The Revitalization of the Caddo Community Building

A story of cultural preservation, craftsmanship, and community dedication

In the heart of Caddo Nation territory stands a humble structure that has witnessed generations of gatherings, prayer, and traditions. The Caddo Community Building—the first structure where Caddo people gathered after their forced removal from the Brazos Reserve in Texas—recently underwent a meticulous renovation that breathed new life into this historic landmark while honoring its profound cultural significance.

A Building with Deep Roots

The Caddo Community Building has stood as a fixture to Caddo history since the early 1900s. Archival photos from the Oklahoma Historical Society capture heartwarming scenes of Caddo people playing hand games and dancing with the Community Building serving as a steadfast backdrop. These images tell the story of resilience and continuation of culture.

When the Caddo were removed to Indian Territory from along the Brazos River in Texas, this building became one of the first gathering places in their new lands. Over decades, its walls absorbed the prayers, songs, and laughter of countless community members, eventually housing the tribe's headquarters and a central part of community.

The Decision to Preserve, Not Replace

By 2025, the building was showing its age. The southeast corner had rotted so severely that some studs no longer touched the ground, leaving portions of the structure "suspended kind of in the air," according to Travis Stockton, who led the renovation efforts.

When Tribal Chairman Bobby Gonzalez approached Travis in October 2016 to examine the building, the initial question was whether the structure was salvageable. Travis, who serves as the tribe's IT specialist but comes from a construction background, admitted there were moments during the project when he thought they might be "in over our head."

But the decision to preserve rather than replace reflects the Caddo Nation's deep commitment to honoring their heritage. The building wasn't just a structure—it was a repository of memories and a physical connection to ancestors.

A Sacred Space Preserved

At the heart of the renovation efforts was the careful preservation of a painting depicting a tipi that represents the Native American Church—the significance of this painting was underscored when Bobby warned Travis with gentle humor: "This painting, don't touch it. Don't scratch it. If you do, you're fired. Just go home. And I might as well go home too, because I'll be kicked out."

The Caddo Chapter of the Native American Church

The Caddo chapter of the Native American Church has sustained community and continued through generations of challenges and change. The mural in the community building is a beloved symbol of this and familiar to all who have come to gather and eat noon meal or dinner at Caddo dances for generations.

Every decision in the renovation process honored this. The team installed LED lights specifically chosen not to damage the sacred painting, and the green color scheme for the renovated space was selected to harmonize with the painting's palette. The expanded kitchen and improved layout will better serve these gatherings for generations to come.

Part of the Crew: Johnny Gonzalez and Eric Otterbeau

Craftsmanship Meets Preservation

The renovation team consisted of Travis Stockton, Jimmy Head, Xavier Norwood, Johnny Gonzalez, Eric Otterbeau, with occasional help from other maintenance staff including Joey Ware and Lita Smith (who now works in HR).

Their approach balanced modern updates with historical preservation. When they discovered three different types of siding on the exterior, they chose one style but upgraded to cedar for longevity. They installed thermopane windows for better insulation and replaced two residential stoves with a commercial-grade unit and proper ventilation. Three mini-split air conditioning systems now maintain comfortable temperatures even during Oklahoma's punishing 110-degree summer days.

Honoring the Past Through Craftsmanship

Travis Stockton with candlestick made from the old Community Building table legs

Perhaps the most touching aspect of the renovation was the careful repurposing of original materials. The team discovered longleaf pine flooring—a now extinct wood species—which they carefully pulled up, sanded down, and restored.

When the original tables proved too damaged for restoration, Travis and his wife Amy, owners of Pecan Creek Designs, found an ingenious solution. They turned the old table legs into beautiful candlesticks and crafted new solid maple tables in a style that honored the originals. The butcher block countertop in the kitchen incorporates wood from the original tabletops, creating a direct physical connection between past and present.

"That butcher block we're ecstatic how that turned out," Travis shared. "It's probably the prettiest thing we've ever made, because there's some like ambrosia maple that we mixed in with the old maple. Because, you know, when maple's 100 years old and it was on a table that had been used for so long, it just gets a patina that you can't really match."

Even a 1956 license plate found being used to hold up a rafter—testament to the resourcefulness of previous caretakers—was preserved as a historical artifact worthy of display.

Travis Stockton stands beside butcher block crafted by him and wife Amy from the Community Building tables

A Family Tradition of Craftsmanship

For Travis and Amy Stockton, the project was especially meaningful as it drew on generations of family knowledge. Travis recalled going to work sites with his father as young as five years old: "I remember when I was five years old, going out and helping him. They told me stories when I was four, for example, they said they were just trying to keep me busy... but I was and they said, you know, Travis, take all these cabinet doors out of this kitchen."

This family tradition of craftsmanship continues today with their business, Pecan Creek Designs, which they opened just two weeks before the COVID shutdown. Despite the challenges, the couple has built a reputation for quality handcrafted furniture, including conference tables, dining tables, hutches, and islands.

Their own children—including a four-year-old and five-year-old—now participate in the family business. "Every time they're out there, they're like, 'We're earning extra dollars,' and they're just pushing sawdust around on the floor, but they think they're helping," Travis shared with a smile.

A Building Reborn for Future Generations

The renovated Community Building now features an expanded kitchen with windows on both east and west sides, allowing those preparing food to see activities at the dance ground. The peninsula was repositioned to create more space and improve flow during events, with wheelchair accessibility carefully considered in the design.

The bathrooms were updated, with plans for a dedicated shower house in the future. The former office space that existed when the building served as tribal headquarters was removed to create an open gathering area, with future plans for a seating area on the south end.

Perhaps most significantly, the building's calendar has already filling up with bookings. "We have reception, we have a calendar for it to preserve it. And what do you know, all those bookings are starting to pile up," Travis noted. "Where we used it, like, once a year before, however frequent, it's going to be used a lot more. So I'm happy about that."

Travis and Amy Stockton

A Living Connection

The revitalized Caddo Community Building reflects the Caddo Nation's commitment to preserving heritage while creating spaces that will serve future generations. Through the skilled hands of craftspeople like Travis and Amy Stockton and the dedicated maintenance team, this historic structure has been given new life—ensuring that the traditions, ceremonies, and gatherings that have defined Caddo cultural life for over a century will continue for generations to come.

As the sun sets behind the cedar siding and reflects off the new thermopane windows, the building seems to stand a little straighter, ready to embrace another century of Caddo community life. Inside, below the ever present tipi mural, new memories will form alongside the echoes of those who gathered here before—a continuous thread of Caddo identity and resilience woven through time.