Star House is an historic 12-room, 2-story wood frame home built in 1889 for Quanah Parker of the Comanche Nation. While some sources say it was built by the U.S. Army, historian Bill Neeley argues it was funded by Texas cattlemen. It was originally built near Fort Sill, and was a major landmark in the region. Among the notable guests were British Ambassador Lord Brice; American President Theodore Roosevelt; Commissioner of Indian Affairs R. G. Valentine; Texas cattlemen Charles Goodnight, Burk Burnett, Tom Burnett, and Dan Waggoner; General Hugh Scott, General Nelson Miles, and General Frank Baldwin; Sioux Chief American Horse, Comanche Chiefs Wild Horse, Isa-tai, and Powhay; Apache medicine man Geronimo and other Indian leaders. It was moved when the Army expanded the artillery range at Fort Sill.
We are working with Star House Preservation, Inc. to raise seed money to formulate an offer to purchase Star House from the property owners. Star House Preservation, Inc. was formed in October 2019 as an Oklahoma non-profit organization with official purposes to preserve and maintain Quanah Parker's iconic 1889 Star House in Cache, OK, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places listings in Comanche County, Oklahoma, in 1970, as a museum, historical archive, and cultural center; to document and preserve its history and impact on the Comanche people and the population in the region; and to inform, engage, and mobilize all ages to take actions, raise funds, and participate in events and curricula that celebrate and communicate this heritage everywhere.
Quanah Parker Day was designated by the Texas legislature and governor in 2019 to be celebrated on the second Saturday in September for 10 years to honor the life of the iconic Comanche leader as a major figure in Texas history. The inaugural Quanah Parker Day was celebrated September 14, 2019, in celebrations across the state. My Comancheria Institute has developed a website (quanahparkerday.com) with information about Cynthia Ann Parker and her son Quanah Parker, the last chief of the tribe.
The key to My Comancheria Institute is our local chapters that meet regularly -- weekly or monthly -- with scheduled programs for study and discussion. Our speaker's bureau provides subject specialists, academics, and independent scholars for presentations and discussions. Many local history museums are hosting chapters in their communities.
Chapters are forming now. If you are interested in helping, please contact us.
My Comancheria Institute is developing educational curriculum for children, youth, and adults to be used by our local chapters.
In 2018, we filmed a number of interviews with descendants of Quanah Parker, as well as others. These are in the editing stage. Filming is continuing.