The Government Building
N 43° 32.578 W 096° 43.600
14T E 683658 N 4823623
In 1891 the US Government purchased the SE corner lot on Phillips Ave, & 12th St. for $8000 for the construction of a govt. building.
Waymark Code: WMC78
Location: South Dakota, United States
Date Posted: 05/08/2006
Views: 3
The monumental Romanesque U.S. Courthouse in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, embodied and validated the federal government’s faith in westward expansion. The U.S. Government purchased a two-lot parcel on Phillips Ave. & 12th St. dedicated to the construction of a Federal building in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on July 22, 1891. South Dakota’s first senator, Richard Pettigrew, introduced a bill to fund the structure, recommending that native Sioux quartzite be used for its construction. W.J. Edbrooke, Supervising Architect of the Treasury and architect for the original portion of the building, designed it to house a post office on the entry level and a courthouse on the second floor. Originally constructed between 1892 and 1895, the building was expanded in 1911 and again in 1931.
In the early 1890s, South Dakota was a young state that had recently witnessed a major conflict between the U.S. Army and Native Americans at Wounded Knee. The construction of a Federal building at Sioux Falls was intended to create a sense of stability and permanence among the newly arrived settlers.
Since its construction, the federal building has been a landmark in the downtown area, where it occupies most of an entire city block. In May 1995, the Centennial Observance of the building was held to celebrate 100 years of service to the federal government. During the celebration, the building was rededicated and a historical marker, provided by the Minnehaha County Historical Society, was unveiled. At the same time, the building was officially renamed as the U.S. Court- house. Historic memorabilia, photographs, and art were displayed throughout the building.
Marker Name: The Government Building
Marker Type: City
Marker Text: Not listed
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