The Heritage Center & The Ditch Witch Museum

222 N 6th St
Perry, OK 73077

The Heritage Center & The Ditch Witch Museum

Address:
222 N 6th St
Perry, OK 73077
Phone:
580-370-6660

The Heritage Center and Ditch Witch Museum located downtown Perry showcases the history of Ditch Witch equipment from invention to present. The building housing this museum was constructed shortly after the 1893 Land Run and is the original location of the Charles Machine Works, Inc., a local manufacturer of Ditch Witch underground construction equipment. Museum exhibits and highlights the products and history of the company.

In 1902, Carl Frederick Malzahn, a German immigrant seeking to escape the harsh winters of Minnesota, moved his family to Perry and opened the Malzahn Blacksmith Shop with his sons, Charlie and Gus. The sons took over the business in 1913 and renamed it Malzahn Brothers' General Blacksmithing. The business prospered, and several years later, with the advent of an oil boom, it began specializing in repairs for the nearby oil fields. After Gus died in 1928, Charlie renamed the business Charlie's Machine Shop. In 1944, Charlie persuaded his son, Gus Edwin "Ed" Malzahn (July 3, 1921 - December 11, 2015), by then an Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State)-trained mechanical engineer, to join the business.

Perry invites you to visit the charming downtown square and historic Ditch Witch Museum and The Heritage Center.

Photos

Amenities

Hours

Tours by appointment only.
A special thanks to our advertisers