ABERDEEN, S.D.(Press Release)— The Brown County Courthouse in Aberdeen recently was awarded a matching grant from the South Dakota State Historical Society, as announced by Jenna Carlson Dietmeier, interim State Historic Preservation Officer.
The grants are awarded through the State Historical Society’s Deadwood Fund grant program. Funding for the program is from Deadwood gaming revenue earmarked by state law for historic preservation projects throughout the state. The program is administered by the society’s State Historic Preservation Office in Pierre.
The Brown County Courthouse, located at 101 1st Avenue SE, Aberdeen, was awarded a $20,000 Deadwood Fund grant to assist with completing masonry and sheet metal repairs to the bell tower as well as work on the belfry, including replacing the rotting wood ceiling. Other work will take place on the exterior of the building including masonry cleaning, patchwork, and tuckpointing of masonry joints.
The Brown County Courthouse was built in 1904 and is individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The courthouse is a Renaissance Revival Style building and is three stories tall made with cut Berea sandstone. Atop the building is a dome which features four ornate clocks facing each direction, and a copper statue of Justice rises above the building. Since its construction, the Brown County Courthouse has been the center of government for the county and an Aberdeen landmark.
“This historic preservation grants program is designed to encourage restoration or rehabilitation of historic properties and is one more way we can promote and protect our history and culture”, said Jenna Carlson Dietmeier, interim State Historic Preservation Officer.
These new recipients represent a total award amount of $75,000. These figures will be included in the 2024 year-end totals.
Deadwood Fund grants are awarded twice a year, with grant application deadlines of Feb. 1 and Oct. 1. They are reviewed at the spring and winter meetings of the State Historical Society’s board of trustees. For more information on the Deadwood Fund grant program, contact the State Historic Preservation Office in Pierre; telephone (605) 773-3458; or website history.sd.gov/Preservation.