Pipestone Commercial Historic District

This historic district was originally approved by the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Pipestone Commercial Historic District

Pipestone, Minnesota 56164, United States

Created By: Pipestone County Historical Society

Tour Information

Pipestone Commercial Historic District was orignally recognized by the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The character of the district is derived from the extensive use of Sioux quartzite as a building material. Sioux quartzite is an exceedingly hard stone which varies in color from dark red to light pink depending on the location of the quarry.

Most of the pivotal buildings in the district were built in the 1890s by local tradesmen in the vernacular style with some Italianate and Romanesque architectural details. Contrasting colors of Sioux quartzite were often used to decorate the facades of the buildings.

The visual continuity of the district is also derived from the common height and scale of the buildings. The pivotal Sioux quartzite buildings are generally two to three stories in height. Complementary buildings built around the 1930s generally are of the same height and scale.


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What You'll See on the Tour

Pipestone's City Hall building was designed by South Dakota architect Wallace Dow.  It was constructed in 1896 of locally quarried Sioux quartzite.  It took seven months and $7,822 to build and the keys were handed over to the City in D... Read more
The 25' x 85' Moore Block was built in 1896.  The building is designed in a two-story Romanesque influenced style.  It was constructed of Sioux quartzite.  The 14 gargoyle-type sculptures, carved by local artist and businessman L.H. Moor... Read more
This building has commonly been called the "L" due to the shape of its original construction around the Moore Block on the corner, originally there were storefronts on both Main Street and Hiawatha Avenue.  It was built in 1896, a one-st... Read more
This imposing building was built in 1898 for A.D. Ferris on lots where three frame buildings were removed.  It was to be 32' x 90', three stories high and constructed of Sioux quartzite.  Its architectural style was influenced by Richard... Read more
This 24-foot wide Sioux quartzite structure was built for Fraser Mackay in a Romanesque influenced style.  The focal point of the two-story building is the second floor oriel window.  There is also a small white namestone in the upper wes... Read more
The Calumet Inn was built in 1887-1888 as a three-story Sioux quartzite structure, providing a corner space for a bank and accommodations for 50 guests.  The stonework was in a style known as broken ashlar.  The outstanding features of t... Read more
This two-story Sioux quartzite building was built in 1896 for F.A.Walker.  The metal cornice and polished name/date stone are two distinctive features of the building.  The second-story oriel window is a replica of the original one, rest... Read more
A one-story brick building was built for J.W. Cook's drug store in 1914.  The 25' x 90' building has a dark artistic brick facade.  The outstanding features of this building are the decorative brick arrangements on the front facade and th... Read more
Joseph Keyes had these two buildings built in 1916.  The west building was one-story, 25' x 100', and was constructed with Twin Cities faded brick.  The main features are the peaked brick cornice and the two diamond shapes in the front fa... Read more
This 25' x 80' two-story Sioux quartzite structure was built in 1890.  It features two short pyramidal quartzite capitals that sit on each side of the cornice with "18" on the east side and "90" on the west.   The first floor's windows a... Read more
This three-story 54' x 90' Sioux quartzite structure was built in 1893.  The outstanding features of the building are the pointed window arches on the third floor and the large stone spheres on the east and west ends of the roof.  The fir... Read more
J.H. Austin's two-story Sioux quartzite building was built in 1902.  Its outstanding features are three rows of checkerboard, alternating light and dark quartzite, around the top of the building.  The main floor facade has been greatly al... Read more
Built in 1912, Pipestone's first hospital was located in this story-and-a-half, 25' x 50' building.  The first floor was constructed of Sioux quartzite.  The gable wall has a recessed arch, fish scale shingles, and a fanlight window over ... Read more
The Syndicate Block has the distinction of being the largest and oldest Sioux quartzite building in Pipestone's Commercial Historic District.  It was built in 1884, a two-story building constructed at a cost of $25,000 for three separate ... Read more
This building was constructed in two sections.  The original east section of this two-story Sioux quartzite building was constructed in 1889.  The International Order of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F) began renting the second floor in 1892 and pur... Read more
Architect Wallace Dow also designed this two-story neo-classic Sioux quartzite building.  Built in 1898 for First National Bank, the original facade had molded concrete pilasters and a dramatic, rounded Sioux quartzite arch with a light-c... Read more
In 1899, architect Wallace Dow designed this two-story Sioux quartzite building for owners Mr. Ober and Mr. Hubbard.  Outstanding features include the Sioux quartzite dentils, rounded window arches with light-colored quartzite keystones, a... Read more
Joseph Schwartz was the architect for this ivory terra cotta fronted building.  It was built for H. Thompson & Gus Bussis in 1919 for their ice cream parlor.  The facade of the building is a combination of Art Deco and Neo-Classic sty... Read more
P.J. Lindhoff was the architect for this massive, neoclassical Greek Revival style building.  Built for First National Bank, it was completed in 1916.  The use of the buff-colored Bedford limestone in the construction and the name "First ... Read more

 

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