🧱 Fall River County Courthouse

Address:  906 North River Street, Hot Springs, SD 57747

Built:  1891

First Occupant:  Fall River County Courthouse

Current Occupant:  Fall River County Courthouse

Architect:  Charles P. Brown (commissioned at 2.5% of contract price)

Contractor:  Fred T. Evans (awarded contract for $23,000)

Sandstone Quarry:  Evans Quarry, Fall River County, SD — the largest of the pink sandstone quarries, located five miles east of Hot Springs

Architectural Style:  Local adaptation of Richardsonian Romanesque

📜  Historical Overview

Hot Springs was designated the county seat in 1884, and by the early 1890s, demand for a permanent courthouse had grown. On February 4, 1891, the Fall River County Board of Commissioners called a special election to decide whether to construct a new courthouse and jail and to purchase a site for the buildings. Voters approved the measure on February 24.

Although the building site was briefly disputed, construction began on August 21, 1891. By late October, the sandstone walls had reached the second story; by December, the third story was underway. Offices moved in on January 6, 1892, and the building was formally accepted from the contractor on January 22, 1892. Legal disputes over payment to contractor Fred T. Evans delayed final settlement until June 30, 1893, when the South Dakota Supreme Court ruled in his favor.

Designed by Charles P. Brown, the courthouse is an asymmetrical example of Richardsonian Romanesque with a denticulated cornice, Flemish gabled wall dormers, and a central square tower. The tower’s round-arched arcade is supported by slender Doric columns. Originally topped with a small turret (later removed due to maintenance difficulty), the building was constructed with Evans Quarry sandstone, carefully cut and fitted in distinctive patterns.

In the early 1900s, lighting was installed. The original double-sided wooden front stairway fell into disrepair, and in 1917, a judge ordered the sheriff to repair it — the same stairs still in use today. The courthouse flew its first U.S. flag on April 5, 1918, again under judicial order after the county board initially refused to purchase one. A 1927 addition provided offices for the State’s Attorney. The entrance was remodeled with a handrail in 1966, and interior renovations in 1968 cost more than the original construction.

📍  Modern Era

Today, the Fall River County Courthouse remains the tallest building in Hot Springs’ business district and continues to serve as the seat of county government, standing as a testament to the region’s sandstone heritage and civic history.

🔍  Research Notes & Requests

Save Our Sandstone is still seeking:

• Historic photographs of the courthouse during construction
• Documentation of the original turret’s removal
• Detailed records of the 1968 renovation

QR Code Info:  Fall River County Courthouse, built in 1892 from Evans Quarry sandstone, is the tallest building in Hot Springs’ business district. Designed by architect Charles P. Brown in the Richardsonian Romanesque style, it has served as the heart of county government for more than 130 years and remains a proud landmark of Fall River County’s sandstone heritage.