The reconstructed Caddo house built in 1982 was intended to last 30-40 years but vandalism and storms shortened its life. Vandals damaged the structure in 1990, requiring repairs, and it was closed to visitors in 1995 for safety reasons. In 2005, archaeologists placed artifacts in the unstable house and documented them before burning it down, as the Caddo people traditionally demolished unstable structures, leaving remnants of pots and other items.

1. The Caddo Hut
The reconstructed Caddo house was built in 1982. It was thought that this
structure would last 30-40 years. However, vandalism and storm damage
shortened the life of the house. Vandals cut out one of the storage lofts in 1990
and this seriously weakened the structure. Temporary repairs involved placing
metal fence posts inside the house to keep it from falling over. Visitors could still
go inside the house until the summer of 1995, when the park staff had to stop
public access to the structure for safety reasons.
It is thought that the Caddo would demolish an unstable structure by
burning. In an attempt to continue the original experiment, archaeologists placed
pots, seeds, matting, bone, and other items in the house. These items were
documented and mapped and the house was then burned down on Sunday,
November 6, 2005. The house burned in less than 15 minutes, leaving a 1-2 foot
tall pile of ash on the ground. After a few days, rain and wind washed away most
of the ash, leaving the reconstructed pots and some other items visible on the
ground.