Red Rocks State Historic Site facts for kids
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William Allen White House
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House in December 2009
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 Location in Kansas
Location in the United States
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| Location | 927 Exchange St., Emporia, Kansas |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1887 |
| Architect | Wight & Wight |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival; Craftsman; Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000318 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 14, 1971 |
| Designated NHL | May 11, 1976 |
The Red Rocks State Historic Site is a special place in Emporia, Kansas. It protects the William Allen White House, also known as Red Rocks. This house was the home of a famous journalist named William Allen White. He lived here from 1899 until he passed away in 1944. The house became a National Historic Landmark in 1976. In 2001, it became a state historic site and is now looked after by the Kansas Historical Society.
Contents
Discover the Red Rocks House
The Red Rocks house is in a quiet neighborhood in Emporia. The property includes William Allen White's main house, his mother Mary's house, and a small building for visitors.
The Main House: Red Rocks
The main house is two and a half stories tall. The first floor is made of red sandstone. The upper parts are built with wood and have a special style called Tudor Revival. This style often uses stucco and wood beams on the outside.
The Mother's House
William Allen White's mother, Mary, had her own house nearby. It is also two and a half stories tall and built from brick and limestone. It has a Classical Revival style, which means it looks a bit like old Greek or Roman buildings. It's built on a common plan called an American Foursquare.
Building the Houses
Work on the main house started in 1887. A judge named Almerin Gillette began building it, but he couldn't finish because of money problems. The red stone for the house came all the way from the Garden of the Gods area in Colorado.
William Allen White and his wife, Sallie, bought the unfinished house in 1899. They worked to complete the inside. Sadly, a fire damaged the upper floors in 1920. The house was then rebuilt by architects from Kansas City named Wight & Wight.
Mary White's house was built a few years later, around 1903 or 1904. She lived there until she died in 1924. The main house stayed in the White family for many years. In 2001, it was given to the state of Kansas to become a historic site.
William Allen White: A Voice for America
William Allen White became very well-known across the country. He owned and edited a newspaper called the Emporia Gazette. He also played a big part in the Republican Party during the early 1900s. He helped organize the progressive parts of the party.
White helped Theodore Roosevelt when he ran for president with the Bull Moose Party in 1912. He was an important voice for people living in small towns across America.
See also
