Seay Mansion - Kingfisher, OK
Posted by: 
hamquilter
N 35° 50.922 W 097° 56.325
14S E 595832 N 3967687
Once the home of the a territorial governor of Oklahoma, this home is now part of the Chisholm Trail Museum.
Waymark Code: WM14KV8
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 07/23/2021
Views: 3
Located across the street from the Chisholm Trail Museum, the entrance fee to the museum offers entrance to the mansion also. The home was built in 1892 by Abraham Jefferson Seay. Born on Nov. 28, 1832, he served in the Union Army during the Civil War and rose to the rank of Lt. Colonel. After the war, he served as Associate justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court and when the Governor retired in October, 1891, he was appointed the second Territorial Governor. He served until new President Grover Cleveland appointed another governor in May of 1893. Seay stayed in Kingfisher and organized the Central State Bank.
This home was built partly with the thought that Kingfisher would be selected as the new capital of Oklahoma. The Seay family lived here until 1909 when his health caused him to move to California. There were several owners of the home over the years, with some major renovations, including the home being made into a boarding house with apartments on the second floor. Also, the original 3rd floor was converted into an attic after serious storm damage.
However, eventually the State of Oklahoma bought the home and it was extensively remodeled to return it to its original condition. This is a three-story red brick building with a hipped roof and cross dormers on the north and west. The east and south roofs have small five-sided dormers. The home was lavishly built, with parquet wood floors, seven fireplaces, double-paned windows which was high-class in 1892, and transomed doorways.
The home faces north with a wide entrance porch with a wood railing. At the northeast corner is an unusual three-story round tower, with brick on the ground level and wood shakes above, with a wood-shake domed roof. On the southeast corner, a one-story bay window has 3-over-1 windows. Most all other windows are 1-over-1. There are covered porches on the east and south elevations. The home was placed on the National Register in 1971.