It was no ordinary day back on June 5th, 2015, when renovation crews at Emerson High School in Oklahoma City discovered a hidden treasure that had been concealed for almost 100 years. Behind the whiteboards in three of the classrooms were well-preserved blackboards from 1917. The blackboards contained cursive writings, a calendar, story of the first Thanksgiving, an unusual math wheel and creative writing. Take a look at these treasured drawings that were discovered and the stories they told.
The blackboards were signed by the school janitor, R.J. Scott, in 1917, in the hopes that one day these boards would get discovered. Little did he know, his wish would come true almost a century later.
It's hard to imagine what it was like in the 1930s in Oklahoma. Some may see it as a simpler time, but it was difficult due to the conditions of the drought and the Great Depression, and the Sooner State was ground zero. Farmers became unemployed, many people migrated West, and poverty was unimaginable - yet they still survived. It is a complicated chapter in our state's history. What did daily life look during this era? Take a look at these 20 historic photos of Oklahoma that showcase small town life in the 1930s in Oklahoma.
This historic photos of Oklahoma remind us of our resilience and make us proud of our Sooner State roots. How about you? If you're interested in seeking more vintage images, take a look at these even older photos of Oklahoma.
Can you imagine a third of your town being destroyed within a matter of minutes? That's what happened to the small, close-knit community of Pryor, Oklahoma on April 27, 1942, when a deadly tornado touched down. At approximately 5:00 p.m. local time, an EF4 tornado swept through the main business district of town and the residential section, demolishing 500 buildings, killing 52 people and injuring 350 others. As if the tornado wasn't bad enough, the town was also hit with torrential rains that left knee-deep water, halting emergency rescue and cleanup efforts. Let's take a look back to that terrifying day in 1942, when one of the worst tornadoes in Oklahoma history spiraled through:
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The tornado struck the town of Talala before it hit Pryor. The Talala residents reported that the tornado didn't have the usual funnel, but by the time it reached Pryor there was a definite funnel.
We are thankful for the advancements in weather forecasting, but the Pryor, Oklahoma tornado of 1942 is a good reminder to take them seriously.
For additional photos of this Oklahoma tornado and its subsequent damage, visit the Pryor Public Library's online gallery or check out some footage in the video above.
Oklahoma has a bit of a reputation for its often terrifying and unpredictable weather, but there's still a lot to love about our state. The most beautiful places in Oklahoma are wildly underrated by those who aren't from around here, but we love them all!
