South Dakota Historical Society awards six historic preservation grants

PIERRE Historic preservation projects in Aberdeen, Dell Rapids, Garretson, Geddes, Pierre and Vermillion recently were awarded matching grants from the South Dakota State Historical Society.

The grants are awarded through the State Historical Societys Deadwood Fund grant program. Funding for the program is from Deadwood gaming revenue earmarked by state law for historic preservation projects throughout the state. The program is administered by the societys State Historic Preservation Office in Pierre.

This historic preservation grants program is designed to encourage restoration or rehabilitation of historic properties and is one more way we can promote and protect our history and culture, said Jenna Carlson Dietmeier, interim state historic preservation officer.

The following projects were the most recent to be awarded grants to supplement their work:

• Aberdeen: Brown County Courthouse, built in 1904, was awarded $20,000 for repairs to the bell tower and masonry and tuckpointing work to the buildings exterior;
• Dell Rapids: First National Bank of Dell Rapids, built in 1889, was awarded $14,000 for tuckpointing to provide better structural integrity and basement rehabilitation;
• Garretson: Split Rock Bathhouse, built in 1936, was awarded $9,000 for rehabilitation work including caulk and tuckpointing on cracked mortar joints;
• Geddes: Papineau Trading Post, built in 1857, was awarded $5,000 for stabilization work including adding support beams to support the upper floor;
• Pierre: Farr House, built in 1904, was awarded $13,000 for repair and reconstruction of damaged historic box gutter, fascia, and soffit; and
• n Vermillion: Vermillion Carnegie Library, built in 1904, was awarded $14,000 for building stabilization, prioritizing the rehabilitation of the damaged cupola.

These new recipients represent a total award amount of $75,000. These figures will be included in the 2024 year-end totals. Deadwood Fund grants are awarded twice a year with grant application deadlines of Feb. 1 and Oct. 1.

They are reviewed at the spring and winter meetings of the State Historical Societys board of trustees. For more information on the Deadwood Fund grant program, contact the State Historic Preservation Office in Pierre at 605-773-3458 or history.sd.gov/preservation/fundingopportunities.aspx.