PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 12/05/2025
Contact: Prairie House Preservation Society
info.prairiehouse@gmail.com
www.prairiehousepreservation.org
Prairie House Named to Preservation Oklahoma’s 2025 Most Endangered Places List
Recognition highlights both the architectural significance and urgency of preserving one of the state’s most iconic homes
Norman, OK – The Prairie House Preservation Society (PHPS) is honored to announce that the Prairie House, designed by visionary architect Herb Greene in 1961, has been named to Preservation Oklahoma’s 2025 Most Endangered Places List. This designation underscores both its national importance and the current vulnerability of what is widely considered a masterpiece of organic modernism.
In early 2025, the Prairie House was also officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service, recognizing the site’s unique architectural and cultural value.
Together, these recognitions reflect both the honor and the urgency surrounding this landmark and the need to protect it.
“To be listed as a nationally recognized historic site and one of Oklahoma’s most endangered is a poignant reminder that the Prairie House is revered across the country,” said Beau Jennings, Interim Executive Director of PHPS. “But that is not enough to keep it standing. We have to take action.”
Constructed in 1960 and 1961 as architect Herb Greene’s family home, the Prairie House embodies the philosophy Greene shared with his mentor, architect Bruce Goff, that architecture should synthesize people, place, time, materials, and spirit.
The home stands as a defining work of the American School of Architecture at the University of Oklahoma, of which Goff and Greene were among the founders. Its sculptural cedar-shingled form captured international attention when it was photographed by Julius Shulman in 1961 for Life Magazine.
Preservation in Progress
Since its founding in 2021, the Prairie House Preservation Society has led the effort to restore and reactivate the home as a center for education, research, and community engagement. Through grants and partnerships, PHPS completed a Historic Structure Report in 2022, finalized an Exterior Cladding Survey in 2025, and launched a comprehensive Restoration Master Plan that will guide the rehabilitation scope, cost, and future use of the house and its site. A capital campaign planned for early 2026 will support the rehabilitation phase once the Master Plan is complete.
Turning This Moment Into Momentum
PHPS invites Oklahomans and architecture advocates worldwide to join the preservation effort through donations, partnerships, and advocacy. During this time, tours of the Prairie House are on hold, but the organization continues to host workshops and public programs designed to advance education and awareness about the house.
To learn more, visit prairiehousepreservation.org.
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About the Prairie House Preservation Society
Founded in 2021, PHPS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to ensuring the restoration of the Prairie House in Norman, Oklahoma, designed by Herb Greene in 1961. Through educational and public programs, this historic example of organic architecture will serve as a site for interdisciplinary creative engagement and community events.
The mission of the Prairie House Preservation Society is supported by community partnerships and generous donors. Programs are made possible, in part, by grants from the Norman Arts Council, Ruth and Allen Mayo Fund for Historic Preservation in Oklahoma of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Oklahoma City Foundation for Architecture, the Lynne Rostochil National Register Nomination Grant Program, the Oklahoma Historical Society, and AIA Oklahoma.