The Sheerar Museum of Stillwater History will present "Where the College Came From: A History of Old Central" an exhibit in commemoration of the 120th year of Oklahoma State University's much beloved Old Central.  The public is invited to attend an exhibit opening reception at the Sheerar Museum located at 702 S. Duncan Street on Thursday, April 17, 2014 from 5-7pm.  "Where the College Came From" will remain on view during regular hours of operation, Tuesday-Friday 11-5pm, Saturday-Sunday 1-4pm.  Admission is free.

            Originally called the College Building, Old Central was the first permanent building at Oklahoma Agricultural & Mechanical College.  It remains the oldest building on campus.  Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Old Central serves as an iconic symbol of Oklahoma State University. 

            In 1894, Old Central's doors first opened to Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College students.  Throughout the years, Old Central became the face of the university for students and alumni alike.  Although it has served many purposes and survived many threats over the years, every student recognizes the building’s significance to the university’s past and its importance to students.  Alfred E. Jarrell, one of the first graduates in 1896, summed up its importance perfectly.  “Your college faculty can always point out to each generation of students where the college expects to go!  But I want them to preserve Old Central to show each generation of students where the college came from!”

            Old Central remains an important symbol of OSU and its beginnings and as such is an important monument to early Stillwater.  OSU's history and growth are intertwined with Stillwater's past as well as the community's continued viability and progress.  “Oklahoma State University and its history are important contributors to Stillwater's rich culture.  It is the intent of this exhibit to educate the public about the integral place Old Central has held within the history of Oklahoma State University and by extension the history and prosperity of Stillwater, Oklahoma,” said Sheerar Museum Director Ammie Bryant.

            "Where the College Came From" will remain on view until November 2014.  The exhibit was curated by Matthew Ray Bates, Jake Cornwell, Alissa Ferguson, Jessica Long, Jim C. Ricker, Trent Riley, and Alyce Vigil of Dr. William Bryans’ 2014 Museum Studies Class in the Public History Department, OSU Graduate College.  Photographs and objects from the Sheerar Museum's collection as well as OSU Library Special Collections and University Archives and the Oklahoma Historical Society are utilized in this exhibit.  This exhibit is made possible in part through a grant from the Arts and Humanities Council of Stillwater and donations from the Sheerar Museum Associates.