victorian Era historical site on the museum grounds with five original historical structures including, two original log cabins, the first bank building in Kingfisher, an original one room school house and a one room rural church. Additionally, visitors can enjoy a guided tour of the Governor Seay Mansion that was owned by the 2nd Territorial Governor of Oklahoma, Abraham Jefferson Seay. This beautiful Victorian- Era home is decorated in the Victorian style with original hand crafted elaborate crown molding and pocket doors. The home is furnished with many of Governor Seay’s original belongings.
Admission to the museum is $4.00 for adults and $2.00 for children and $3.00 for seniors.
This exhibit is brought to the Kingfisher Chisholm Trail Museum to showcase the museum that calls Kingfisher and Kingfisher County home.
For more information about the Kingfisher Chisholm Trail Museum and to follow upcoming events and programs, please visit www.ctokmuseum.org. The museum has a Facebook page as well. The Governor Seay Mansion and Chisholm Trail Museum are located at 605 Zellers Avenue., Kingfisher, Oklahoma. Hours of operation are: Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. (Closed major holidays). The museum phone#: (405) 375 -5176.
For more information about Kingfisher and Kingfisher County, please visit the Kingfisher Chamber of Commerce website www.kingfisher.org.