Looking Back

Early Oklahoma Tulsa Historical Society & Museum 2445 S. Peoria Ave., Tulsa All photos courtesy of Tulsa Historical Society & Museum

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See additional pictures in the digital edition of March's LIFE’s Vintage Newsmagazine at www.LIFEseniorservices.org.

Oklahoma Constitutional Convention in Guthrie, OK, 1906.

This group is believed to be camping in Indian Territory prior to the April 22, 1889 Land Run in Oklahoma Territory.

Native American students and their teachers in front of the Euchee Mission School near Sapulpa. The school opened in 1894.

Last reunion of Indian Territory Deputy U.S. Marshals in Fort Smith, 1908. Judge Isaac Parker presided over the U.S. Criminal Court located in Fort Smith, AR, from 1875 to 1896. During those years, that court had jurisdiction over Indian Territory. About 200 deputies operated in Indian Territory traveling by wagon, horseback or on foot to cover 74,000 square miles.

This Month in History

March 1, 1966: Soviet probe crashed into Venus Venera 3, a Soviet probe launched on November 15, 1965, collided with Venus. Although it failed in its mission to measure the Venusian atmosphere, it was the first unmanned spacecraft to reach the surface of another planet. Four years earlier, the U.S. probe Mariner 2 was the first spacecraft to pass close enough to Venus to take scientific measurements of the planet, discovering surface temperatures in excess of 800 degrees Fahrenheit on its surface.

March 8, 1950: VW bus went into production Known officially as the Volkswagen Type 2 (the Beetle was the Type 1) or the Transporter, the bus was a favorite mode of transportation for hippies in the U.S. during the 1960s and became an icon of the American counterculture movement. In 1972, the VW Beetle passed the iconic Ford Model T as the world’s best-selling car, with over 15 million vehicles produced.

March 12, 1894: Coca-Cola sold in glass bottles for first time For the first several years of its existence, Coke was only available as a fountain drink, and its producer saw no reason for that to change. Originally developed as a non-addictive substitute for morphine, then marketed as a non-alcoholic "temperance drink," Coca-Cola was invented by John Pemberton, a druggist in Columbus, GA, in 1886.

March 16, 1802: U.S. Military Academy established The first military school in the U.S. was founded by Congress for the purpose of educating and training young men in the theory and practice of military science. Located at West Point, New York, the U.S. Military Academy is often simply known as West Point. The academy is now under the general direction and supervision of the Department of the Army and has an enrollment of more than 4,000 students.

March 26, 1957: Elvis Presley bought Graceland Elvis bought Graceland for his parents and himself for $90,000 as his popularity began to soar. The mansion offered more privacy and security from his adoring fans. Today, it is preserved precisely as Elvis left it when he passed away in 1977. His daughter Lisa Marie inherited Graceland, and in the years since then, it has become one of the nation’s most popular tourist attractions.

March 27, 1973: Brando declined Best Actor Oscar Marlon Brando declined the Academy Award for Best Actor for his career-reviving performance in The Godfather. The Native American actress Sacheen Littlefeather attended the ceremony in Brando's place, stating that the actor "very regretfully" could not accept the award, as he was protesting Hollywood's portrayal of Native Americans in film.

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Oklahoma Has a New State Brand

Recently unveiled by state officials, the branding campaign includes the tagline “Imagine that,” and the logo incorporates the shapes and colors of the earth, sky, water, agriculture and forest. Stay tuned for more information at www.travelok.com.

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