Historic Kiowa church burns down during Friday wildfires

The over 130-year-old historic Rainy Mountain Kiowa Indian church was destroyed during Friday's extreme weather around the Mountain View area.

Lily Painter, a Kiowa/Winnebago writer and undergraduate student from the University of Oklahoma, reached out to News 9 to share the unfortunate news affecting over 600 church community members.

In conversation, Painter explains how the place is more than a church. "It represents a lot of things that are gone now. The site itself is really sacred to Kiowa people. The mountain itself, Rainy Mountain, has been a source of inspiration," she said.

"It is a major loss for the Kiowa Tribe as a whole. The church historically has included notable Kiowa chiefs as members, as well as the late Kiowa Pulitzer Prize-winning author N. Scott Momaday."

A feature documentary was filmed and directed by notable Kiowa member Jill Scott Momaday, relating the life and legacy of her late husband featuring the sacred site.

"It's a super important part to the history of Oklahoma too. We kept the Kiowa language alive in that church. It's where the first Kiowa hymn was composed," Painter said.

Painter mentioned how important places of gathering are to the tribe, even welcoming unlikely visitors that only pass by.

"We have a group of bikers that come through every year and supports our taco sale. It's a community staple." she said.

A Gofundme site for people to connect and donate for the reconstruction of the storied church was created by Painter.

The donation page reads "The near-70 mph winds knocked down the power lines near the back of the church, creating a live wire spark. Due to the high winds it was difficult to contain the fire as it spread rapidly, engulfing the church in flames. The church had been standing since its November 1949 dedication after a previous fire in 1948."

The church was rebuilt once before, with the community coming together as it's doing now.

The site reads, "Proceeds will go towards rebuilding the church - including but not limited to: landscaping/clean up, wiring, plumbing, construction, AC/heat, pews, books/hymnals, etc."