By Josh Hinton and Gavin Mendoza, Ranger Communication Agency
Need to complete volunteer hours for a class? Why not try a place rich in local history and that may even be haunted? One place in Alva aligns with these criteria, and it is the Cherokee Strip Museum, located at 911 14th St.
Volunteers normally help clean different areas of the museum as needed and may help in other ways, such as exhibitions and events, depending on the demand.
The building the Cherokee Strip Museum calls home was once the Alva General Hospital, which opened in 1932 and closed its doors 40 years later.
In 1976, the museum took over the building and now houses more than 40 different rooms with varied themes. One of the most frequently visited sections is dedicated to Alva’s World War II prisoner of war camp. It includes art, clothing and flags left by prisoners or donated to the museum.
History is not all that may be found on a visit to the Cherokee Strip Museum.
The building is also known for being a hot spot for paranormal activity. This mix of history and mystery attracts specific groups to the space.
The museum has had many different paranormal investigations throughout the years. The investigations explore the different rooms looking for any paranormal events.
The process of volunteering is simple and quick. The interested person just needs to go into the museum and talk to curator Beth Smith.
Volunteers are appreciated, and the museum looks forward to help from the Northwestern Oklahoma State University student body.
“Walk in, and we will throw you a dust rag, and you can get to work,” Business Manager Elaine Graybill said.
Learn more about the Cherokee Strip Museum of Alva on the website www.csmalva.org or call 580-237-2030.
Joshua Hinton and Gavin Mendoza are account representatives for Ranger Communication, the Northwestern mass communication program’s student-led public relations agency. This column is a promotional piece for the local museum. The Northwestern News was not paid to publish it. Hinton and Mendoza have previously worked for the News.