2026 is a Year of Anniversaries | | Victor Block, Guthrie, Logan County. Photo: Erin Brown | | |
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Historic Preservation Tax Incentives and the 60th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act. It is also the Route 66 centennial, alongside the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. 2026 is definitely a year to look back and remember preservation in Oklahoma.
The Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives program has been a cornerstone of historic preservation and community revitalization in the United States. It has helped preserve more than 50,000 historic properties and generated significant private investment in rehabilitation across the country, but what has it done for Oklahoma?
In the early years, few projects were taking place due to the downturn in Oklahoma’s economy. A few historic buildings did benefit from the program including: the (Mincks) Adams Hotel in Tulsa, Maney House in Oklahoma City, Pythian Building in Tulsa, and the Victor Block in Guthrie. The mid-2000s saw a surge in application numbers, and little has changed to diminish those numbers. Fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025) had the following approvals: 7 Part I, 8 Part II, and 10 Part III, with almost $150,000,000 in qualified expenditures. This includes Harmony School in Oklahoma City, Phillips Trading Post in Chickasha, Pioneer Plaza in Tulsa, and the Pioneer Building in Oklahoma City. Historic schools have been converted into housing; automobile-related buildings have been converted into restaurants; hotels have been converted into housing; and retail locations have been renewed as retail sites. These projects have created jobs in the construction industry and in the businesses that occupy the rehabilitated buildings. They have also helped to stimulate further development in the community. The Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentive Program is the nation's most effective program to promote historic preservation and community revitalization through historic rehabilitation. For 50 years, we have given buildings in Oklahoma a new life in a manner that maintains their historic character.
In 2016, the SHPO spent the year commemorating the 50th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). We cannot let 2026 go by without mentioning the 60th anniversary of the NHPA. For 60 years, the NHPA has worked to save places. As stated in its preamble: “the preservation of this irreplaceable heritage is in the public interest so that cultural, educational, aesthetic, inspirational, economic and energy benefits will be maintained and enriched for future generations of Americans….” The NHPA created the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and the programs overseen by SHPOs around the country, territories, and tribal nations. Due to the NHPA, tens of thousands of historic structures have been preserved and archaeological sites identified. Millions of jobs have been created, and billions of dollars added to the economy. Over 80,000 sites are listed in the National Register, representing places in nearly every county in the nation.
| Noble Avenue Viaduct, Guthrie, Logan County, Demolished. Photo: OKSHPO | Many years have been spent preparing for the 100th anniversary of Route 66, and it is good to see that the preparation has paid off. Buildings along the Route have been restored, bridges and pavement have been made ready, histories have been written, public art has been created, and songs have been recorded. Route 66, often referred to as the Mother Road, was officially commissioned on November 11, 1926. It stretches roughly 2,448 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, with a nice stretch through Oklahoma. There are plenty of events scheduled in 2026 to commemorate the road. Check the Travel Oklahoma schedule of events. | | Threatt Filling Station, Luther, Oklahoma County. Photo: OKSHPO | | |
Finally, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence will occur on July 4, 2026. Follow the Oklahoma Historical Society’s calendar of events for activities pertaining to this anniversary.
The 2026 anniversaries are not just a celebration of the past but also an opportunity to inspire future generations. With numerous events and initiatives planned, it promises to be a historic milestone that engages all Oklahomans in reflecting on their shared heritage and aspirations for the future.
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We have just come off the longest federal furlough in our nation’s history.
The 2026 budget remains at a standstill. While the President’s proposal seeks to eliminate SHPO/THPO funding, both the House and Senate have included funding in their respective budget drafts. Although the numbers differ, this bipartisan recognition of the value of SHPO/THPO programs remains a hopeful sign.
We still need YOU!
Your continued engagement is more vital than ever. Stay informed. Speak up. Share why preservation matters in Oklahoma. Because the past is not just behind us—it’s the foundation of our future.
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2026 SHPO Calendar of Events (January–April)
The Oklahoma Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office, presents its 2026 calendar of events. There are no registration fees unless noted. All events will take place virtually, unless otherwise stated. For more information, call 405-521-6249 or visit www.okhistory.org/shpo/events. Note: If you have a disability and require accommodation, call 405-521-6249 at least two (2) days prior to the event.
CONTINUING EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES: Many of these programs meet the requirements for HSW hours/State of Oklahoma's Board of Governors of Licensed Architects, Landscape Architects, and Interior Designers, and for PDH hours/Oklahoma State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. The SHPO will email certificates of attendance after the event upon request, and participants self-report or document their attendance according to the policies of the respective boards.
Register online at okhistory.org/shpo/register.
Please check our website for updates at okhistory.org/shpo/events.
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SHPO closed
SHPO closed
SHPO Lunch and Learn: Happy Anniversary with Lynda Ozan (12 p.m.)
Historic Preservation Review Committee Meeting (1:30 p.m., Dr. Leroy H. Fischer Boardroom, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive, Oklahoma City and virtually via Teams)
SHPO closed
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SHPO closed
SHPO Lunch and Learn: Finding Your Native Roots, the Dawes Rolls
with Laura Martin (12 p.m.)
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SHPO Lunch and Learn: The History We Know vs. The History They
See: Editing Wikipedia for Women’s Stories with Brandi Burns
(12 p.m.)
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SHPO Lunch and Learn: 21 Crossing with Michael Mayes and Kristina Wyckoff (12 p.m.)
Historic Preservation Review Committee Meeting (1:30 p.m., Dr.
Leroy H. Fischer Boardroom, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive, Oklahoma City and virtually via Teams)
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Deadline: February 2
Apply for grants ranging up to $5,000 that support preservation planning and educational projects through the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
https://savingplaces.org/grants
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Deadline: February 13
The Nuestra Herencia Grant Program, offered by Latinos in Heritage Conservation, provides grants including for NRHP nominations.
https://www.latinoheritage.us/grants
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Make hay while the sun shines
Stories from Oklahoma's centennial farms and ranches
| | Images: Sod House Museum photos by Jim Argo, OHS. | |
In August of 1894, Marshal McCully built a sod house, and soon after, married his wife, Sadie Steele; her dowry consisted of a walnut dresser, an organ, two trunks of housekeeping necessities, and her clothes. Their daughter, Letha, was born on Christmas Eve in 1896.
Five years after Sadie's passing, Marshal met and married a "city" girl named Pearle Bowen. Pearle was determined to be a good farmer's wife, and one day she and Letha set out to make bread. When the dough failed to rise, they took the dough to the orchard and buried it. Later, Marshal came along with his trusty shovel and spotted a huge mound of dirt. He stuck his shovel in the mound and came out with a lot of bread dough that had risen in the heat of the sun. Pearle never lived down her buried dough.
The Sod House Museum - the home of Marshal McCully's sod house - is owned and operated by the Oklahoma Historical Society. The museum is currently closed but is expected to reopen in early 2026. You can find out more about sod houses by reading the Sod House listing in the Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture.
| | Photo credit: Image of a sign along Route 66 courtesy of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. | | |
OK | Preservation Advocate
January 2026
Volume 2, Issue 2
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