Children's Home Society of South Dakota

Children's Home Society of South Dakota. . , Here stood the landmark Children's Home Society of South Dakota (CHS) "house of stone" orphanage, erected in 1901. Designed by Wallace Dow., CHS began in 1893, operating out of a rented house in central Sioux Falls, as co-founders William and Elizabeth Sherrard worked to find adoptive homes for children who were abused, abandoned, or orphaned due to unfortunate circumstances. They also provided temporary care for many others., In 1898, William began to press the Board of Directors to do something about the increasingly crowded conditions. Following a period of careful planning, fundraising efforts began which included the introduction of a bill to the state legislature to secure free building stone , Sioux Falls quartzite , using prison labor from the South Dakota State Penitentiary., On January 23, 1902, the Sherrards, their staff, and 20 children in their care made the long-awaited move to the landmark orphanage. Over 10,000 children from infancy to age 18 passed through the doors of the orphanage for temporary care or placement with a new adoptive family., The orphanage on East 10th Street closed in 1968 when CHS moved to a larger facility located at 15th Street and Western Avenue. The landmark building was razed in 1973.