At about that time, the Murrell Home was transferred to the Historical Society from the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation.

“There were six or seven properties transferred to the OHS because they had more of a historical context,” Pettengill said.

The OHS asked Pettengill to participate in researching the house’s history. She helped with the historical analysis of the structure, along with other professionals.

“They had to inventory and do all the types of things a museum would do,” she said.

She was transferred to full time site manager in 1994.

For those unfamiliar with its history, the home was begun by George Murrell in 1844 and the family occupied it the following year. Murrell had married into the influential Ross family. His father-in-law, Lewis Ross, was brother of longtime Principal Chief John Ross.

John Ross’ home at Park Hill, Rose Cottage, was destroyed by Confederates during the Civil War. Murrell himself was a Confederate. Although his family moved east during the war and the house was occupied by Ross family members, that affiliation probably saved the Murrell Home.

Pettengill said historians believe Murrell probably accompanied the Cherokees on the last group making the Trail of Tears journey. He lived in a cabin on the Murrell Home grounds for a few years before beginning his home, the last surviving antebellum mansion in Indian Territory.

Restoration has proceeded throughout Pettengill’s tenure, much of it with Grimm’s continued assistance.

Different members of the Murrell and Ross families, as well as the Latta and Justice families and others had occupied the home over the years.

“At different points in time different things were done to this house and you just have to guess when,” Pettengill said.

“What you see out front today is what we have documented proof of.”

Last year the old pedimented front porch, familiar to local residents for at least a century, was removed and restored to its earlier appearance. Work also has been done on the porches, and the east porch still needs to be restored to an earlier era. There just wasn’t money enough for that this time around, Pettengill said.

Smaller improvements have included wallpapering, carpeting, and acquisitions of furniture and other period pieces. The Murrell Home is more fortunate than many historic homeplaces, because it still contains much furniture belonging to the Murrell family and pieces associated with the house that have been donated over the years.

Several years ago Nell Stapler Bradshaw died and left the home furniture, as well as an endowment fund used for ongoing projects. She also had photos of the interior of the home that had been passed down through the family over the years.