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

Date Built: 1891

First Occupant: Fall River County Courthouse

Current Occupant: Fall River Country Courthouse

Contractor: Fred T. Evans awarded the contract in the amount of $23,000

Sandstone Quarry: Evan's Quarry, Fall River County, SD, the largest of the pink sandstone quarries, located 5 miles east of Hot Springs.

Architect: Charles P. Brown received a commission of 2.5% of the contract price

Architectural Style: The Fall River County Courthouse represents a local adaptation of the Richardsonian and Romanesque Style of Architecture. General characteristics of this form of architecture include a broad roof plan, an emphasis on massiveness, and round, arched openings. The architect designed this asymmetrical building with a denticulated cornice, Flemish gabled wall dormers, and a central square tower. Highlighting the tower is a round arched arcade with slender Doric columns. The tallest structure in the business district, the Courthouse originally had a small turret, but maintenance was so difficult it was removed. Notice the distinct patterns to the laying of the sandstone. The building practice was to cut a card to the dimension of each stone for its specific place. A mason on the ground would tool the stone which then would be hoisted to the mason working on the walls above. The stone would be set in place with “pointing” the mortar between blocks. Columnar trim is composed of extensions of structural blocks, cut by hand, to add decoration to the façade.

History: Hot Springs was established as a county seat in 1884. On February 4th, 1891, the Fall River County Board of Commissioners ordered a special election be held on February 24th, 1891, to determine the question of a new courthouse and jail including the purchase of a site for the buildings. Election results supported the effort, and by May 30th, 1891, the location selected was in controversy. However, by August 21st, 1891, work began on the new Fall River County Courthouse and jail with the walls reported to have reached the second story by October 30th, 1891. Two months later the third story was under construction. The offices were moved into beginning January 6th, 1892, followed by the Courthouse being formally accepted as built by the contractor on January 22nd, 1892, and in accordance with the plans and specifications adopted by the Board of Commissioners. Due to legal delays in payments by Fall River County to Evans, the South Dakota Supreme Court decided the case on June 30th, 1893, in favor of Evans and ordered payments be made to him for construction of the Courthouse. Lighting was installed into the Courthouse structure in the early 1900’s. The original stairway to the front door, coming up from both sides and made of wood, was in a state of disrepair and the Board of Commissioners were not taking action to fix them. It was through a judge’s order in 1917 that the Sheriff was directed to have them repaired and they remain in place as they are today. The Courthouse did not raise a US Flag until April 5th, 1918, because the Board of Commissioners would not buy one. A judge ordered the Fall River County Commissioners to order one and the flagpole was erected. In 1927, an addition was added to the Courthouse to serve as the State’s Attorney offices. The entrance was remodeled, and a handrail installed on the stairway in 1966 with further remodeling of the interior undertaken in November 1968 at a cost that exceeded the original building construction amount of $23,000.

Helen Magee Archives for the Fall River County Courthouse

QR Code Info: Hot Springs was established as a county seat in 1884. A special election was held on 2/24/1891 to determine the question of a new courthouse and jail including a site for the buildings. By 8/21/1891 work began. Offices were moved into beginning 1/6/1892. The original stairway to the front door, coming up from both sides and made of wood, was in a state of disrepair, the Board of Commissioners were not taking action to fix them. It was through a judge’s order in 1917 that the Sheriff was directed to have them repaired and they remain in place as they are today.