A Historic Mansion Residing in the Heart of The Mother Road
SAPULPA, OKLA. – The Burnett Mansion has proudly stood tall for over a century, gracing Sapulpa, Oklahoma’s Main Street, since 1911. Sapulpa is known for its prime location on historic Route 66, which has garnered much attention over the past century and celebrates its 100th year anniversary in 2026.
One cannot help but notice the bright pop of colorful flowers adorning the lovely grounds at The Burnett Mansion in the warm spring and summer months, along with the freshly painted white siding that graces the centermost point, Burnett Mansion, on South Main Street, in the historic, tourist-welcoming town of Sapulpa, Oklahoma.
The Burnett Mansion is made up of over 7,000 square feet of charm, beauty, and history. I encountered the most amazing private tour with Executive Director, Jordan Ascencio. Like the historic Route 66, heart of the nation’s most scenic highway, this charming home has seen many years of love, attention, and likely some inattention, in her later years. It was not until 2020, the founder of The Kante Group, Joni Rogers-Kante, purchased the property and arduously began the long journey of restoring the Burnett Mansion to the showcasing beauty she once was.
Originally built as a private familial residence, the mansion now serves as a venue for weddings, retirement parties, holiday festivities, and other special events in and out of the quaint little town of Sapulpa. Many clients take advantage of the picturesque outdoor grounds at the Burnett Mansion for a lovely spring, summer or even fall wedding. Others prefer the warmth and history inside, surrounding the polished wooden staircase, a strikingly central focus of the mansion’s first floor.
While many events at The Burnett Mansion are lofty and lovely, ‘The Old Gal of Sapulpa’ also hosts Monday morning coffee time for anyone in Sapulpa’s midst. “Sometimes we have five guests, other times we have upwards of 30. Whether large or small, the weekly fellowship we provide is always special.” says Jordan Ascendio.
While the restoration list is seemingly endless, one can appreciate the progress that has been made in recent years, since The Make Sense Foundation has overtaken management, coupled with The Kante Group, who currently owns the mansion.
As we strode through each mammoth-sized room, I imagined the decades of stories this old mansion could share, in awe and with mouth agape at the unique features original to the home. There are so many nooks, crannies, and original antique features showcased in the mansion. On the first floor, a rectangular wooden box, known as a ‘Call Box’, once allowed for the master and mistress of the home to communicate needs with the servants without having to personally track them down. While no longer working, this archaic call box still hangs on the wall as an antique relic in which modern society has no use but enjoys the prompt toward nostalgic imagination.
The floral cushioned settee on the landing between the first floor and the second is the only original piece of furniture in the home. The floral pattern has been recreated, but the wooden structure holds true and attests to the strength and time-tested sturdiness of antique furniture from the late 1800s and early 1900s. The breathtaking stained-glass windows apparent throughout the home are all original Tiffany pieces, which can be found in nearly every room on each floor.
The adjoining rooms on the second floor once held the master bedroom. Presently, they have become the bridal preparation suite, complete with a featured satin ivory wedding gown, donated from the Sapulpa Historical Society & Museum.
The porcelain clawfoot tub located in the rambling bathroom on the second floor boasts the original water thermostat and pull feature, which I had never witnessed before. This bathroom was quite large for the period in which it was built. The original owner spared no expense or imagination when constructing the built-in storage structures in each closet, natural lighting allowed by the Tiffany stained-glass, and ample floor space to truly stretch out, unwind, and enjoy the historically modern comforts of the day.
Just off the bathroom, an understated door leads to a small balcony overlooking the back of the property. A second bathroom on the same floor showcases a historic-appearing black and white tile to resemble the popular aesthetic of the day. This bathroom contains an unusually short sink, thought to be made specially for the children of the original owners.
Ascendio surprised me by opening a door in the hallway, which proudly houses a dumbwaiter pulley system that runs from the first floor to the top floor of the mansion. She laughingly explained that she once taped her cell phone inside the dumbwaiter to test the range of motion for this archaic moving feature.
The top floor, complete with dormer windows facing each cardinal direction, is a true blank canvas of possibility. While building codes will not allow for more than fifty people at a time, Ascendio hopes to turn this space into a Swan Lake sort of atmosphere, utilizing the ballerina mannequins currently housed in the basement, as well as the lifelike swan figurines found elsewhere in the home.
After perusing the livable spaces of the home and those dedicated to the wedding venue offered at Burnett Mansion, Ascendio led me down the narrowly dismal former ‘servant’s stairs’ to the dark and dingy basement below. One particular door caught my attention. “That door leads to the tunnels the original owners had dug to each of the two homes they had built for their children.” said Ascendio. Yes, you read that correctly. Stemming from this mansion, in the very heart of the town of Sapulpa, is an underground tunnel system that leads from the mansion to two separate residences which were originally built with the intention of housing the owner’s grown children. One of the homes is an exact replica of The Burnett Mansion, but on a smaller scale. Both homes are located within a mile radius of the original Burnett Mansion and can be seen from the numerous balcony overlooks gracing the original mansion.
For more information on The Burnett Mansion, or to book your special event, please visit the website at: https://www.burnettmansion.com/ or contact the Executive Director, Jodan Ascendio, at (918) 734-6782 or via email at: [email protected].
