Sikes House is the official residence of the university's president. The home was built between July 1939 and November 1940 by Mr. Louis Sikes, an oilman and rancher, and his wife Glenna. The architectural firm of Goodwin and Tatum of Dallas designed the home, and Harry Naylor of Wichita Falls constructed it.
Wooden moldings around doorways and windows in the formal areas were hand-crafted on site from Washington State timber. Besides the hand-crafted woodwork, two of the home's most striking interior features are found in the foyer: an eighteen-foot window on the south wall and a helical staircase, noted for its delicate ironwork and slender brass banister that curves in front of the window midway up the stairs.
The university purchased the property from Mr. and Mrs. Sikes in 1971. From 1974 forward the home has served as the president's private residence and as the site of official receptions and dinners hosted by the president. In November of 1991 the home's official name became Sikes House.