FORT TOWSON, Okla. — The Fort Towson Historic Site will soon grow its educational programming related to the steamboat Heroine.
As the recipient of a $102,179 National Maritime Heritage Grant Program grant, the site will be developing in-house educational programming on the history and significance of the steamboat Heroine. The Heroine, the oldest steamboat excavated and studied by archeologists, sank in the Red River near Fort Towson in 1838.
A joint effort between the Oklahoma Historical Society and the Institute of Nautical Archeology at Texas A&M University led to its excavation and study, revealing its vital role in supplying Fort Towson and the surrounding community.
The grant, which is administered by the National Park Service, will allow the site to implement a series of interpretive experiences.
These include updates to the site’s sutler store, the intended destination for many of the items being transported by the Heroine. It also includes the fabrication of hands-on STEM-based learning models, new signage, and educational events and programming that will take place throughout the grant period. The result will be a more immersive educational experience that will connect learners of all ages with the steamboat’s history — why it was delivering supplies, how it navigated the rivers, and who was affected by its presence.
For more information on the steamboat Heroine, please see The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture at okhistory. org/heroine. Exhibits can also be found at both Fort Towson Historic Site and the Oklahoma History Center Museum that dive into greater detail of the steamboat’s history and impact.
The Fort Towson Steamboat Heroine Education Program is being supported in part by a National Maritime Heritage Grant administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior.
For more information, call 580-873-2634 or email: fttowson@ history.ok.gov. The Fort Towson Historic Site is located at 896 N. 4375 Rd. in Fort Towson.
Fort Towson Historic Site is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications, the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit okhistory.org.