Quanah Parker Star House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Quanah Parker Star House
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Exterior view of the Quanah Parker Star House (August 2014)
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 Quanah Parker Star House
Location in Oklahoma
Quanah Parker Star House
Location in the United States
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| Location | Eagle Park Cache, Oklahoma |
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| Built | ca 1890 |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000532 |
| Added to NRHP | September 29, 1970 |
The Quanah Parker Star House is a special building in Cache, Oklahoma. It has unique stars painted on its roof! This house is located in Comanche County, Oklahoma, in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is important because it belonged to Quanah Parker, a famous Comanche chief. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. This means it is a very important historical site.
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A Home for a Leader
Quanah Parker was a very important Comanche chief. After 1875, he lived for many years in a traditional tipi. Chief Parker decided he needed a different kind of home. He wanted a house that showed his important role among the Comanches. It also needed to fit his position as a leader who spoke with white cattle owners.
To make space for his family, a large house was built for him. It was a two-story house with ten rooms. The house was made of wood and had tall ceilings. It was built around 1890. The U.S. Government did not help pay for the house. Instead, Parker's friends in the cattle business helped. One of these friends was Samuel Burk Burnett, who owned the 6666 Ranch.
Building the Star House
Building the Star House cost a bit over $2,000 back then. That would be about $48,000 today! Quanah Parker used his formal dining room to welcome many guests. He met with white business people, famous visitors, and members of his tribe. One very famous visitor was Theodore Roosevelt, who later became president.
Parker was also a strong supporter of the Native American Church. His home was often a place where people came for spiritual advice. Chief Parker was known for his kindness. He always fed hungry tribal members in his home and never turned anyone away.
What Happened to the House?
After Quanah Parker passed away in 1911, his daughter, Laura Neda Parker Birdsong, bought the house. The house was first located near the Wichita Mountains, north of Cache. In 1958, Birdsong moved the house to its current spot in Cache. She then sold it to Herbert Woesner.
No one knows for sure why Parker painted stars on his roof. One story says he did it to show his high rank. It was like a military general wearing stars. The current owner, Wayne Gipson, is Woesner's nephew. He heard a story from Parker's family. They said Chief Parker had visited Washington D.C. to meet with Theodore Roosevelt. While there, he stayed in a "five-star hotel." When Roosevelt visited him, Parker wanted to show he had even better accommodations. So, he had ten stars painted on his roof!
Today, the Quanah Parker Star House is in danger. The Preservation Oklahoma organization has listed it as an endangered historic place.
Keeping the Star House Safe
The Star House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also on Oklahoma's list of Most Endangered Historic Places. A big storm in 2015 caused more damage to the house. This damage made people work harder to save and fix it.
Saving the house is tricky because it is privately owned. A grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation helped. It allowed experts to check the house's condition. They also made a plan to keep it safe. It is estimated that restoring the house could cost more than one million dollars.
