Quanah Parker Monument and Walkway, (sculpture).

Quanah Parker Monument and Walkway, (sculpture).

Morris, Linda Willis, sculptor.

Willis Granite Company, fabricator.

Quanah Parker Monument and Walkway, (sculpture).

Completed Sept. 6, 1991. Dedicated Sept. 14, 1991.

Digital Reference:

Sculpture: red granite; Walkway: granite and concrete.

Sculpture: approx. 7 ft. 6 in. x 76 ft. x 8 in.; Walkway: approx. 4 in. x 42 ft. x 14 ft. 9 in.

Quanah Chamber of Commerce/1990/Officers & Directors/(fourteen names follow)/Willis Granite Products/Granite, Oklahoma

(On front of stele:) QUANAH/PARKER/LAST CHIEF/OF THE COMANCHES/SON OF/CHIEF PETA NOKONI/AND/CYNTHIA ANN PARKER - NADUAH/QUANAH PARKER, MAN OF VISION, FOUGHT/AGAINST ALL ODDS TO SAVE THE COMANCHE/WAY OF LIFE. THEN HE FOUGHT TO SURVIVE/AND PROSPER IN A WHITE MAN'S WORLD./HIS MOTHER, A WHITE WOMAN CAPTURED BY/INDIANS AT AGE NINE, WAS RAISED A/COMMANCHE. WHEN QUANAH WAS A YOUNG/BOY, CYNTHIA ANN WAS RECAPTURED AGAINST/HER WILL BY TEXAS RANGERS ON THE PEASE/RIVER IN 1860. HE NEVER SAW HER AGAIN./AS A WARRIOR, QUANAH SHOWED GREAT/BRAVERY, LEADING INDIAN FORCES ESPECIALLY/IN THE BATTLE OF ADOBE WALLS. HE WAS/NEVER ROUTED AND NEVER CAPTURED. FACING/THE ENCROACHING CIVILIZATION OF THE/WHITE MAN, HE CHOSE TO LAY DOWN HIS/SHIELD AND ARMS IN THE SPRING OF 1875/AT FORT SILL, OKLAHOMA. AS HE APPROACHED/THE FORT, HE DISMOUNTED AND TURNED/HIS HORSE LOOSE, SAYING, "THERE GOES/THE SPIRIT OF THE COMANCHE." HOWEVER/QUANAH WAS NEVER DEFEATED. ACKNOWLEDGED AS A LEADER BY THE COMANCHES/AND WHITES ALIKE, HE BECAME A TRIBAL/JUDGE, CATTLEMAN, SPOKESMAN TO/WASHINGTON AND FRIEND OF PRESIDENT/THEODORE ROOSEVELT. THE TOWN OF/QUANAH WAS NAMED FOR HIM IN 1890./ON A VISIT TO QUANAH, HE PRONOUNCED/HIS BLESSING ON THE TOWN HE CALLED/"MY TOWN". HIS EPITAPH READS, "RESTING/HERE UNTIL DAYS BREAKS AND SHADOWS/FALL AND DARKNESS DISAPPEARS IS/QUANAH PAKER, LAST CHIEF OF THE/COMANCHES."/(CIRCA 1845 - 1911)

(Bronze plaque on front of stele:) DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF/THE LAST GREAT COMANCHE/CHIEF, QUANAH PARKER. HE/PRONOUNCED THIS BLESSING ON/"HIS" TOWN QUANAH, TEXAS./"MAY THE GREAT SPIRIT SMILE/ON YOUR LITTLE TOWN, MAY THE/RAIN FALL IN SEASON, AND IN/THE WARMTH OF THE SUNSHINE/AFTER THE RAIN. MAY THE/EARTH YIELD BOUNTIFULLY. MAY/PEACE AND CONTENTMENT BE/WITH YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN/FOREVER." unsigned Founder's mark appears.

Commemorative stele of polished and buffed red granite with life-size etching of Comanche Chief Quanah Parker in the center. He stands in full Indian regalia with a moon and bald eagle in flight as a backdrop to his head. The stele includes a brief biography of the Indian leader and text of the blessing he gave the town in 1890. The stele is set on a concrete walkway with an adjacent walkway of 104 granite blocks inscribed with the names of sponsors.

Portrait male -- Parker, Quanah -- Full length

Ethnic -- Indian -- Comanche

Occupation -- Other -- Chief

Dress -- Ceremonial -- Indian Dress

Animal -- Bird -- Eagle

Landscape -- Celestial -- Moon

Outdoor Sculpture -- Texas -- Quanah

Administered by Quanah Chamber of Commerce, Recreational and Tourism Committee, 106 West 3rd Street, Quanah, Texas 79252

Located Southwest corner of 3rd & Main Streets, Quanah, Texas

The monument commemorates Quanah Parker, the last chief of the Comanches, for whom the city is named. It was erected by the Quanah Chamber of Commerce Monument Committee at a cost of $15,990, raised through the sale of the granite blocks around the walkway, inscribed with names of Hardeman County pioneers and present day citizens.

IAS files contain transcription of names on stele; and newspaper article from the Quanah Tribune-Chief, Sept. 19, 1991, pg. 1-2.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Texas survey, 1993.

Quanah Tribune-Chief, Sept. 19, 1991, pg. 1.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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