🧱 Transfer, Feed & Fuel Building

Address:  243 North River Street, Hot Springs, SD

Built:  1909–1910

First Occupant:  Transfer, Feed & Fuel Company offices; U.S. Post Office (1910–1932)

Later Uses:  Variety store, electrical supply office, grocery, department store

Current Occupant (2025):  Vacant

Sandstone Quarry:  Unknown (still under investigation)

Architect:  Unknown

Contractor:  Unknown

Architectural Style:  Early 20th-century commercial sandstone

📜 Historical Overview

Commissioned by the Transfer, Feed & Fuel Company, this two-story sandstone commercial building was constructed between 1909 and 1910 just south of City Hall. Its 50-by-90-foot symmetrical façade, defined by prominent stone pilasters separating arched openings, reflected the city’s early commercial confidence. Although many original openings have since been filled with glass block, the decorative modillions along the cornice and original transomed doorways at the corners still convey its early 20th-century character.

The U.S. Post Office relocated here on April 1, 1910, with the new facility offering 400 lockboxes (plus space for 100 more) and outfitted with brass fixtures. The south storefront served as the post office entrance. Upstairs, living quarters for tenants made the building a true mixed-use property.

Over the years, the building housed a variety of businesses, including:

• A.W. Riordan – early resident and tenant
• Mrs. G.C. Ridenbacher – variety store
• R.B. Greenwood – electrical supply office
• B&M Grocery – opened in 1921 by W.J. Beck and John Mueller
• Fowler, Crum & Perdue – department store (later moved to the Petty Building)

A 1929 Hot Springs Star article noted green-painted wood trim on the south storefront and post office entrance, evidence of ongoing upkeep during the interwar years.

🏛 Architectural Notes

• Two-story native sandstone construction
• Symmetrical façade with pilasters and recessed entries
• Corner and south doorways retain original transoms
• Decorative modillions at the roofline
• Later infill with glass block
• Stone consistent with other Hot Springs sandstone structures of the period, but quarry source remains unconfirmed

📍 Later Uses & Current Status

After the post office moved to its dedicated Chicago Street building in 1932, the structure continued in retail use, adapting to changing tenants while retaining its original footprint and massing.

🔍 Research Notes & Requests

Save Our Sandstone is still seeking:

• Identity of the original stonemason or quarry source
• Historic photographs of the post office interior
• Documentation of second-floor residential arrangements during the postal era

QR Code Info:  The Transfer, Feed & Fuel Building once housed the U.S. Post Office, shops, and apartments upstairs, making it a true mixed-use landmark in downtown Hot Springs. Its two-story sandstone façade, framed by pilasters, arched openings, and cornice modillions, reflects early 20th-century commercial pride. Over time it served as a variety store, electrical office, grocery, and department store.