Rapid City Historic Commercial District

The Rapid City Historic Commercial District, sometimes called the Rapid City Downtown Historic District, is a 21-acre (8.5 ha), multi-block historic district in downtown Rapid City, South Dakota, United States. It includes 47 commercial buildings dating from the late 19th to early 20th centuries that formed the core of Rapid City's early economy. It was first listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 and then expanded to its current size in 1998. Description The historic district spans across multiple blocks in the center of downtown Rapid City. 10 acres (4.0 ha) of Main, Saint Joseph, 6th, and 7th Streets formed the rough boundaries of the original 1974 listing, with 38 properties on both sides of the streets included, although some buildings on 5th Street were also included. These buildings were constructed between 1881 and 1924. The district expanded by 11 acres (4.5 ha) in 1998 to encompass 50 contributing and 22 non-contributing properties and pushed the western and eastern boundaries out to Mount Rushmore Road and 5th Street, respectively. The years of significance were also increased to between 1876 and 1948. The district was again surveyed in 2017, which updated its total contributing properties to 47 and non-contributing properties to 21. It also removed several noncontributing properties included in the 1998 boundary increase. On the corners of many intersections in the district, there are bronze statues of U.S. Presidents. These are part of a Rapid City art exhibit known as the City of Presidents. Architecture The buildings in the Rapid City Historic Commercial District represent a broad range of purposes and architectural styles. Most properties historically served—and continue to serve—a commercial purpose, but some have been used for governmental, civic, agricultural, industrial, or entertainment functions. The first buildings were typically first constructed out of timber frames before later being replaced by more permanent stone and brick structures. Between 1880 and 1900, non-wooden buildings were usually done in the Renaissance Revival, Italianate, Romanesque Revival, and Queen Anne architectural styles. After the turn of the 20th century, fashions gave way to Neoclassical, Beaux Arts, Chicago School, and American Craftsman. Buildings from the interwar period favored more utilitarian Art Deco, International, or Moderne architecture styles. Buildings from any era might display eclectic or vernacular features. History As white American settlers moved west into the Black Hills in the 1870s, entrepreneurs began looking to build settlements that would serve as hubs of commerce and transport. Rapid City was founded in 1876 on the banks of Rapid Creek, today located a few blocks north of the modern historic district. The arrival of railroads over the next two decades caused a population boom and created a rapidly growing economy. Banks, grocers, lawyers, pharmacies, and many other retail and commercial ventures started up in the downtown core to meet the needs of the growing population. Other properties served as hotels, lodges, or apartments. As the county seat, Rapid City also required multiple government and civic buildings; the first city hall was located at 616 6th Street. The old fire hall also served as a police headquarters; today it is a restaurant, the theming of which calls back to its firehouse roots. Contributing properties Significant contributing properties Hotel Alex Johnson The Hotel Alex Johnson is a centerpiece contributing property to the district. The eight-story hotel was one of the tallest buildings in the state when constructed in 1927. Buell Building Located at 630 Saint Joseph Street, The Buell Building was finished in 1888 by the Lakota Banking & Investment Co. Its namesake, Charles Buell, purchased it in 1901 to establish his law offices. It was further expanded in 1925 to its present size. The Buell Building is considered one of the best examples of architecture in the district. Much of the original building has been preserved, although renovations on the first floor have replaced much of the original brick and windows. Most notably, the building features an oriel window topped with an onion dome inspired by architecture in Eastern Europe. The rest of its architecture is classed as an eclectic mix of Italianate, Romanesque Revival, and Queen Anne. Windsor Block This trio of buildings at 625, 627, and 629 St. Joseph Street, called the Windor Block, was created by businessman Robert Flormann in 1886. All three buildings are mostly identical and reflect Italianate and Commercial architectural styles. They would eventually become the Donaldson's Store, Rapid City's first department store and a core of its retail infrastructure. In the 1950s, the block was broken up into three separate compartments for retail space. Only 625 was included in the original listing; the other two addresses were ineligible due to remodeling works that had obscured much of the front facades. The original style was restored in the late 2000s and early 2010s and the last two addresses were subsequently added to the listing. Elks Building The Elks Building, located at 512 6th Street, was designed by J.P. Eisentraut in 1911 for use as a meetinghouse by the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. The opening ceremony was held on August 30, 1911. The Elks also built a theater inside, which opened on June 6, 1912, with a showing of "The Flirting Princess"; this also led to the building itself being referred to as the Elks Theatre, by which name it is still known today. Later, it hosted various businesses, including the United National Bank and the Bible and Book Store on its ground floor. The Elks sold it to a private developer in 1972, who continued to use it as a social club. Today, it still operates as a theater. It was included in the historic district's initial establishment in 1974. It is a three-story brick structure, and is both Neoclassical and Spanish Colonial Revival in style, although the windows are Chicago School-based. Italianate Trio This block of three Italianate-style buildings on St. Joseph Street was built in 1886. The three buildings are the Lambert and Frease Building, at 608–610 St. Joseph; the Flormann Building at 612–614 St. Joseph; and 616–618 St. Joseph. Like the Windsor Block, these buildings are all identical. Other contributing properties Properties below are listed in a clockwise direction, beginning at the intersection of Main and 5th Streets in the northeast corner of the district. References