In addition to its permanent and rotating exhibits, the museum sponsors special programs and events to increase awareness and understanding of Starkville’s and Oktibbeha County’s history and culture.
Our Community Series
This series of programs highlights topics of local interest, with presentations by community members or experts in their fields. Usually held on selected weekday mornings, programs are free to the public. Our Community Series presentations have focused in the past on the following:
- Starkville’s neighboring towns and communities (Sturgis, Maben, Oktoc, Sessums) within the county (Joan Wilson, Arma de la Cruz, and committee, organizers)
- Christmas memories (informal participation)
- Quilts (Carole Gospodnetich and Kay Henry, organizers)
- Yesteryear slide show (Ruth Morgan and Jimmy Cole, presenters)
- Ham radio (Jerry Drott, presenter)
- History of trains in the county (David Bridges, presenter)
- Reminiscences of Bob Buchanan, former Negro Baseball League pitcher (Bill Poe, organizer)
- German submarines in the Gulf of Mexico during WWII (Bill Lee, presenter)
- Digital archaeology and digital archiving (Paul Jacobs, presenter)
- Memories of the home front during WWII (informal roundtable discussion)
- Experiences of former military pilots in later wars (informal roundtable discussion)
- History of aviation in the county (formal panel discussion)
- Needmore community of yesteryear (panel discussion by black leaders, with audience participation; Betsy Longest and Ruth Morgan, program organizers)
- Scanning Day (MSU library staff scanned documents and photos as a free service for the community)
- Native Americans program (lecture/demonstration on how prehistoric Indians made and used tools for hunting animals and making clothes. Pat Arinder, presenter)
- Black bears in Mississippi (MSU Graduate student researcher Nick Fowler, presenter)
- Second Needmore program (Charles “LaLa” Evans, organizer and leader)
Salute to World War II Veterans
In 2010, World War II veterans were honored at several events that were cosponsored by the museum in celebration of the 65th anniversary of the end of the war. Museum trustees Joan Wilson and Bill Poe organized these events. Joan and Bill received the Greater Starkville Development Partnership’s Service to Military Award in 2010 for their leadership efforts in planning and implementing the following events.
- A series of coffees at the National Guard Armory
- A dinner at the Starkville Café
- A recognition ceremony for 46 veterans
This ceremony attracted 300 people and included U.S. Senator Thad Cochran as the keynote speaker. Each of the veterans in attendance received a large, metal medallion specially made by Gulf States Manufacturing, a NUCOR company.
Children and Youth Activities
- Annual valentine-making session with children, with materials funded by the Kiwanis Club
- Scheduled tours for Scout and 4-H groups
- Scavenger hunts or tours for older students — Starkville High School’s Mississippi Studies class; MSU history class for international students; MSU graduate history seminar
Donation Ceremony for Exhibit
Members of the Evans family attended from many states for the donation of Evans Shine Parlor mementos.
Special Saturday Programs
- “Fossils Roadshow,” presented by George Phillips of the Mississippi Natural History Museum, Jackson
- Archaeology demonstrations, presented by Mississippi State University faculty members Evan Peacock and Janet Rafferty
- Veterans Day observances
