Page 12 - Brookings, SD Historic Preservation Plan

Promotional materials from the 1920s encouraged persons to move
Main Street Brookings; from the South
Dakota Digital Archives (South Dakota
State Historical Society)
8 Brookings Historic Preservation Plan
to Brookings, a clean city of homes owned by people who take pride
in home maintenance. Many substantial homes were built between
1896 and 1902 in an area from Main to Sixth Avenues, between Sev-
enth and Eighth Streets.
In 1923, President Charles W. Pugsley completed the university
reorganization into the five divisions which formed the basis for the
designation of colleges. The city and the university have grown up
together and intertwined. This common development explains the
strong bond each has for the other, and the sometimes blurred lines
between them.
State College was renamed South Dakota State University (SDSU) in
1964. Near downtown, the SDSU campus encompasses many fine
buildings reflecting the diversity of architectural styles which domi-
nated collegiate architecture at the turn of the 20th century. Popular
styles included beaux arts and neo-classicism, both of which are well
represented on campus.
More than 80% of the central commercial district construction took
place between 1894 and 1928. Brick and concrete became the pri-
mary building materials, with fire-proofing a primary consideration,
as commercial structures were rebuilt to replace the simple wooden
frame structures built at the village’s inception. Six buildings were
constructed between 1930 and 1936, and a new business was added
each year between 1937 and 1940, with the last major commercial
construction activity in 1940 with the building of the Woolworth/
Stratton building and the College Theater.
Today, the Brookings Commercial Historic District showcases 59
buildings situated on low-lying level land, all built predominantly be-
tween 1894 and 1928. Influenced primarily by the early 20th Century
commercial brick front style, the district also contains vernacular
examples of late 19th century commercial, beaux arts classicism, and
art deco styles. Currently and historically the district has provided
commercial goods and services for residents of the community.
In 1985, the Brookings City Commission created the Historic Preser-
vation Commission by resolution. In 1989, the City Commission ad-
opted Ordinance 5-89 further acknowledging institutional awareness
of the importance of celebrating Brookings’ legacy. Ordinance 5-89
created a legal vehicle for safeguarding important aspects of Brook-
ings’ evolving stories. In the same year, the Brookings Historic Preser-
vation Commission became a member of the South Dakota Certified
Local Government Program.
Since its establishment, the Brookings Historic Preservation Commis-
sion has been active in its adoption of historic preservation tools, its
promotion of preservation education and in partnering with other
local groups and initiatives. The adoption of the original historic pres-
ervation plan in 1999 provided important direction for the program
for twenty years. This update to the Historic Preservation Plan builds
on preservation efforts over the last 35 years.