Soon we’ll be doing research on a new design for the Exploring Oklahoma History web site. There will be many changes, but much will stay the same, such as all the places database information.

Just some of what we hope to accomplish in the weeks to come:

• Cleaner minimal design (Keep it simple, readable)
• Responsive layout (Make it viewable for desktop, tablets, and mobile devices)
• Modernize database and backend (Stuff you’ll never see, but very important)
• Simplify and improve navigation (Find things with a minimum of clicks)
• Social network integration (Make things shareable and more connected)
• Drop forum (Not being used, moved to Google+ Community)
• Drop or consolidate unused sub-pages and connected sites. (TBD)
• Improve access to our store fronts. (CafePress, Amazon, etc.)
• Clean up the data. (This one will take the longest)
• Preserve URL access (If you link to a place now, it will work later)

Please note: we are still not turning the historic places database into a wiki. We found early on there are just too many spammers and people with malicious intent to make it an open environment. We still take user submissions, but it’s reviewed before it’s added to our database.

If you have any suggestions for improving the Exploring Oklahoma History web site, please feel free to contact us either by email or leave a comment.

Oklahoma History Google+ Community
Just for the fun of seeing what there is to see in the great state of Oklahoma, and to possibly learn a little something along the way. Hope you join us there.

Also don't forget to add Exploring Oklahoma History to your circles.

16th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count - February 15-18, 2013

You're invited to be part of a massive citizen-science effort across North America. Tens of thousands of fellow bird watchers will be counting birds and submitting their checklists to www.birdcount.org. Just watch birds for at least 15 minutes at any location and tally the highest number of each bird species you see at any one time. Submit a new checklist for each day and each new location where you count.

The 113th annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC) will take place from December 14, 2012 through January 5, 2013. This massive count takes place across the U.S. and Canada and is sponsored Audubon and Bird Studies Canada.

For more information visit http://birds.audubon.org/christmas-bird-count

Today is a very special day,  it is 12/12/12  and it is Kevin Latham's 45th birthday.

Speaking of building a community over at Google+. Guess what just launched? Google+ Communities! How's that for timing. Ha!

Please join us at the brand new Oklahoma History Community. https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/114141384817360281844

Facebook has started to ask us to “promote” our posts. This means there is a good chance you're not seeing them.

We're a hobby site doing this because we love to explore Oklahoma's rich history. We're not a business, so it makes no sense for us to pay to "promote" our simple sharing of information.

That does not mean we will stop posting to Facebook, but if we're not reaching the people who've liked us, do we really want to make the extra effort?

You may have noticed we've started posting links to our Google+ page instead of posting normally on Facebook. We're using the new Google+ platform to build a brand new community. It's a new and growing frontier in the social media space. We’re excited about it, and we hope you join us over there.

If not, don’t worry, we’ll still have a presence on Facebook, Twitter, and anywhere else we can connect with other people who like to explore Oklahoma history.

- K.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Go Vote Oklahoma! Polls are open 7AM to 7PM

Got questions? Go here: www.ok.gov/elections

If you use Google Currents, please don't forget to subscribe to our Exploring Oklahoma History edition.

Google Currents is available for Android and iOS (iPhone, iPad)

You can subscribe in a few ways

• Use this QR Code:

  

• Visit this link in your mobile browser: http://blogoklahoma.us/currents
  
  
• Or from within Google Currents, Just click on the "Add More" button, click on the Library button, select Search, and type in "Exploring Oklahoma History". You'll find us.

A friend  and I have took a 3 day road trip over the Labor Day weekend.  We visited, Stephen, Grady, Garvin, McClain, Oklahoma, Lincoln, Payne, Pawnee, Osage, Kay, Logan, and Noble Counties.  We did research, looked for historical markers and places, visited many cemeteries, picniced, drove lots of miles and took many, many pictures.   This trip was a new adventure for my friend, Linda, she had never been on one of my road trips.  But, when she left to go back to her home in Gotebo, she said she would be ready to go again, when I could make another road trip. I haven't had time today to download the pictures so maybe soon I'll get some of them posted.