Brookings Historic Preservation Commission

05/30/2026

As we close out Archeology and Historic Preservation month, we have a combination architectural term and question for you!
The term is "Cornerstone."
Definition: The cornerstone is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation. It was typically set where two walls met and was engraved with the date to commemorate when the building was constructed.
Do you know what building was built in Brookings in 1894 and has the cornerstone shown in the photo below?

05/28/2026

Let's talk building materials. "Back in the day" it was more feasible to construct buildings out of materials that were local to the area. This building was first constructed in 1900 as the Bank of Brookings. It now houses George's Pizza where you can take a seat in the old bank vault. The building's facade includes a type of stone that is local to southeastern South Dakota. Do you know the name of this stone?

05/26/2026

It's the last week of Archaeology and Historic Preservation Month. Don't forget to stop by the Brookings Public Library to see our display of a map of the Brookings historic downtown as it was in 1928 and historic pictures of buildings that were built before 1930. These buildings are part of the Brookings Commercial Historic District and the Brookings Central Historic District and helped "Build Brookings' History."

05/20/2026

It's still Archeology and Historic Preservation Month - so it's time for another architecture term: Cast Stone.
Definition: Cast stone is a building material made of fine to coarse aggregates, Portland cement, sand, mineral oxide color pigments, chemical admixtures and water. It is used to to simulate natural-cut masonry. It is distinguished by its fine surface texture and is available in virtually any color.
Cast stone is comparable to precast concrete, in that it arrives to the building site already in the exact shape you expect it to, whereas in the past, real stone would have been site-hewn to the shape necessary. Cast stone, like that shown on the Brookings Furniture Co building (long-time formerly Rude’s), is easy to spot, and is possibly the quirkiest example of cast stone in town.

05/18/2026

Do you know what downtown building has this architectural detail?
Hint: It's not on the main drag but used to be the center of the city government.

05/15/2026

Did you know that the South Dakota State Historical Society has a webpage with information on grants, tax incentives, and other funding opportunities that might help you with your restoration project on your historic property? Check it out:

Funded by a portion of the gambling revenue generated in Deadwood, South Dakota. Grants ranging from $1,000 to $25,000 given to projects that retain, restore, or rehabilitate historic buildings, structures, and archaeology sites in South Dakota for commercial, residential, or public purposes.

05/14/2026

Thank you South Dakota State Historical Society for the information on rehabilitation standards!

When one has a historic building in front of them, deciding how to preserve it or adapt it for a new use can be a complex process of assessment, gathering expertise, and creative problem-solving. The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation are a go-to benchmark to aid in decision-making and find solutions that maintain the historic qualities that make such places special.

The National Park Service has new training webinars available about the Standards -- both for general approaches and videos that focus on commonly rehabilitated property types: schools, theaters and places of worship, Post-WWII office buildings, and Main Street commercial buildings.

Find the webinars at: https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1739/training-the-standards.htm

Find the Standards themselves at: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/taxincentives/secretarys-standards-rehabilitation.htm
And more detailed Standards guidance documents sorted "By Topic": https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1739/preservation-by-topic.htm

Image: Screenshot of the webinar website.

05/13/2026

Are you ready for some more architecture terms? Here's one for this week: Rafter Tails.
Definition: Rafter ends that overhang the bearing walls and are located under the eaves.
Exposed rafter tails were common of the craftsman/bungalow style of architecture that lasted roughly between 1900 and 1930, but haven’t really been seen since then. Queen Annes and other Victorian houses predating craftsman generally soffited the rafter tails, as did Prairie style, which usually had strong horizontal soffit lines. Post-WW1 and WW2 housing, with a focus on affordability and easy lifestyle, almost always soffited the eaves. There is some interest in new home design for exposed rafter tails, but the fear of [any] home maintenance keeps this fun detail, and many other craftsman details, out of mind with the general public.

05/11/2026

Are you planning work on your historic property and finding it hard to find matching replacement materials? Here's a resource to help you evaluate the use of substitute materials in your historic building:

https://www.nps.gov/subjects/taxincentives/evaluating-substitute-materials.htm

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05/09/2026

Built in 1919 as the First National Bank, this building had been renamed to the Northwest Security National Bank before it was famously robbed by Ben and Stella Mae Dickson on October 31, 1938. They got away with over $17,000 in cash and stocks valued at more than $16,000. The building remained a bank until 1972 when the Wells Fargo moved to its current location.