PIERRE – The Stock Judging Pavilion, also known as the South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum, in Brookings recently received a matching grant from the South Dakota State Historical Society, as announced by Jay D. Vogt, director of the Society.
“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,” Vogt said. “In 2019, we awarded $120,676 among nine projects which had matching funds of $327,812. The resulting total public-private investment is $448,488.”
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 at the Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre.
Built in 1918 as a livestock teaching facility, the Stock Judging Pavilion is located on the campus of South Dakota State University on the northwest corner of 11th Street and Medary Avenue. The building currently houses the South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum.
A $8,200 grant will be used to assist in a project to continue the restoration of the original wood windows on the building façade. They will be restoring the archway over the main door and three doors on the exterior. The work includes resetting the glass in the archway, repairing the damaged wood, and repainting the wood doors and trim.
The building was constructed by Sioux Falls Architect Joseph Schwarz in the Classical Revival style. It was built to reflect a growing interest in animal husbandry. In 1925, it was expanded to include the west wing, which had a classroom, abattoir and laboratory. In 1976, following the completion of the Animal Science Complex, the building was converted to the Agricultural Heritage Museum.
The Stock Judging Pavilion was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. It was listed for its significance in architecture, agriculture and education. The architecture is representative of institutional buildings of the early 1900s.
Because agriculture was a primary industry in South Dakota, the instruction in stock judging and meat science made a considerable contribution to the state’s economy. Graduates applied their knowledge to upgrade the quality of the state’s livestock, which improved livestock sales.
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 at the Cultural Heritage Center, 900 Governors Drive, Pierre, SD 57501-2217; 605-773-3458; or history.sd.gov/Preservation.
