The Oklahoma Historical Society and State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) are pleased to announce the National Register of Historic Places designation for the following property in Oklahoma. The National Register of Historic Places is our nation’s official list of properties significant in our past.
Noble County
Kerr Homestead Dugout
Morrison vicinity
The Kerr Homestead Dugout in Noble County has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places for its significance to Exploration and Settlement in Oklahoma and for its potential to yield information regarding dugout construction during the opening of the Cherokee Outlet to settlement. Constructed in 1893 by Elias Kerr and sons David and Sabe, the 13.5-foot-long by 6.5-foot-wide dugout was constructed of readily available materials, including native sandstone, and typifies the red bed plains physiographic landscape, where homesteaders built their dugouts in response to environmental conditions and the availability of resources as adaptive practices.
Further geoheritage research of the Kerr Homestead Dugout, focusing on how specific geological resources served as essential components of early architecture and settlement, will aid in developing a more detailed understanding of dugout construction at the turn of the 20th century.
Listing in the National Register of Historic Places is an honorific designation that provides recognition, limited protection and, in some cases, financial incentives for these important properties. The SHPO identifies, evaluates and nominates properties for this special designation.
