Art posted this in another area of the site, but thought I would also post the official information. I am hopeful that we will have a good showing of OklahombreS members at this event. This is an annual event for our museum in Muskogee. We would welcome an OklahombreS booth be set up, etc for recruitment of new members:

Lawmen & Outlaws Day

Saturday

June 28, 2008

10a.m.—4p.m.

Three Rivers Museum
220 Elgin—Muskogee, OK
www.3riversmuseum.com

$5 adults, $2 students

10:00—”The Stories of U.S. Deputy Marshal Eugene Bracken” presented by Bill Black, Superintendent, Ft. Smith Historic Site

11:00—”The Outlaw Cherokee Bill” presented by Art Burton, author, historian

12:30 – Recognition of Bass Reeves Centennial with the Muskogee Police Department. This will include stories by Bass Reeves Re-enactor—Baridi Nkokheli

1:00— Caravan Tour to sites related to Cherokee Bill and the Cook Gang


Other Items throughout the day will include the following:

Exhibits by Muskogee Law Enforcement, U. S. Marshals Service, Citizens Police Academy, Muskogee Police Department’s K-9 unit, SWAT unit, uniformed officers.

We will also be kicking off a fund raiser at the event to come up with funding for the creation of a special lifelike Bass Reeves Manequin that would be displayed in the Three Rivers Museum.

Also Come dressed as your favorite lawman or outlaw and receive a prize!!!

If you are interested in staying overnight I will attach information concerning the official Hotel at the event.

This is an event that should be very enjoyable for OklahombreS members. I look forward to seeing you there.

Roger Bell
OklahombreS member

The recommended Hotel for anyone wanting to stay overnight in Muskogee for this event is the Hampton Inn.

3100 Military Blvd.
Muskogee, OK 74401
(918) 682-2587

http://www.hamptoninn.com/en/hp/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=MSGOKHX

There is also a Comfort Inn and LaQuinta next door.

We are looking forward to a great day. Again our primary subject will be Cherokee Bill and the Cook Gang with other programs on Bass Reeves 100th anniversary as a Muskogee Police Officer and a program based off of journals and letters written by U.S. Deputy Marshal Eugene Bracken of the Fort Smith Court.

Don't miss it!

One other thing....we will be kicking off a fundraising effort to create a Bass Reeves manequin and display in the museum during this event. Donations will be tax deductible. This will be a professional museum manequin and display and is expected to cost around $2,000 to $3,000. If you have an interest in a donation at any level, let me know or send your donations to:

Three Rivers Museum
Attn: Bass Reves Donation
220 Elgin
Muskogee, OK 74403

correction - Zip code should be 74401

I would like to thank Roger Bell and the Three Rivers Museum for a great program last Saturday.
Roger had a great historical tour concerning lawmen and outlaw around Muskogee, especially as it related to the Cook gang. I believe everyone should support the Three Rivers Museum's Lawman and Outlaw Day in the future. It has become an annual event.

Art,

It was certainly a pleasure having you at the event. Thank you so much for supporting this event and its activities. We had a great time on the tour of the Cook Gang related sites.

It was disappointing not to see members of OklahombreS at the event, however the people that were there all seemed to really enjoy themselves.

As Art mentioned, this is an annual event for us. We will begin planning next years event in the coming months. I hope that I will see some of you at next years event.

Roger Bell

Here is the Muskogee Phoenix newspaper recap of the event from the Sunday Newspaper:

Published June 30, 2008 07:46 pm -

Museum brings tales of outlaws, lawmen to life


By Bess Warren
Phoenix Staff Writer


Stories of notorious western rebels and the famous law enforcement officials who chased them down could be heard during Three Rivers Museum’s Lawmen and Outlaws Day on Saturday.

Author and historian Art Burton of Chicago, Ill., spoke for a group about the infamous Cherokee Bill. The museum later took the group for a caravan tour to sites related to the outlaw and his partners, the Cook Gang.

“Cherokee Bill became the most famous member of the Cook Gang,” Burton said. “The gang was known for robbing the train station itself if there were no trains there or people waiting on trains to rob.”

Burton told the group of several robberies and murders that Cherokee Bill became known. His accounts of the history were eagerly listened to by the crowd, some of whom were dressed up as lawmen themselves.

The museum invited residents to come to the event dressed as their favorite lawman or outlaw and they gave away toy prizes to the children and free admission coupons to the adults.

Marian Wilson, 86, of Mallard Bay, wore a pair of cowboy boots, a black 1800s style men’s hat and a pistol on her hip. Wilson’s grandfather was a U.S. Marshal and worked in Muskogee. She was hoping to find more information about her family history by attending the event.

“I was determined to be here today. I’m trying to find the Wilsons in Arkansas,” she said. “I’m into genealogy. I’ve always been interested in them (lawmen).”

Besides learning about the old-fashioned way to deal with criminals, participants had the chance to see the modern law enforcement equipment from the Muskogee Special Operations Division of the Muskogee Police Department.

Officer Michael Lipmann, 28, described features of the two most commonly used weapons of the Special Operations Team, an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle and a breaching shotgun.

“Obviously things are going high-tech,” Lipmann said. “We’re trying to keep up with the technology because obviously we’re not the only ones using the technology.”

Museum Director Sue Tolbert said she wanted to contrast the old outlaws and lawmen with the new law enforcement tactics of today. She said she’s hoping to change things up for next year’s event.