Plains Folk: Red Rocks is open to the public
By JIM HOY
© Plains Folk
For the past decade or so I have thought that it would be nice if Red Rocks, the home of William Allen White, Emporia's most important historical figure, were open to the public, and now, thanks to legislation sponsored by Senator Pat Roberts and the efforts of the Kansas State Historical Society and the citizens of Emporia, it is.
After a year and more of preparation, the official opening ceremony took place May 14.
Among remarks by dignitaries other than the mayor of Emporia were those by Jennie Chinn, director of the Kansas State Historical Society, which has been entrusted with managing the site, and by Governor Kathleen Sebelius.
It looked to me like there were 400-500 people at the dedication ceremony, including at least one group from Lawrence that had chartered a bus for the occasion. After the speeches the doors were opened to groups of about a dozen at a time and docents talked about the history of the house and pointed out some of its interesting features and some of the interesting items among the furnishings.
These latter included art works from the Whites' travels and a jaguar skin rug that was a gift from Teddy Roosevelt to young William Lindsay White.
The house is known as Red Rocks from the red sandstone from which it is constructed. It was built by a lawyer from Emporia who made money in the cattle business.
Unfortunately, he apparently didn't understand that it is even easier to lose money in the cattle business than it is to make it, and he lost the house. He died a few years later and Bill and Sally White acquired it from the estate. At least that's how I understood the story.
It was built in either the Queen Anne or the Victorian style (I heard both), but after a fire in the second floor, the Whites had it renovated (enlarging rooms for easier entertaining) and remodeled into a Tudor style.
Frank Lloyd Wright was in on the early consultations for the remodeling, and some of the interior apparently is in accord with his suggestions, but Wright's modern designs didn't fit with Bill and Sally's more conservative tastes. The result, however, is very attractive.
Beyond the mere appearance of the house and lawn and the esthetics of the architecture, however, the real importance and attraction of Red Rocks is its history.
William Allen White was one of the most politically important men in America during the first half of the 20th century.
His "What's the Matter with Kansas" editorial (the title of which has been exploited by Thomas Frank in his recent book about the contemporary political situation) made him known across the country, and when White became friends with Teddy Roosevelt and the progressive wing of the Republican party his influence became national. In general Emporians were pleased by this attention.
One weekend when TR was visiting the Whites, the Congregational Church (White's church) was packed with members wanting to see the famous ex-president, trust-buster, and big-game hunter. Teddy did accompany White to church, but out of deference to his guest's denomination the Whites attended the Friends service that Sunday.
It is often said that a prophet receives no honor in his own country, but William Allen White made his world-renowned career in his hometown, and it is nice to see his hometown taking steps to carry on that fame and make it known to the generations coming on.
