Page 15 - Microsoft Word - Fort Pierre Historic Homes Bldgs (December 2020)

stage with a door that opened up for serving the meal), dances, Hotel Gordon
roller skating, plays, and even basketball games during the early E. 108 N. Deadwood
1940’s when the high school burned in 1940.

As the oldest continuous settlement in South Dakota, Fort Pierre
occupies a unique place in South Dakota’s history and the
Verendrye Museum brings this long and colorful history to life with
displays that will capture the imagination of young and old alike.
Exhibits include a country store, an original telephone operator’s
station and post office boxes, a telephone booth and array of
period telephones, displays of home furnishings and horse-drawn
carriages, an extensive array of local saddles and cowboy hats, as
well as photographs, sewing machines, pianos, hand-crafted
items, homestead tools, Native American artifacts, historical trail
signs, guns, period wardrobe pieces, rocks, fossils, etc.

The museum also offers exhibit items relating to
many of Stanley County’s most famous and
colorful characters, including Scotty Philip and This building was built as a hotel in 1907 and has been used as a
his world famous buffalo herds, other rodeo hardware store, a dance hall, and a bar. For many years, Duffy’s
riders/performers, and many local folks who Café was located on the first floor. At one time, Scotty Philip had
nd
were true pioneers in opening the country west an office on the 2 Floor.
of the Missouri River for settlement. While
offering a wealth of information to accompany The upper floors are currently under renovation for apartment
its holdings, walking through the museum retains all the charm living.
and excitement of discovering treasures in your grandmother’s
attic.

The Verendrye Museum building is owned by the City of Fort
Pierre and managed by a volunteer board of directors, with
financial support from memberships, donations, visitors,
businesses, city and county entities and the community at large.
Verendrye Museum, Inc., also operates the Fort Pierre Depot, Log
Cabin Visitor Center, Sansarc Country School Museum, and 1905
Stanley County Jail.

This building is on the National Register of Historic Places

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