I visited The Chisholm Museum to gather information for a story I wanted to write about “The Governor Seay’s Mansion.” During my visit, I met Christopher Mendez, known as Chris, who is a collections specialist at the museum. On that day, he served as my tour guide through the mansion. As we explored each room and discussed the various changes over time, Chris patiently answered all my questions. I found myself asking him many details, as I have always been fascinated by the mansion and its history.
Chris interned at the museum while studying at UCO and began working there after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in history and museum studies. He is currently pursuing his master’s degree. He shared that his parents came to the United States from Mexico and became citizens during the Ronald Reagan era. They learned English by listening to classic country music. Chris is one of four siblings, and his parents emphasized the importance of education. He expressed his deep love for history and talked about the sacrifices his parents made for him and his siblings. Chris recalled visiting the construction sites where his father worked, prompting me to reflect on my own memories, such as going to the laundromat with my mother and brother Matt. My mom would buy two bottles of Coke from the vending machine—one for me and a nickel to get peanuts that I would drop into my Coke to keep myself entertained. The other Coke would go into the washing machine with my dad’s grease-stained clothes. I can still smell the oilfield and hear the sound of the pumping units backfiring as my dad checked wells.
Even though there are many years and different paths between Chris and me, I realized we share a common thread: both of us have had someone who made sacrifices and overcame challenges to help us reach this moment, sitting together in a conference room surrounded by beautiful photos of our state. As I left the museum that day, I teased Chris about returning to his treasure hunting; I was a bit envious! I also thanked him for his efforts to preserve our history for future generations.
The Chisholm Museum will be hosting “The Chuck Wagon Gathering” on March 29th from 10 AM to 2 PM. The activities are free and will include live music, cooking demonstrations, food samples, gunfight shows, and more. Step back into history at 605 Zellers Avenue, Kingfisher, Oklahoma. For any questions, visit chisholm.org or call 405-375-5176. If you happen to meet a young man named Chris there, share some historical conversations with him and let him know I sent you!
