Fort Pierre in Stanley County, South Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Stockgrowers Bank

May 14, 2023

1. Stockgrowers Bank Marker

Inscription. Incorporated in 1890, Fort Pierre was an important trade center for ranchers. Opening the Great Sioux Reservation to settlement further enhanced the community's business prospects. The Stockgrowers Bank started in a wooden building, but owners C. L. Millet and G. E. Sumner had big plans. They built one of Fort Pierre's most elegant Romanesque Revival structures to house their bank. The bank's prominent corner location and impressive architecture made it the center of commerce for the young community. Other tenants in the building included Fort Pierre's first telephone exchange, a land office, and local buffalo rancher Scotty Philip.

Fort Pierre's economic boom came at a steep price. The Great Sioux Reservation had initially included all of the land in South Dakota west of the Missouri River and Euro-American settlement in the area was prohibited. By the late 1880s, over 11 million acres of reservation land had been thrown open to settlement, displacing many American Indians.

Sponsored by the South Dakota State Historical Society, a Preserve America grant, and the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad Corporation.
Images courtesy of the South Dakota State Historical Society.

Erected by The South Dakota State Historical Society; a Preserve

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America grant and the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad Corporation.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce • Native Americans • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1890.

Location. 44° 21.264′ N, 100° 22.263′ W. Marker is in Fort Pierre, South Dakota, in Stanley County. Marker is on Deadwood Street north of East Main Avenue, on the right when traveling south. Marker is located beside the sidewalk, on the west side of Deadwood Street, near the northeast corner of the subject building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 34 East Main Avenue, Fort Pierre SD 57532, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Stockgrowers Bank of Fort Pierre (here, next to this marker); Andy's Meat Market (within shouting distance of this marker); Stanley County Courthouse Veteran's Memorial (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Stanley County Jail 1905 (about 700 feet away); The Fort Pierre Plain (about 800 feet away); Father Christian Hoecken, S.J. (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Lewis and Clark Expedition (approx. 0.2 miles away); Lewis and Clark First Sioux Nation Meeting (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fort Pierre.

More about this marker. Marker is

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 19, 2016

2. Stockgrowers Bank Marker

a large composite plaque, mounted horizontally, on waist-high posts.

Also see . . .
1. Stockgrowers Bank. The Stockgrowers Bank is the single example of Romanesque Revival architecture in Fort Pierre. The building represents an interesting and well-executed adaptation of the style to the needs of the small frontier community and is the most important commercial building erected in Fort Pierre during the 20th century. The cut sandstone foundation, polygonal corner tower with ornamental festoons, decorative brickwork and arched windows with brick keystones set it apart from the other buildings in town. (Submitted on October 14, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. Stockgrowers Bank. Charles L. Millett and his wife settled in Fort Pierre in 1890 when the Great Sioux Reservation opened to white settlement. They established squatter rights for their residence in April of that year and officially incorporated a banking enterprise at the corner of Deadwood and Main Streets, the future site of the Stockgrowers Bank. In 1903, Millett, along with Gaylord E. Sumner and James (Scotty) Philip, constructed the building and began the Stockgrowers Bank and a chain of associated banks in Midland, Philip, Kadoka, Cottonwood, and Milesville. (Submitted on October 14, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Marker detail: Stockgrowers Bank photos image. Click for full size.

3. Marker detail: Stockgrowers Bank photos

Building the foundation of the Stockgrowers Bank in 1903 (above left). The Stockgrowers Bank is on the left in this view of Deadwood Street, c. 1910 (above). The ornate bank window provided tellers with an elegant setting for serving their customers (left).

Marker detail: Stockyard photo image. Click for full size.

4. Marker detail: Stockyard photo

Fort Pierre had one of the largest stockyards in the state, creating a vital part of the local economy.

Stockgrowers Bank Marker (<i>wide view; marker located near northeast corner of building</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 19, 2016

5. Stockgrowers Bank Marker (wide view; marker located near northeast corner of building)

Stockgrowers Bank (<i>south / front view from Main Avenue</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 19, 2016

6. Stockgrowers Bank (south / front view from Main Avenue)

Stockgrowers Bank (<i>east side view from Deadwood Street</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 19, 2016

7. Stockgrowers Bank (east side view from Deadwood Street)

Stockgrowers Bank (<i>corner view from Main Avenue & Deadwood Street intersection</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 19, 2016

8. Stockgrowers Bank (corner view from Main Avenue & Deadwood Street intersection)

Credits. This page was last revised on May 27, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 11, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 117 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on May 26, 2023. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on October 14, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 7. submitted on October 30, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 8. submitted on October 14, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.