Petty Building aka Barnes–Shope South

🧱 Petty Building aka Barnes–Shope South


Address:  145 S. Chicago Street, Hot Springs, SD


 Date Built:  1889


 Architectural Style:  Sandstone commercial with segmented arch windows, two-story with decorative parapet


 Quarry:  Marty Quarry


📜 Historical Overview

The Petty Building is the southern portion of the unified Barnes–Shope block on the east side of South Chicago Street — and the oldest of the two. Built in 1889, this two-story structure is crafted from native Fall River sandstone sourced from the Marty Quarry, with rough-faced ashlar blocks typical of early Hot Springs architecture.


Although often grouped with the adjacent 1893 Odd Fellows building, the Petty Building predates it by four years, securing its place as one of the earliest surviving commercial buildings in the downtown core.


The building is believed to have ties to the Petty family, who were prominent in early Hot Springs development. Over the decades, it housed a variety of street-level businesses, apartments above, and later served as a pawn shop and briefly as The Gathering Place.


In 2012, a fire damaged the lower floor, and the building is currently unoccupied.


🏛 Material & Style Notes

  • Locally quarried Fall River sandstone (Marty Quarry)
  • Rough-faced blocks with minimal trim, segmental arches, and modest cornice detailing
  • Early Romanesque influences adapted to commercial scale


🏢 Past Tenants

  • Unknown early tenants (under investigation)
  • Upper-floor apartments (pre-2012 fire)
  • Fowler, Crum & Perdue
  • Pawn shop
  • The Gathering Place


🔍 Research Notes & Requests

Save Our Sandstone is still seeking:

  • Original builder or stonemason
  • Full list of early businesses (1889–1950)
  • Interior photographs prior to the 2012 fire
  • Confirmation of Petty family involvement


QR Code Info:  Built in 1889 of Marty Quarry sandstone, the Petty Building is the earliest section of the unified Barnes–Shope block on South Chicago Street. Its rough-faced ashlar, arched windows, and parapet reflect Hot Springs’ first wave of stone storefronts. Later joined by the 1893 Odd Fellows addition, the two remain linked on the National Register though separately owned. Over the years it housed shops, apartments, and offices; fire damage in 2012 left it vacant today.

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