National Register Record for LEWIS ROSS / CHEROKEE ORPHAN ASYLUM SPRINGHOUSE

Historic Name: LEWIS ROSS / CHEROKEE ORPHAN ASYLUM SPRINGHOUSE
Current Name: THE BLOCKHOUSE
Address: OFF OK 20
City: SALINA VICINITY            County: MAYES
Section: None           Township: None           Range: None          
Description of significance: THE SPRING HOUSE IS ONE OF THE OLDEST EXTANT PROPERTIES IN THE STATE AND IS IMPORTANT FOR ITS ASSOCIATION WITH LEWIS ROSS, A PROMINENT CHEROKEE WHO ESTABLISHED THE FIRST SALT WORKS IN INDIAN TERRITORY AND DISCOVERED THE FIRST NON-COMMERCIAL OIL WELL IN 1859. LEWIS ROSS SETTLED IN THE AREA AROUND 1838, BUILDING A HOUSE AND SPRING HOUSE SOON AFTER. THE 1844 SPRING HOUSE IS AN OCTAGONALLY SHAPED STRUCTURE BUILT OF NATIVE STONE BLOCKS. THE ROOF HAS AN OCTAGONAL BASE WITH GENTLY PITCHED SLOPES RISING TO A PEAK. THE ROOF IS COVERED IN WOOD SHINGLES. THE BUILDING IS APPROXIMATELY 8 FEET IN HEIGHT. AN OPEN AIR ENTRANCE IS LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE AND THERE ARE TWO WINDOW OPENINGS. IN 1873, THE CHEROKEE NATION ACQUIRED THE PROPERTY IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH AN ORPHANAGE. THE ORPHANAGE USED THE SPRING HOUSE FOR ITS WATER AND AS FOOD STORAGE. THE ROSS HOME WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE IN 1903, BUT THE SPRING HOUSE REMAINS. LISTED IN NATIONAL REGISTER 8/18/1983.

Type: BUILDING
Historic Function: INDUSTRY/PROCESSING/EXTRACTION: WATER WORKS
Current Function: RECREATION AND CULTURE: OUTDOOR RECREATION: PARK
Area of Significance 1: ETHNIC HERITAGE: NATIVE AMERICAN
Area of Significance 2: EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT
Architectural Style: NO DISTINCTIVE STYLE
Architect: ROSS, LEWIS - BUILDER
Year Built: 1844            Original Site: YES
Condition: GOOD
Restricted: N
Documentation Source: INTERVIEWS: BILL AND JAN HATFIELD - SALINA RECREATION AREA SUPERVISORS - 12/1982, MAUREEN SAMUEL - 7/1982; KENT RUTH, OKLAHOMA TRAVEL HANDBOOK, NORMAN: UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA PRESS, 1977, P.201;
Date Prepared: JANUARY 1983