By Max Rhodes
THC Communications Division Intern
Imagine a dwelling that could house generations of family members for more than 50 years—and constructing the whole place in one day.
That was the foundational approach to grass houses at Caddo Mounds State Historic Site. While the houses themselves were usually only occupied by one or two families, building them was an effort that involved the whole town.
Jacqueline Bullard, a citizen of the Caddo Nation, emphasized the importance of community participation.
“Families built together,” she said. “It was considered to be a great community effort, according to what I have heard from [our] elders.”
The families who would be occupying the structure were in charge of gathering the necessary materials, and the whole community would come together and have it fully constructed in less than a day. The size of the grass houses ranged significantly—the smaller ones would be 20 or 25 feet in diameter, while the largest found was 60 feet in diameter. These bigger houses would have been reserved for the village leaders.
At any given time during the Caddos’ 600-year occupancy (circa 700 to 1300 AD), about 30 grass houses could be found in the area. Archeological evidence suggests the base of the Temple Mound was a popular spot, as more houses were built there and arranged fairly tightly compared with those built further away. The village leader’s large house would be constructed on top of the mound.
In 2016, former Site Manager Tony Souther worked with several members of the Caddo Nation to help with the design and construction of the site’s original grass house (later destroyed by a tornado in 2019). Caddo member Phil Cross acted as construction supervisor, and he introduced other Caddo, including Bullard, to help build the structure in the traditional style passed down through the generations.
“Our elders share knowledge with storytelling and hands-on experience,” Bullard said. “Most times we really do not ask a lot of questions because we learn by listening and doing.”
The construction of a period-accurate grass house was very important to Souther, and something he had been wanting to do before he even started working for the site.
“[During] my interview for this job [as site manager], they asked me what I would do to improve the site,” he said. “I said I would try to build a Caddo grass house here to show that people, you know, didn’t just die here, but they also lived here.”
After the original house was lost, one of the first priorities was to build another one along with the reconstruction of the visitor center. The Friends of Caddo Mounds organization helped raise funds for rebuilding the grass house, and once again Cross helped organize Caddo apprentices to assist in its construction. Over 30 Caddo people from across the country came to witness the construction process. The house was built with locally sourced materials, including over an acre's worth of switchgrass.
Bullard was very satisfied with the results of the reconstructed house.
“The grass house is precious to me and sacred for many reasons,” she said, “It is incredibly precious to me in remembering that the youngest child to the eldest participated in building the home.”