DECATUR — I have been looking forward to driving over to Colcord, Okla., since receiving a note suggesting that I consider making Talbot Library and Museum one of my area sites to visit in 2010. That was a very good idea!

I have fond memories of this little country town with its friendly people and recall making the trip between Gentry and there many times a couple of decades ago.

I owe the Colcord school system my gratitude for hiring me in my first position after I completed college back in 1989. I am grateful for the kind people at Colcord Schools who gave me a chance to get my bearings in a new career while offering guidanceand a little patience along the way.

A review of local history shows those were the same years when Talbot Library and Museum was being organized and firmly established in Colcord. Due to founder Virgil Talbot’s interest in local history, his devotion to genealogy, his love for books and his knack for collecting, he first accumulated the makings of the museum in his own home on Flint Creek in Delaware County. In the late 1980s, he set about - with good community support and many volunteers - to build the current facility on two acres of ground. This gave his life’s work and collections a well suited, permanent home that would also allow for future growth.

In a moving speech, Talbot dedicated the new library and museum in 1990 as part of the town’s Old Settlers’ Day celebration. He remained actively involved until his death in 1998.

On my recent visit I was assisted by two women, Grace Puffinbarger and Donna Clark, who together ensured that my visit was pleasant as well as educational. I learned that in addition to the main library and museum, other buildings on the grounds accommodate auxiliary collections.

The main building is divided into sections. One side houses a well-developed research library. Materials here mainly focus on history and genealogy resources for northeastern Oklahoma and northwestern Arkansas, as well as including Cherokee history and genealogy. Although materials may not be taken from the library, researchers can gather information from an array of sources, including cemetery records, marriage and birth records, Dawes Roll information, individual family histories, local civil war history and much more.

The museum side of the main building has an impressive accumulation of artifacts pertinent to local history. Some items are from Talbot’s original collection, while others have been acquired since then by donation or being purchased by the library. Among many other interesting items, some things that caught my eye were an old Cherokee Bible, a 1936 United States wall map and a display case full of things donated from the practice of Dr. Linam, an old-time local-area physician.

The book store portion of the library and museum is located along the front wall. Here visitors will find displays of two publications, The Goingsnake Messenger and TL&M Genealogy, which are each published three times annually by the museum. Many other new book titles are also offered for sale.

Because Talbot Libraryand Museum operates independently and receives no local, state or federal funding, proceeds from book sales and donations are essential in supporting the library’s operation. Other funding comes from occasional grants for special projects.

Outer buildings around the main one include a blacksmith shop, a post office (containing items from the original Row-Colcord post office), an old-time grocery story, primitive farm machinery and the preserved Springtown, Ark., schoolhouse.The schoolhouse was purchased and restored as part of the 2007 Oklahoma centennial project and now serves as a multipurpose building where book sales and meetings can be held, as well as providing a gathering place for school children during educational tours.

Talbot Library and Museum continues to thrive and is preparing to observe its 20th anniversary in June.

More immediately, preparations are being made for the book fair to be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 12 and 13. Hundreds of surplus books - both old and new - will be offered. Some books are rare and collectable. Many will be of interest to those looking for information related to genealogy and local history, including various counties and families from many states.

The book sale would be a good time to come and visit the Talbot Library and Museum and see how it fulfills its mission to preserve a bit of history while providing free resources and services to the Colcord community and surrounding area. Regular library hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. More information is available online at www.talbotlibrary.com.

Annette Rowe is a freelance writer and a speechlanguage pathologist at Siloam Springs High School. She may be reached by e-mail at [email protected].

For The Record, Pages 5 on 03/03/2010