• Little Niagra

    Chickasaw

    National Recreation Area Oklahoma

There are park alerts in effect.
show Alerts »

  • Warning to Boaters

    Chickasaw National Recreation area is warning all boat users to be cautious while boating on Lake of the Arbuckles due to low water levels in the lake. More »

The Leeper House

Stone building obscured by trees
Today the Leeper House serves as the Platt District Ranger office.
NPS/E. Leonard
 
Stone building with a group of people in front

Park headquarters, 1910

NPS/Chickasaw NRA

This stone structure was originally built in 1894 as a family residence by Graves Leeper. Its use changed to a meeting place for the Federal Court Commission, where Indian land claims were settled. When court was not in session the building was used as a school and community center. In 1904, it became the superintendent’s office for what was to become Platt National Park. This is the only known building that remains from the first settlement of the town of Sulphur Springs.

 
Men working on an old stone building

The headquarters building was remodeled and enlarged by the CCC.

NPS/Chicasaw NRA

As a part of the many projects completed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the park during the 1930s, the park headquarters building was was remodeled and enlarged. A museum area was also added to provide visitors an opportunity to view natural history collections. For almost ninety years the building served as administrative offices for park staff; today our law enforcement staff is housed in a building that has faithfully served park purposes for over one hundred years.

Did You Know?

Detail of Frisco railroad advertisement for Platt National Park

Like the more famous national parks in the western United States, visitors came to Platt National Park via the railroad at the beginning of the Twentieth Century. Both the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad, (more commonly known as the Frisco), and the Santa Fe Railroad had spur lines to Sulphur. More...