Mayborn Partners with Wichita and Affiliated Tribes to Build New Grass House

Derek Ross unloads bundles of big bluestem grass at a Waco warehouse on Sept. 29, 2025. Some 200 bundles of grass from a Lee County prairie were harvested to form a replica grass house, typical of the Waco people, as part of an expansion of the Mayborn Museum at Baylor University. Credit: Justin Hamel / The Waco Bridge / CatchLight Local / Report for America

The Mayborn Museum Complex is honored to be featured in a recent story by The Waco Bridge highlighting our partnership with the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes to construct an authentic Wichita grass house as part of our upcoming Cultural Crossroads exhibition.

The article, written by Raquel Villatoro, explores the collaborative effort to build a traditional thatched grass house using historically accurate materials and techniques. Wichita tribal member Derek Ross and fellow artisans are leading the project, harvesting big bluestem grass and preparing for construction inside the museum. The structure will open in April as a centerpiece of Cultural Crossroads, the first phase of the Mayborn’s major renovation and expansion.

This project represents far more than an exhibit addition. It is a meaningful collaboration focused on cultural preservation, historical accuracy, and education. By working directly with Wichita knowledge keepers, the Mayborn is helping document and pass down traditional building techniques to younger generations while sharing the deep history of the Waco people with our community.

We are grateful to The Waco Bridge for telling this important story and shining a light on the people, partnerships, and purpose behind the project.

Read the full feature on The Waco Bridge’s website.