Press Release
June 8, 2026
Contact: Michael Mayes
State Historic Preservation Office, Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-522-4479
[email protected]
okhistory.org/shpo
Kerr Homestead Dugout in Noble County Added to National Register of Historic Places
OKLAHOMA CITY — 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.
The State Historic Preservation Office is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve, and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites, and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications, the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit okhistory.org.
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