Samuel Richard Memorial Hall

Samuel Richard Memorial Hall. . Built in 1922, the Samuel Richard Memorial Hall was named in memory of Samuel Richard, a Bacone student who died while he was attending school at Bacone in 1916. The building cost $150,000 to build, with $58,000 of the funding used to build this Collegiate Gothic-style building donated by his father, Eastman Richard, Creek. As the history is told, Eastman Richard was allotted what was thought to be "worthless" land, but oil was later discovered there and he soon became a millionaire - one of the richest Creek Indians of his time. The remainder of the funding to build Samuel Richard Memorial Hall came from the General Education Board and the American Baptist Home Mission Society. The cornerstone was laid by Joseph S. Murrow on June16, 1921, which reads: "Erected in 1921 in memory of Samuel Richard by Eastman Richard and the American Baptist Home Mission Society for Bacone College, Benj. D. Weeks, President; James H. Reddick, Contractor; Chas. W. Dawson, Architect; T.E. Bassham, Associate." In addition to Eastman Richard's donation, Mrs. Susanna Butler, Creek, gave $25,000 for furnishings; Mrs. Winy Brown, Creek, gave $10,000; Mrs. Louisa Brown, Creek, gave $5,000; Mr. John David, Choctaw, gave $10,000; Eliza Sewell, Euchee, gave $500; and Oliver C. Wilkerson, Cherokee, gave $1000. Soon after it was built, the American Baptist Home Mission Society said in its annual report: "There are few larger and better school buildings or more convenient recitation halls in all the south." This building has been home to administrative offices, the library and classrooms.