Bokoshe GEAR UP students tour Woolaroc Museum and Wildlife Preserve

Seventeen Bokoshe 6th and 7th grade students were welcomed to Woolaroc Museum and Wildlife Preserve in Bartlesville with a grand tour ride through Haunted Grove Trail experiencing the wildlife of American Bison (buffalo), elk (wapiti), North European fallow deer, llamas, ostriches, water buffalo, ducks, and a variety of birds.

The 3,700 acre wildlife preserve is home to more than 30 varieties of native and exotic animals and birds. It is a working ranch that maintains the animals for the enjoyment of our guests in a natural, protected setting. Frank Phillips, founder of Phillips Petroleum Company, created the Woolaroc preserve in 1925 to retain the essence of the West as he had known it before the turn of the century. That earlier time had an untamed quality that is evident at Woolaroc today.

Students were given an event schedule and map of Woolaroc’s trails, lakes, and buildings before touring The Woolaroc Museum and Gift Shop. The Woolaroc Museum presents one of America’s most unique displays of Western Art and artifacts. Students enjoyed seeing Native American pottery and arts, Crow Indian Dance display, The Chuck Wagon, Phillips Petroleum Company memorabilia, and Colt firearms display.

They enjoyed buffalo barbeque sandwiches from Woolaroc’s own Buffalo Haunt concessions. After lunch students visited the Woolaroc Barnyard, Little Animals for Little People. Woolaroc Barnyard has a petting zoo featuring a miniature cow, goats, a variety of ducks, chickens, and birds. Students enjoyed seeing wildlife roaming in and around the trails and a Replica of Phillips 66 Gas Station on the exit trail.

“This was a great adventure,” said GEAR UP Education Coordinator Bethany Hicks. “The students had a great time.”

The field trip was sponsored by Eastern Oklahoma State College GEAR UP. Participating schools take two field trips each academic year—one to tour a college or university and one that is cultural/educational in nature. Eastern recently received a $17 million federal GEAR UP grant and will serve over 3,000 students in 39 area schools for seven years.

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