[PAGE 1] Historic Preservation Commission 03-03-26 Agenda City Council Chambers, City Hall, 612 N. Main Street March 3, 2026 1. 5:30 PM Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Declaration Of Conflicts Of Interests 4. Approve Agenda 5. Approval of Previous Minutes: October 28, 2025 6. Review and Comment: Proposed Revision to the Mitchell Historic Commercial District 7. Review of South Dakota Open Meeting Materials 8. Other Business: 9. Pub lic Input: If you need to address the Board on an item that was not on the agenda, excluding personnel items, please come forward to the podium and state your name and your concern. Presentations are limited to three minutes. Items will be considered but no action will be taken at this time. 10. Adjourn Individuals with disabilities who require special assistance to take part in this meeting may contact one of the following at City Hall (605) 995-8420 at least 24 hours prior to the meeting with requests for assistance: Human Resources Officer or the City Administrator. Page 1 of 60 [PAGE 2] Historic Preservation Commission 10-28-25 City Council Chambers, City Hall, 612 N. Main Street October 28, 2025 1. Call to Order Jenniges called the October 28, 2025 Historical Preservation Commission meeting to order at 5 :30 P.M. in the Council Chambers, City Hall, 612 N Main Street. 2. Roll Call Quorum is met, simple majority vote required for all items. Present: Bradley, Buechler, Clark, Genzlinger, Jirsa, Luczak, Schwalm. Absent: Logan, Pooley S taff Present: Jenniges, Schroeder. 3. Election of Officers Election of Chairperson for a 1-year term from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. Motion by Clark, seconded by Bradley to nominate Logan as Chairperson. There being no other nominations, a motion by Genzlinger, seconded by Jirsa, that nominations cease, and a unanimous ballot be cast. All present voting aye; motion carried. Election of Vice-Chairperson for a 1-year term from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. Motion by Genzlinger, seconded by Luczak to nominate Clark as Vice-Chairperson. There being no other nominations, a motion by Schwalm, seconded by Luczak, that nominations cease, and a unanimous ballot be cast. All present voting aye; motion carried. Election of Secretary for a 1-year term from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. Motion by Genzlinger, seconded by Jirsa to nominate Jenniges as Secretary. There being no other nominations, a motion by Genzlinger, seconded by Jirsa, that n ominations cease, and a unanimous ballot be cast. All present voting aye; motion carried. 4. Declaration Of Conflicts Of Interests N one. 5. Approve Agenda Motion by Buechler, seconded byJirsa to approve the proposed agenda. All present voting a ye; motion carried. Page 2 of 60 [PAGE 3] 6. Approval of Previous Minutes: October 4, 2023 Motion by Clark, seconded by Genzlinger to approve the proposed minutes of the October 4, 2 023, Historic Preservation Commission meeting. All present voting aye; motion carried. 7. Review and Comment: Proposed Revision to the Mitchell Historic Commercial District-Draft Jenniges stated he had someone reach out with a question about removing their property from the historic boundary. Jenniges said he reached out to Liz Almlie from SHPO about the process, and she stated there hadn't been an update to the boundary since 2013 and there are some buildings that have been demolished and some status changes, so an amendment to the district should be considered. Almlie gave a description of the proposed amendments to the district. Boyd Reimnitz said he was in favor of his property being eliminated from the district. Jenniges said he talked with the church at 310 N Rowley St about adding the north half of their property to the district and their board of trustees is not in favor. The addition of the building would not be considered a contributing portion of the building. The board agreed with all the proposed changes except that they would like to try to keep 201 E 2nd Ave in the district even though it could be looked at as a gerrymandering border. Almlie doesn't believe the federal board deems it an eligible historic candidate by itself. Almlie said she will continue to work on the proposed amendments and letters to building owners will be sent out in February for official comments for a state board review meeting in April. Jenniges stated that Mitchell's board will meet in February or March to give their official r ecommendation to the final proposed amendments. 8. Other Business: N one. 9. P ublic Input: N one. 10. Adjourn Secretary Jenniges asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Motion by Schwalm, seconded by Clark, to adjourn the meeting at 6:05 P.M. All present voting aye; motion carried. ____________________ Pat Clark H istorical Preservation Commission Vice-Chairperson Page 3 of 60 [PAGE 4] City of Mitchell | Public Works 612 North Main Street | Mitchell, SD 57301 Phone: 605-995-8433 | Fax: 605-995-8410 cityofmitchellsd.gov February 18, 2026 RE: Proposed revision to the Mitchell Historic Commercial District The South Dakota State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) of the South Dakota State Historical Society is amending the Mitchell Historic Commercial District National Register of Historic Places Nomination. The district was listed in the National Register in 1974 and amended in 1995 and 2013. Periodic updates of older nominations are one of the responsibilities of the SHPO. The proposed amendment includes: The proposed draft will be discussed at a meeting of the Mitchell Historic Preservation Commission on March 3, 2026 at 5:30 P.M. in Council Chambers. After which the Mitchell Historic Preservation Commission will send their recommendation and comments to SHPO for their review. The proposal is available @ https://mitchellsd.portal.civicclerk.com/ You are welcome to attend and share comments at the meeting or send written comment to mark.jenniges@cityofmitchellsd.gov or at the address listed above to share with SHPO. If you have any questions about the meeting, please feel free to contact me. The State Review Board meeting which the nomination will be considered at will be on March 20, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. at the Cultural Heritage Center (900 Governors Dr) in Pierre. Those wishing to attend and comment virtually must register by 5:00 p.m on March 19, 2026 by emailing Braeden Kluver, braeden.kluver@state.sdus with you full name, the entity you are representing, and the topic or board agenda item you are attending. Sincerely, Mark Jenniges City Planner Page 4 of 60 [PAGE 5] 312 LAWLER LLC 412 INVESTMENTS LLC A1B7 LLC 1118 STRYKER AVE 25308 404TH AVE PO BOX 234 WEST ST PAUL MN 55118 MITCHELL SD 57301 AUSTIN MN 55912-0234 ACCESS ENTERTAINMENT GROUP LLC JOHN B & DIANE G ADAMO JOHN ADAMO & MARCELLO JULIAN 117 S LAWLER ST 3150 H ST ADAMO MITCHELL SD 57301 SACRAMENTO CA 95816 3150 H ST SACRAMENTO CA 95816 D & J SABERS PROPERTIES LLC MICHAELS TOGGERY INC EDWARD & EILEEN ANDERSON 3150 H ST 3150 H ST 412 WILDWOOD AVE SACRAMENTO CA 95816 SACRAMENTO CA 95816 MITCHELL SD 57301 BATES RENTALS LLC BK PROPERTIES 2 LLC BRADLEY THEME LLC 112 N MAIN ST 817 N SANBORN BLVD 103 N HARMON DR MITCHELL SD 57301 MITCHELL SD 57301 MITCHELL SD 57301 CJG PROPERTIES LLC CASEYS RETAIL COMPANY CITY OF MITCHELL 909 N MAIN ST PO BOX 54288 612 N MAIN ST MITCHELL SD 57301 LEXINGTON KY 40555 MITCHELL SD 57301 CLARKE COMPANIES LLC CORN PALACE CITY POST #2750 VETS D&E HOLDINGS LLC 47035 250TH ST OF FOREIGN WARS OF US INC 305 N LAWLER ST BALTIC SD 57003 215 N MAIN ST MITCHELL SD 57301 MITCHELL SD 57301 DAVISON COUNTY DEL FAVERO HOLDINGS LLC DIKUN PROPERTIES LLC 200 E 4TH AVE 2019 W 8TH AVE 24668 S GARFIELD AVE MITCHELL SD 57301 MITCHELL SD 57301 DELL RAPIDS SD 57022 BRANDON & RACHEL DYKSTRA MELVIN C & BRENDA J EILTS EKKLESIA 1010 S MILLER AVE 821 KYNETTE PL 42771 244TH ST MITCHELL SD 57301 MITCHELL SD 57301 CANOVA SD 57321 ETERNAL HOPE LLC EXECUTIVE INVESTMENTS LLC FINGERPRINT GROUP LLC 311 E 3RD 314 N MAIN ST 316 N MAIN ST MT VERNON SD 57363 MITCHELL SD 57301 MITCHELL SD 57301 FINGERPRINT GROUP LLC DAVE FINNELL FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH PO BOX 601 320 N MAIN ST 310 N ROWLEY ST MITCHELL SD 57301 MITCHELL SD 57301 MITCHELL SD 57301 Page 5 of 60 [PAGE 6] GOING POSTAL LLC GOLD KEY PROPERTIES LLC KELLY L GROSS 1522 PINEHURST AVE 1660 E 8TH AVE 110 E 2ND AVE MITCHELL SD 57301 MITCHELL SD 57301 MITCHELL SD 57301 DAN J HAUSER & BRENDA L OLESEN BRADLEY S & DONNA M JAMISON DORIS E JAMISON 412 N MAIN ST 24131 389TH AVE 1001 MITCHELL BLVD MITCHELL SD 57301 PLANKINTON SD 57368 MITCHELL SD 57301 JOHNSON BLOCK LLC JAMES H JOHNSTON JX4 LLC 421 N PHILLIPS AVE UNIT 4 67 S HARMON DR 200 N MAIN ST SIOUX FALLS SD 57105 MITCHELL SD 57301 MITCHELL SD 57301 KCM ENTERPRISES LLC KL CITY PROPERTIES BENJAMIN & LORI KALOVSKY 609 W WALNUT 119 N MAIN ST 723 E 5TH AVE PARKSTON SD 57366 MITCHELL SD 57301 MITCHELL SD 57301 KIRCH REAL ESTATE LLC KROHMER PROPERTIES LLC LAURITSEN LEGACY PROPERTIES LLC 323 N MAIN ST PO BOX 1264 2111 QUIETT LANE MITCHELL SD 57301 MITCHELL SD 57301 MITCHELL SD 57301 LEFT FOOT PROPERTIES LLC LIFEQUEST INC MITCHELL AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY 1300 E 4TH AVE 804 N MENTZER 119 W 3RD AVE MITCHELL SD 57301 MITCHELL SD 57301 MITCHELL SD 57301 MITCHELL MASONIC BUILDING NORWEST BANK NA C/O DELOITTE TAX BRENDA L OLESEN & DAN J HAUSER ASSOCIATION LLP 721 W HANSON AVE PO BOX 443 PO Box 2609 MITCHELL SD 57301 MITCHELL SD 57301 CARLSBAD CA 92018 ON SIGHT STORAGE LLC ERIC D PALMER & NICOLE MEBIUS- PEPES PAINTING LLC 120 S LAWLER ST PALMER JNT TRUST 301 S CORY PL MITCHELL SD 57301 105 ANDREWS ST SIOUX FALLS SD 57110 MITCHELL SD 57301 BOYD A & KAY L REIMNITZ BOYD A REIMNITZ SR & BOYD RISK MANAGEMENT INC C/O GERALD 817 N SANBORN BLVD ANTHONY REIMNITZ CAREY MITCHELL SD 57301 817 N SANBORN BLVD PO Box 1105 MITCHELL SD 57301 MITCHELL SD 57301 SLM PROPERTIES LLC SABERS PROPERTIES LLC PATTY SASKER & TAMMY VAN DYKE 1301 EITEL DR 27 ARROWHEAD PASS 201 W MAIN MITCHELL SD 57301 MITCHELL SD 57301 PIPESTONE MN 56164 Page 6 of 60 [PAGE 7] ARLEN SCHUH ARLEN L & PARTIRCIA J SCHUH DAVID & MELISSA SCHWALM 112 E 2ND AVE 41280 ROCK CREEK DR 711 W 16TH AVE MITCHELL SD 57301 MITCHELL SD 57301 MITCHELL SD 57301 TOBINS TRANSFER INC UNTAMED PLAY LLC V F RAILROAD PROPERTIES LLC PO BOX 639 414 S 2ND PO BOX 1163 MITCHELL SD 57301 ETHAN SD 57334 MITCHELL SD 57301 MARK A & LOUISE G VAN DEN HOEK VOLESKY PROPERTIES LLC WORD OF LIFE CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES JOINT TRUST 404 HOMER CT UNIT 4 INC 3220 N MAIN ST MITCHELL SD 57301 420 N MAIN ST MITCHELL SD 57301 MITCHELL SD 57301 Page 7 of 60 [PAGE 8] NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 expiration date 03/31/2026 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Registration Form This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations for individual properties and districts. See instructions in National Register Bulletin, How to Complete the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. If any item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "N/A" for "not applicable." For functions, architectural classification, materials, and areas of significance, enter only categories and subcategories from the instructions. 1. Name of Property Historic name: _Mitchell Historic Commercial District (Additional Documentation, Boundary Increase, and Boundary Decrease) ______ Other names/site number: ______________________________________ Name of related multiple property listing: ___________________________________________________________ (Enter "N/A" if property is not part of a multiple property listing ____________________________________________________________________________ 2. Location Street & number: _Roughly bounded by Lawler St., Railroad Ave., Rowley St., and 6th Ave. City or town: _Mitchell ____ State: __SD________ County: __Davison___ Not For Publication: Vicinity: ______________________ _ _____________________________________________________ 3. State/Federal Agency Certification As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended, I hereby certify that this X nomination ___ request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. In my opinion, the property _X_ meets ___ does not meet the National Register Criteria. I recommend that this property be considered significant at the following level(s) of significance: ___national ___statewide _X_local Applicable National Register Criteria: _X_A ___B _X_C ___D Signature of certifying official/Title: Date ______________________________________________ State or Federal agency/bureau or Tribal Government In my opinion, the property meets does not meet the National Register criteria. Signature of commenting official: Date Title : State or Federal agency/bureau or Tribal Government 1 Page 8 of 60 [PAGE 9] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State ______________________________________________________________________________ 4. National Park Service Certification I hereby certify that this property is: entered in the National Register determined eligible for the National Register determined not eligible for the National Register removed from the National Register other (explain:) _____________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Signature of the Keeper Date of Action ____________________________________________________________________________ 5. Classification Ownership of Property (Check as many boxes as apply.) Private: X Public – Local X Public – State Public – Federal Category of Property (Check only one box.) Building(s) District X Site Structure Object Sections 1-6 page 2 Page 9 of 60 [PAGE 10] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State Number of Resources within Property: ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION (Do not include previously listed resources in the count) Contributing Noncontributing __62_________ ___20________ buildings ___0_________ ____0________ sites ___0_________ ____0________ structures ___0_________ ____0________ objects __62_________ ___20_________ Total Number of contributing resources previously listed in the National Register _N/A____ ____________________________________________________________________________ 6. Function or Use Historic Functions (Enter categories from instructions.) __COMMERCE: business __ __COMMERCE: professional __COMMERCE: financial institution __COMMERCE: specialty store __GOVERNMENT: courthouse __GOVERNMENT: post office __GOVERNMENT: city hall __RECREATION AND CULTURE: auditorium __TRANSPORTATION: rail-related __RELIGION: religious facility __EDUCATION: library Current Functions (Enter categories from instructions.) __COMMERCE: business __ __COMMERCE: professional __COMMERCE: financial institution __COMMERCE: specialty store __COMMERCE: restaurant __GOVERNMENT: courthouse __GOVERNMENT: post office __GOVERNMENT: city hall __RECREATION AND CULTURE: auditorium __RECREATION AND CULTURE: museum __TRANSPORTATION: rail-related __RELIGION: religious facility Sections 1-6 page 3 Page 10 of 60 [PAGE 11] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State _____________________________________________________________________________ 7. Description Architectural Classification (Enter categories from instructions.) _LATE VICTORIAN: Romanesque ___ _LATE VICTORIAN: Italianate ____ _LATE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURY REVIVALS: Classical Revival ___ _LATE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURY REVIVALS: Beaux Arts ___ _LATE 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURY AMERICAN MOVEMENTS: Prairie School _LATE 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURY AMERICAN MOVEMENTS: Commercial Style _MODERN MOVEMENT: Art Deco ___ Materials: (enter categories from instructions.) Principal exterior materials of the property: _BRICK __ _STONE: Sioux Quartzite __ _STONE: Limestone __ _STONE: Granite __ _CONCRETE __ _METAL: Aluminum __ _GLASS __ _CERAMIC TILE __ _TERRA COTTA __ Narrative Description (Describe the historic and current physical appearance and condition of the property. Describe contributing and noncontributing resources if applicable. Begin with a summary paragraph that briefly describes the general characteristics of the property, such as its location, type, style, method of construction, setting, size, and significant features. Indicate whether the property has historic integrity.) ______________________________________________________________________________ Summary Paragraph The Mitchell Historic Commercial District is a substantially intact core group of commercial buildings that represent the early history of Mitchell and reflect local and regional architectural trends for late nineteenth and early twentieth century commercial architecture. The city of Mitchell is located in the center of Davison County, in southeastern South Dakota, along the James River and Interstate-90. Its historic commercial district extends seven blocks north from the railroad track along Main Street between Railroad Avenue and 6th Avenue. The district also, at points, extends west to Rowley Street and east one block across Lawler Street. Further north on Main Street there is more modern commercial development and to the east and west are residential areas. Architectural styles throughout the district are predominantly one- or two-story masonry commercial blocks, with a few architect-designed Romanesque, Neoclassical, Beaux Arts, Prairie School, and Art Deco style examples throughout the district. Most of the buildings are substantially brick or concrete, but several use Sioux quartzite (local to southeastern South Section 7 page 4 Page 11 of 60 [PAGE 12] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State Dakota), limestone, sandstone, or other cut stone. Significant modernized facades and storefronts from the mid-twentieth century use large panes of glass, aluminum, mosaic tile, and polished stone. The Mitchell Historic Commercial District was originally listed in the National Register of Historic Places as NRIS #75001716 (later updates assigned #95000275 and #13000042). With this update, the nomination for the Mitchell Historic Commercial District is revised to update the contributing/non-contributing status for several properties, note demolished properties within the district boundary, add to the boundary area to include a c.1978 addition to the First United Methodist Church (the main section of which is already within the boundary), reduce the district boundary for a concentrated area that has lost integrity, and provide an updated map. The historic district continues to have sufficient integrity overall to convey significance to the histories of architecture, commerce, transportation, politics/government, and entertainment/recreation for the city of Mitchell. Of eighty-two (82) total buildings that remain in the district, sixty-two (62) are contributing buildings that were constructed or had historically significant alterations within the period of significance between 1883 and 1963, and which retain sufficient integrity to contribute to the district’s significance. There are twenty (20) buildings that do not contribute to the historic district, because they were constructed outside of the period of significance or because they have lost integrity. ______________________________________________________________________________ Narrative Description The sixty-two (62) buildings that contribute to the significance of the district reflect the evolving character of the district between 1883 and 1963. There was an initial building boom in the 1880s, when the new city of Mitchell experienced rapid growth, and then a second wave of development between 1900 and 1930, corresponding with general economic health as property owners invested in more substantial buildings with more masonry and new metal internal structural systems. In the 1930s, landmark governmental buildings were constructed in the Art Deco style using federal work relief funds, and, from 1944 to 1963, there was a trend to modernize downtown businesses by redesigning their storefronts. About twenty-seven percent of the buildings within the Mitchell Historic Commercial District were either built or had significant modernizations in that latter period. The visually prominent Corn Palace sits near the north boundary of the historic district, while the 1909 railroad depot sits on the southern boundary. The Corn Palace is, at its core, an auditorium/gymnasium, but the exterior is styled with rotating cycles of artist-designed murals composed of corn cobs, husks, etc. The core of the Mitchell Historic Commercial District runs along Main Street, which is a wide, two-lane street with parking lanes on both sides of the street. The iconic Corn Palace has inspired the city to erect fluted streetlights lining Main Street that are set on square concrete pedestals with corn designs in relief on all four sides. Wide sidewalks exist along Main Street, making the area friendly for foot traffic. Most buildings are set along the sidewalks of the street, excepting some of the landmark public buildings, like the courthouse, Carnegie library and the former post office, and some of the non-historic modern banks and gas Section 7 page 5 Page 12 of 60 [PAGE 13] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State stations, which have deeper setbacks from the sidewalks. The Carnegie library additionally has a short, wrought iron fence. The eligibility of contributing and non-contributing resources was determined according to the National Register Criteria for Evaluation. Properties that were constructed within the period of significance, contribute to the significance of the district, and retain sufficient integrity were deemed to be contributing resources within the district. Properties with alterations, such as mid- century storefront modernizations, that have achieved significance in their own right and retain sufficient integrity to the period of significance (through 1963) are included as contributing resources. Non-historic alterations to storefronts, upper stories, and roof lines were weighed against the surviving significant features of the building in evaluating contributing and non- contributing status. Boundary Increase This amendment increases the district boundary a small amount to include an addition on the north elevation of the First United Methodist Church, the main portion of which is already in the district. The addition is part of that resource, and the boundary should not bisect the resource. This does not impact the Resource Count (above) for the district. Below is an expanded description of the church that includes the addition. 310 North Rowley Street DV00400092 Contributing 1907 First United Methodist Church This building is a two-story Richardsonian Romanesque style church built using a hip roof with prominent cross gables, rough-cut and coursed purple and pink-colored Sioux quartzite masonry, a large square bell tower at the southwest corner, and a raised basement. The west façade has three entrances with concrete steps. The central recessed entrance has a heavy round-arch surround and is flanked by one-story polygonal bays with asphalt shingle tower roofs, then by two higher entrances with round arch surrounds. In each gable end, stained glass windows are set behind exterior square-paned glass within massive Romanesque arches. The prominent gables have stone finials and corner turrets with rounded caps. Other windows, of varied size and placement, have purple quartzite sills and lintels. There are purple stone courses in the wall and a pink stone dentil band beneath the eaves. The bell tower has a pyramidal roof with two rows of dentils above three tall narrow arched openings on each side. On the east end of the south façade, there is a wing with a tall arched entrance, stained glass gable, and a canted corner. Concrete block planters have been installed at the sidewalk level on the south façade. The architect of the church was the Sioux City firm Eisentraut, Colby & Pottenger, and the contractor was A.J. Garner. Construction plans included the use of Spencer granite (quartzite) and Kettle River sandstone.1 A low-profile single-story addition was built to the north in c.1978. It is considered a non- historic section of the church as it is outside the district’s period of significance. The addition has a flat roof and red brick walls. It has three sections; the lowest section abuts the historic 1 Improvement Bulletin 32 (May 12, 1906), 20; Madison Daily Leader (SD), June 24, 1907. Section 7 page 6 Page 13 of 60 [PAGE 14] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State church and has a recessed entrance door at the south end, the center section is slightly taller and has two recessed vertical bands of stained-glass windows at either end, and the small northern section is only half the width and has a long concrete ramped walk leading from the street sidewalk to double doors in a glass enframement. Boundary Decrease This amendment reduces the district boundary, cutting a half-block area that has lost integrity along N. Lawler St. between E. 1st and E. 2nd Ave. This area includes nine properties from the 2013 district amendment, listed below. Six of those along E. 1st Ave. (five Contributing and one Non-Contributing) have recently been demolished. Some of the demolitions were a consequence of a vehicle collision that caused structural instability. They were mostly one- and two-story brick commercial buildings, several of which had altered storefronts and fenestration. In the reduction area are also three resources on that same half-block that do not contribute to the district. Two are of recent construction and the building at 123-135 East 2nd Avenue is an early building but has had extensive alterations to its wall surfaces, now stucco, as well as its windows and storefront. Properties to be removed from the historic district: Address SHPO ID 2013 Status Note 112 East 1st Avenue DV00400135 Contributing Demolished in November 2023 114 East 1st Avenue DV00400141 Contributing Demolished in November 2023 116 East 1st Avenue DV00400137 Contributing Demolished in November 2023 118 East 1st Avenue DV00400138 Contributing Demolished in November 2023 120 East 1st Avenue DV00400153 Contributing Demolished in November 2023 124 East 1st Avenue DV00400152 Non-Contributing Demolished in May 2021 113-115 East 2nd Avenue DV00400129 Non-Contributing Extant, built or new exterior in c.2000 123-135 East 2nd Avenue DV00400113 Non-Contributing Extant, built 18792 (Photos follow) Central Hotel 117 North Lawler Street DV00400119 Non-Contributing Extant, built c.2000 2 This was listed in the 2013 nomination amendment with an estimated construction date of c.1945, but was actually an earlier house moved from Firesteel to Mitchell in 1879 by R.F. Alterton for use as a hotel and expanded over the years. Early names: Forrest City Hotel, Gleason House, Arlington House, Plotner House (Plotner Hotel), and Hotel Waverly (Waverly House). Appears on the Sanborn Fire Insurance maps in 1898-1923. Daily Republic (Mitchell SD), April 10, 2017. Section 7 page 7 Page 14 of 60 [PAGE 15] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State Central Hotel, 123-135 E. 2nd Ave., then and now. Historical photo courtesy of the Mitchell Area Historical Society, Carnegie Resource Center, Mitchell SD. Additional Documentation Below are updated descriptions for 208 and 210 North Main. These were previously amended to a Contributing status in a Supplemental Listing Record added to the district’s National Register listing (NRIS #13000042) in January 2023 following the removal of non-historic coverings at their cornices, upper-floor windows, and storefront transoms. 208 North Main Street DV00400068 Contributing 1906 Becker Building; J.J. Newberry Co. The Becker Building at 208 North Main Street is a two-story commercial block. The west façade has a c.1970 storefront with two recessed entrances, both flanked by plate glass display windows with light-colored brick veneer surrounds. To either side of the storefront, the brown brick side piers of the façade have historic tall bases of stone with carved moldings at their caps. The six windows on the second floor are one-over-one wood sash windows with transoms, as well as stone sills and lintels. The parapet cornice has a stone cap and central raised section with three corbelled pilasters with stone peaked caps. The center pilaster has a cut stone block that reads “1906,” and centered on the section is a cut stone block reading “BECKER” between two ornamental square blocks with carved flower motifs. The side bays of the cornice have shallow corbelled dentils, and each end has a tall pier with a peaked stone cap. In 1929, owner Emil Becker sold the building to the J.J. Newberry Co. (department stores).3 210 North Main Street DV00400023 Contributing 1906, 1930 Larrison Drug Store; D.T. Becker Building The D.T. Becker Building is a two-story commercial block. The storefront has wood bulkheads, overhanging glass display cases, and a deeply recessed entrance flanked by cantilevered, aluminum-frame plate glass display windows. Above the storefront is a transom window with a brick surround that has rounded corners. An additional recessed entry to the south of the storefront provides access to the second floor, which is 3 Mitchell Republic (SD), January 21, 2023. Section 7 page 8 Page 15 of 60 [PAGE 16] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State communicating with the adjacent 208 North Main. Above the recessed doorway is a tall transom with a two-light wood window. Although the south edge of the building meets directly against 208 North Main, the other points of the wall that reach the ground feature a low concrete base with a beveled top edge. The second floor has four windows; the three northernmost are six-over-one with stone sills and transoms. The southernmost window has been replaced with a one-over-one window that also has a stone sill and transom. A band of stone spans the width of the façade just above those transoms. A stone sign plate is framed in brick with small square stone tiles and reads “19-D.T. Becker-30,” from when Delvan T. Becker bought the building for the Becker clothing store and remodeled the façade.4 The parapet cornice has a concrete cap that steps up slightly at the center over a band of soldier- bond brick. Below are updated descriptions for 100 North Main, 118 North Main, and 514 North Main, which this amendment changes from Contributing to Non-Contributing status. Alterations to their exterior façades have resulted in a loss of integrity of design, materials, workmanship, and feeling. 100 North Main Street DV00400031 Non-Contributing c.1950 This building is a single-story commercial block with an asymmetrical west facade. The façade had blond Roman brick, which was covered in 2024 by a manufactured board cladding. The recessed angled entry has three fixed metal frame glass display windows, door, and sidelight. These replaced a mid-20th century aluminum framed storefront with brick base. An aluminum display case on the northern corner of the storefront was removed. A large sign panel is angled forward above the storefront. It was refinished with a manufactured board product colored to look like dark stained wood. The south elevation has common blond brick and a long horizontal band of windows with a concrete sill and soldier brick lintel, and two single doorways. The windows were glass block and are now fixed rectangular lights with opaque glass. The east end of the south elevation has an additional storefront with a central entry flanked by plate glass display windows in a soldier brick surround. The historic integrity of the façade has been affected by remodeling in 2024, which included, as noted above: new cladding that affected material and design of the Roman brick and sign panel, replacement of original storefront windows/door, loss of the corner display case, and replacement of glass block windows along the south elevation. 118 North Main Street DV00400049 Non-Contributing 1920, c.1950 This building is a single-story concrete block commercial building. A recessed entry at the northwest corner has large, fixed angled display windows to the south. A fixed flat metal canopy spans the width of the storefront. The parapet roof slopes down to the east. In 2021, the façade was remodeled with a new canopy over the storefront, new display windows with thicker frames, brown brick veneer at the base and sides of the storefront windows, wide 4 Mitchell Republic (SD), January 21, 2023. Section 7 page 9 Page 16 of 60 [PAGE 17] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State manufactured board siding over the upper part of the façade, and removal of the perpendicular, programmatic neon sign. 514 North Main Street DV00400001 Non-Contributing 1961 Northwestern Public Service Co. This building is a single-story commercial building with a polygonal northwest corner. A deeply recessed entrance bay with a single-leaf door and an integrated planter is located at the south end of the west façade. This entrance area was reduced in size, the door relocated to face west, and the planter replaced with a red brick version during remodeling in 2024. The south wall of the entranceway was removed and a square metal support post added. Window units have three tall lights, surrounded by vertical board cladding. The historic beige and dark brown glazed tile block walls and horizontal banding above and below the storefront area were covered with manufactured board cladding along the upper section and metal coping along the banding. Additionally, a rooftop dining area was added to the front west half of the roof. It features a smaller central rooftop walled addition and metal railing near the building edges; on the south side of the building an exterior metal staircase to the roof was also added at a midpoint on the building. On the north elevation, after an adjacent building (522 N. Main) was demolished, two doors, four large window units, and a fenced ground-level dining patio were added to this building. Inventory Below is a full list of the buildings remaining within the district, including both those with new descriptions above (noted with an asterisk [*]) as well as those previously listed and described in the 2013 nomination amendment. As in the 2013 amendment, they are arranged in numerical order by street: working from the southernmost street, Railroad Avenue, north to 5th Avenue, and then from the easternmost street, Lawler Street, west to Rowley Street. Their State Historic Preservation Office identification numbers, current contributing/non-contributing status, as well as dates of construction and historically significant alterations are noted for each resource. Historic names and architects/builders have been added if known. Some dates of construction are adjusted to align with research from the Mitchell Area Historical Society and the Mitchell Historic Preservation Commission. Address (Historic Name) SHPO ID Status Date 112 East Railroad Avenue DV00400142 Contributing 19075 Mitchell Furniture Co. 115 East 1st Avenue DV00400158 Contributing c.1908 117 East 1st Avenue DV00400155 Contributing c.1952 5 Granite basement and concrete block upper walls, masonry contract to Gottlieb Scheurenbrand; carpentry contract to John Slater. Mitchell Capital (SD), May 17, 1907. Section 7 page 10 Page 17 of 60 [PAGE 18] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State 119 East 1st Avenue DV00400131 Contributing 1910 110 East 2nd Avenue DV00400055 Contributing 1916 O.L. Branson & Co. Bankers; Branson Bank Building; Mitchell Abstract Co. (1929) Architect: Purcell & Elmslie6 112 East 2nd Avenue DV00400130 Contributing 1911 J.R. Reihsen Building 114 East 2nd Avenue DV00400132 Contributing c.1920, 1949 201 East 2nd Avenue DV00400156 Contributing 1910 Mitchell Steam Laundry 119 West 3rd Avenue DV00400096 Contributing 1903 Mitchell Carnegie Library Architect: W.L. Dow & Sons Builder: A.J. Kings7 112 East 3rd Avenue DV00400116 Non-Contributing c.1920 113 East 3rd Avenue DV00400136 Contributing 1912 Dakota Central Telephone Co. 115 East 3rd Avenue DV00400117 Contributing c.1925, c.1960 116 East 3rd Avenue DV00400118 Non-Contributing c.1970 117-123 East 3rd Avenue DV00400128 Contributing 1922, 1928-1929 Johnson Furniture Co. Building Architect & Engineer: (1922) Luvine O. Berg8, (1928) Walter J. Dixon 117 East 4th Avenue DV00400090 Contributing 1909, c.1920 U.S. Post Office (former) Architect (Treasury): James Knox Taylor9 Builder: Moore & Danner10 200 East 4th Avenue DV00400101 Contributing 1936 Davison County Courthouse Architect: Kings & Dixon Builder: Peter W. Kuipers PWA Project No. 4045 112 East 5th Avenue DV00400066 Contributing 1924-1925 Mitchell Masonic Temple Architect: Kings & Dixon11 6 The Prairie School Review 2(1) (January 1965), 17. 7 Improvement Bulletin 26 (August 16, 1902), 17; South Dakota Library Bulletin 49 (1963), 53. 8 The American Contractor 43 (May 20, 1922), 72. 9 Mitchell Capital (SD), April 5, 1907. 10 Mitchell Capital (SD), January 13, 1910. 11 The American Contractor 43 (December 23, 1922), 61A. Section 7 page 11 Page 18 of 60 [PAGE 19] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State 109 South Lawler Street DV00400123 Contributing 1910, 1925 117 South Lawler Street DV00400125 Contributing 1948 120 South Lawler Street DV00400143 Contributing 1920 205-209 North Lawler Street DV00400120 Non-Contributing c.2005 215 North Lawler Street DV00400121 Contributing c.1925 300-312 North Lawler Street DV00400144 Contributing 1919 W.H. King Automobile Co.; King Building 305 North Lawler Street DV00400122 Non-Contributing c.1965 309 North Lawler Street DV00400140 Contributing 1911 Educator School Supply Co. 403 North Lawler Street DV00400170 Non-Contributing c.1987 100 South Main Street * DV00400172 Non-Contributing c.2000 101 South Main Street DV00400109 Contributing 1911-1912, c. Navin Hotel; T.P. Navin Building; Hotel 1956 Roberts (1945)12 Architect: S.C. Wherry13 122 South Main Street DV00400041 Contributing 1913 The Cassem Building 124 South Main Street DV00400043 Contributing 1914, c.1958 Mitchell Motor Co. 210 South Main Street DV00400094 Contributing 1909 Chicago, Milwaukee, & St. Paul Depot Architect: J.A. Lindstrand14 100 North Main Street DV00400031 Non-Contributing c.1950 104 North Main Street DV00400034 Non-Contributing c.1900 106 North Main Street DV00400037 Non-Contributing 1912 Michels Building 108 North Main Street DV00400039 Non-Contributing 1918 112 North Main Street DV00400044 Contributing c.1905, c.1937 114 North Main Street DV00400045 Non-Contributing c.1915 116 North Main Street DV00400047 Non-Contributing c.1915 118 North Main Street * DV00400049 Non-Contributing 1920, c.1950 121 North Main Street DV00400107 Contributing 1910 12 Daily Republic (Mitchell SD), July 27, 2015. 13 Mitchell Capital (SD), April 28, 1910; Madison Daily Leader (SD), May 3, 1911. 14 Mitchell Capital (SD), February 4, 1909–May 27, 1909. Section 7 page 12 Page 19 of 60 [PAGE 20] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State 123 North Main Street DV00400106 Contributing 1906-190717 First National Bank; Branson Building Architect: S.C. Wherry15 Builder: R.K. Hafsos16 200 North Main Street DV00400053 Contributing 1887, 1916 Architect (1916): Purcell & Elmslie18 203-205 North Main Street DV00400105 Contributing 1936 Medical Arts Building Architect: Walter J. Dixon 206 North Main Street DV00400079 Contributing c.1928 207 North Main Street DV00400084 Contributing 1931, c.1961 Kresge Co. Building; Geyerman’s Building 208 North Main Street * DV00400068 Contributing 1906 Becker Building 210 North Main Street * DV00400023 Contributing 1906, 1930 D.T. Becker Building 211 North Main Street DV00400030 Contributing 1944 Toggery Building 212 North Main Street DV00400036 Contributing 1883, 1950s 213 North Main Street DV00400022 Contributing 1883, 1950s 214 North Main Street DV00400021 Contributing 1886, c.1953 G.A. Clark Building 215 North Main Street DV00400104 Contributing 1892, c.1946 J. Harrer Building 216 North Main Street DV00400082 Contributing c.1910, 1951 217 North Main Street DV00400093 Contributing 1907 Mitchell National Bank Architect: A.J. Van Duesen19 Builder: A.J. Kings & Son20 218 North Main Street DV00400080 Contributing 1886, 1960-1962 223 North Main Street DV00400102 Contributing 1906-1907 Western National Bank; Western Bank 15 Mitchell Capital (SD), March 23, 1906. 16 Mitchell Capital (SD), November 2, 1906. 17 Built with quartzite stone from Sioux Falls, Missouri sandstone, and pressed brick. Mitchell Capital (SD), November 2, 1906–April 12, 1907. 18 The Prairie School Review 2(1) (January 1965), 17. 19 Alt: VanDusen. Front façade of white stone from Carthage, Missouri. Improvement Bulletin 32 (May 12, 1906), 22; Mitchell Capital (SD), May 25, 1906, June 28, 1907. 20 Mitchell Capital (SD), May 17, 1907, June 28, 1907. Section 7 page 13 Page 20 of 60 [PAGE 21] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State Building; J.C. Penney’s (1926) Architect: F.H. Ellerbe21 Builder: A.J. Kings & Son22 300 North Main Street DV00400111 Contributing 1915-191725 Realty Building (Baron Brothers); Woolworth’s (1916) Architect: W.W. Beach23 Builder: H.E. Bjodstrup24 308 North Main Street DV00400075 Contributing 1912, c. 1956 J.W. Elliott Building 310 North Main Street DV00400073 Non-Contributing c.1890 312 North Main Street DV00400057 Non-Contributing c.1885 314 North Main Street DV00400070 Non-Contributing 1909 316 North Main Street DV00400161 Non-Contributing c.1910 317 North Main Street DV00400087 Contributing 1908, c.1949 Feinstein Brothers 318 North Main Street DV00400086 Contributing 1900, 1959 319 North Main Street DV00400063 Contributing c.1905 320 North Main Street DV00400013 Non-Contributing c.1915 322 North Main Street DV00400027 Contributing 1900 J.N. Crow Building Architect: F.C.W. Kuehn26 323 North Main Street DV00400026 Contributing 1908 S.T. Greene Building 400-408 North Main Street DV00400025 Contributing c.1915, 1961 Beckwith Building; Midtown Plaza Builder: Fred Bjodstrup27 401 North Main Street DV00400024 Contributing 1938 405 North Main Street DV00400019 Non-Contributing c.1922 412 North Main Street DV00400020 Contributing 1960 J.C. Penney's Department Store 413 North Main Street DV00400091 Contributing c.1902, c.1954 21 Ellerbe of St. Paul, Minnesota. Mitchell Capital (SD), June 28, 1907. 22 Mitchell Capital (SD), April 26, 1907–April 10, 1908. 23 Mitchell Capital (SD), November 18, 1915. 24 Mitchell Capital (SD), November 18, 1915. 25 Mitchell Capital (SD), November 18, 1915–January 25, 1917. 26 The American Contractor 35 (June 6, 1914), 94. 27 The American Contractor 37 (October 7, 1916), 110. Section 7 page 14 Page 21 of 60 [PAGE 22] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State 415 North Main Street DV00400065 Contributing c.1920, 1954 423 North Main Street DV00400018 Contributing 195128 Montgomery Ward & Co. 424 North Main Street DV00400069 Contributing 1910-1911 Elks Home; Elks Lodge #1059 Architect: S.C. Wherry29 Builder: A.J. Kings & Son30 425 North Main Street DV00400058 Contributing 1914 Pence Buick; Western Chevrolet Co.; Montgomery Ward & Co. 501 North Main Street DV00400060 Contributing c.1920 Wilson Motor Co. 514 North Main Street * DV00400001 Non-Contributing 1961 604 North Main Street DV00400061 Contributing 1921 Corn Palace Auditorium Architect: Rapp & Rapp31 612 North Main Street DV00000038 Contributing 1937, 1960 Municipal Armory; U.S. National Guard Armory; City Hall Architect: (1937) Floyd F. Kings; (1960) J.E. Peterson with Dixon32 310 North Rowley Street * DV00400092 Contributing 1907 First United Methodist Church Architect: Eisentraut, Colby & Pottenger33 Builder: A.J. Garner34 The following five properties are still within the historic district boundary but have been demolished. Their lots are currently vacant or used for parking. Address SHPO ID Status Note 301-303 North Main Street DV00400100 Contributing demolished in November 2019, following the partial collapse of its south elevation 305 North Main Street DV00400076 Contributing demolished in November 2019 with 301-303 N. Main 28 Daily Republic (Mitchell SD), September 26, 2016. 29 Mitchell Capital (SD), November 15, 1907, October 6, 1910. 30 Mitchell Capital (SD), November 15, 1907, October 6, 1910. 31 The American Contractor 41 (December 11, 1920), 59. 32 Daily Republic (Mitchell SD), July 6, 1960. 33 Mitchell Capital (SD), May 4, 1906; Improvement Bulletin 32 (May 12, 1906), 20. 34 Of Madison, South Dakota. Mitchell Capital (SD), March 15, 1907–August 30, 1907. Section 7 page 15 Page 22 of 60 [PAGE 23] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State 307 North Main Street DV00400099 Contributing demolished in November 2019 with 301-303 N. Main 512 North Main Street DV00400059 Contributing demolished in October 2018 522 North Main Street DV00400162 Non-Contributing demolished in September 2024 Section 7 page 16 Page 23 of 60 [PAGE 24] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State _________________________________________________________________ 8. Statement of Significance Applicable National Register Criteria (Mark "x" in one or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the property for National Register listing.) X A. Property is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history. B. Property is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past. C. Property embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of X construction or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components lack individual distinction. D. Property has yielded, or is likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history. Criteria Considerations (Mark “x” in all the boxes that apply.) A. Owned by a religious institution or used for religious purposes B. Removed from its original location C. A birthplace or grave D. A cemetery E. A reconstructed building, object, or structure F. A commemorative property G. Less than 50 years old or achieving significance within the past 50 years Section 8 page 17 Page 24 of 60 [PAGE 25] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State Areas of Significance (Enter categories from instructions.) __COMMERCE _______ __TRANSPORTATION __POLITICS/GOVERNMENT __ENTERTAINMENT/RECREATION __ARCHITECTURE _____ ___________________ Period of Significance _1883-1963 _________ ___________________ ___________________ Significant Dates _1907______________ _1909______________ _1921______________ _1936______________ _1937______________ Significant Person (Complete only if Criterion B is marked above.) __N/A______________ ___________________ Cultural Affiliation __N/A______________ ___________________ Architect/Builder _Beach, Wilford W. (architect)_ _Dixon, Walter J. (architect)_ _Dow, Wallace L. (architect)_ _Ellerbe, Franklin H. (architect)_ _Eisentraut, Colby & Pottenger (architect)_ _Kings, Andrew J. [& Son] (builder)_ _Kings and Dixon (architect)_ _Kuehn, F.C.W. (architect)_ _Lindstrand, J.A. (architect)_ _Purcell and Elmslie (architect)_ _Rapp and Rapp (architect)_ _Steele, William (architect)_ _Wherry, S.C. (architect)_ Section 8 page 18 Page 25 of 60 [PAGE 26] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State Statement of Significance Summary Paragraph (Provide a summary paragraph that includes level of significance, applicable criteria, justification for the period of significance, and any applicable criteria considerations.) The Mitchell Historic Commercial District has local significance under Criterion A in the areas of Commerce, Transportation, Politics/Government, and Entertainment/Recreation. The Mitchell Historic Commercial District is also eligible for the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion C for Architecture because it embodies important local expressions of trends in architectural forms, styles, and functions. Mitchell’s downtown was established with the railroad in the late nineteenth century, grew exponentially from 1900 to 1930, and then participated in the national trend of modernizing storefronts and facades in the automobile age of the 1940s-1960s. Its buildings represent trends in commercial forms and modernization, as well as Romanesque, Neoclassical, Beaux Arts, Prairie Style, and Art Deco stylistic influences on commercial and institutional architecture. The district conveys a historical sense of time and place through its architecture and setting. The district contains an intact core of local commercial resources from the latter decades of the nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century. The period of significance of 1883-1963 reflects the full expanse of resources, from the earliest constructed buildings to mid-century modernizations, that speak to the significant periods of development in downtown Mitchell. Justification for Boundary Increase This amendment increases the district boundary to include a c.1978 addition on the north elevation of the First United Methodist Church, the main section of which is already in the historic district. The addition is part of that resource, and the boundary should not bisect the resource. This does not impact the Resource Count (in Section 5) for the district. Justification for Boundary Decrease This amendment to reduce the boundary for the historic district encloses the historic core of downtown Mitchell and eliminates a half-block area on the southeast edge of the district that has lost integrity. In that area, a row of buildings along E. 1st Street have been demolished. There are also three modern or substantially altered Non-Contributing buildings on the same half-block that will be removed. ______________________________________________________________________________ Narrative Statement of Significance (Provide at least one paragraph for each area of significance.) The Mitchell Historic Commercial District remains eligible for the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion A for its association with Mitchell’s early commercial development, trends in transportation, county and municipal politics and government, and the Corn Palace’s significant role in state tourism and entertainment. The district is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion C as the buildings that were constructed in downtown Mitchell during active and important periods in the town’s history accurately reflect local and regional trends in architectural form, style, and function. They represent historically significant Section 8 page 19 Page 26 of 60 [PAGE 27] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State changes over time. The district consists of commercial buildings that reflect the historic commercial development of the town as well as core buildings that reflect the political and social life of city residents. The construction dates of the buildings correspond with the periods of economic prosperity and opportunity in the Mitchell area, with the first buildings being constructed in the early 1880s as the town was established and another large group constructed between 1900 and 1930 during a period of economic growth. The erection of Art Deco public landmarks in the 1930s and the modernization of commercial storefronts through the 1940s to the early 1960s correspond with periods of transition when owners continued to strive for downtown development despite the respective challenges of economic depression and a shifting commercial landscape as businesses moved to developing highway routes outside the city core. Early-twentieth century photos show a downtown characterized by two-part commercial blocks and large fabric awnings over the sidewalks. Photos from the automobile age show a greater diversity in building forms, a transition from awnings to metal canopies, and the popularity of perpendicularly hung neon signs. The Mitchell Historic Commercial District is most significant for its association with local commercial development from the first buildings constructed on Main Street through its first wave of modernized storefronts. The first extant building in the district dates from 1883, shortly after the town was made county seat in 1879 and received a railroad line in 1880. Commercial developments in downtowns show the interconnectedness of early Midwestern towns—how governmental and transportation activity brought with it economic health. Similarly, business leaders worked as boosters to attract additional political and recreational activity. By 1884, Mitchell’s downtown already stretched along Main Street from Railroad Avenue to 4th Avenue within the original 1879 platted boundaries, and the densest part of the downtown remained in those four blocks for much of the early twentieth century. The earliest businesses of hotels, saloons, lumber companies, and mills served both rail travelers and area farmers coming to trade. Economic successes and societal growth led to the construction of specialty stores like millinery, jewelry, furniture, hardware, and drug stores as well as banks and meeting halls for fraternal organizations. Industrial development occurred horizontally along the two railroad lines at Railroad Avenue and 8th Avenue with warehouses, coal sheds, mills, and foundries. Eventually, in the early twentieth century, businesses opened between 4th and 7th Avenues in Rowley’s First and Second Additions; they were often larger buildings (including the Corn Palace) and constructed at a lower density. In that same era, harness shops and liveries were replaced with automotive showrooms and filling stations, opera houses were replaced with air- conditioned movie theatres, and storeowners replaced iron and wood storefronts with neon signs, aluminum, colored panels, and open-front display cases. The district’s significance in the area of transportation begins with Mitchell’s actual location— chosen to fall along the prospective route of the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railroad. The town incorporated in 1879, and the rail line reached it in 1880. In 1884, the establishment of Milwaukee Road’s division headquarters and maintenance shop, as well as the 1887 arrival of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Omaha line, further tied the town’s work force to either the railroad itself or the businesses that catered to travelers and traders. These two rail lines set Section 8 page 20 Page 27 of 60 [PAGE 28] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State the initial geographical boundaries for commercial development between their depots along Railroad Avenue to the south and 8th Avenue to the north. The extant Milwaukee Road depot, built in 1909, represents this historic tie between Mitchell’s transportation and commercial history even though other railroad buildings have been demolished or have lost the ability to convey their significance to the district. The Davison County Courthouse, Mitchell Armory (City Hall), the Carnegie Public Library, and the U.S. Post Office made downtown Mitchell the hub for county and municipal civic activities. The 1902 Carnegie library was constructed through financing from city government and the Carnegie Corporation. It succeeded an 1884 wood shack library run by the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and the storage of books at the YMCA. In 1909, the Classical style architecture Post Office reflected the central civic role of that institution. The Post Office constructed a new facility and relocated in the early 1960s, at which time the city school district’s administrative offices moved into the 1909 building. It is currently occupied by a private business. The current 1936 Davison County Courthouse was designed by the local firm of Floyd F. Kings and Walter J. Dixon and replaced a previous 1883 building. Mitchell’s Armory, built in 1937 next to the Corn Palace, served as training facilities, offices, and storage for the National Guard until the building became City Hall in 1960. Both the courthouse and Armory are the most prominent examples of Art Deco architecture in the district and reflect a push in the 1930s for public improvements that used federal relief funding. The Mitchell Historic Commercial District is significant in the area of entertainment and recreation because of the long history of the Corn Palace in the city’s development and its many entertainment functions. The city built the first Corn Palace in 1892 to display the area’s agricultural richness for the Corn Belt Exposition. The current structure was built in 1921 and designed by Chicago-based firm, Rapp and Rapp, who primarily specialized in movie palaces. Its exterior walls are decorated with corn and other grains in murals designed by different artists over time including Alexander Rohe, William Kearney, Oscar Howe, Arthur Amiotte, and others. Since 1892 (with intermittent skipped years during the early period), the Corn Palace has served as an auditorium hall for music concerts, dances, sporting events, exhibitions, and political lectures. It still hosts events, from major concerts to basketball tournaments, and is one of South Dakota’s best-recognized tourist attractions. After the Corn Palace became a permanent building, the city has continued to hold an exposition or celebration for Corn Palace Week that also extends out along Main Street and includes a variety of exhibition booths, performances, and a traveling carnival. The significant architectural styles in the Mitchell Historic Commercial District cover a range of late nineteenth and early twentieth century commercial blocks that used Italianate, Neoclassical, Romanesque, Commercial (Chicago) Style, and Prairie School. Landmark buildings used Richardsonian Romanesque, Neoclassical, Beaux Arts, Prairie School, and Art Deco architecture. The district includes mostly two-part commercial blocks with retail space on the first floor and residential or office space above, one-part commercial blocks with decorative cornices, and several free-standing landmark buildings. Through the 1940s to the early 1960s, the trend to modernize commercial storefronts swept through Mitchell and many businesses remodeled their storefronts, rearranged display cases and plate glass windows, and added large Section 8 page 21 Page 28 of 60 [PAGE 29] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State signboards to attract consumers in the automobile age. Of the buildings in the district, about twenty-five percent have modernized storefronts or facades from that period. Architects that contributed to the district include the national firms of Purcell & Elmslie, J.A. Lindstrand, and Rapp & Rapp. There are also notable examples by regional and local architects Kings & Dixon; S.C. Wherry; F.C.W. Kuehn of Huron SD; William Steele of Sioux City IA; Eisentraut, Colby & Pottenger of Sioux City IA; F.H. Ellerbe of St. Paul MN, and Wallace L. Dow & Son of Sioux Fall SD; as well as the prolific local builder Andrew J. Kings (& Son). [Additional historic context in 2013 nomination update.] Section 8 page 22 Page 29 of 60 [PAGE 30] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State ______________________________________________________________________________ 9. Major Bibliographical References Bibliography (Cite the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form.) The American Contractor 35 (June 6, 1914), 94; 37 (September 30, 1916), 85; 37 (October 7, 1916), 110; 41 (December 11, 1920), 59; 43 (May 20, 1922), 72; 43 (December 23, 1922), 61A. Daily Republic (Mitchell SD), July 6, 1960; July 27, 2015 – July 29, 2020. Improvement Bulletin 26 (August 16, 1902), 17; 32 (May 12, 1906), 20, 22. Madison Daily Leader (SD), June 24, 1907 – May 3, 1911. Mitchell Capital (SD), January 8, 1904 – October 6, 1910. Mitchell Historic Preservation Commission, Historic District Walking Tour (brochure). Mitchell Republic (SD), January 21, 2023 – June 7, 2025. The Prairie School Review 2(1) (January 1965), 17. Sanborn Fire Insurance Co. Mitchell, South Dakota, 1898-1923. South Dakota Library Bulletin 49 (1963), 53. [More sources accompany the expanded historic context in the 2013 update.] ___________________________________________________________________________ Previous documentation on file (NPS): ____ preliminary determination of individual listing (36 CFR 67) has been requested _X__ previously listed in the National Register ____ previously determined eligible by the National Register ____ designated a National Historic Landmark ____ recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey #____________ ____ recorded by Historic American Engineering Record # __________ ____ recorded by Historic American Landscape Survey # ___________ Primary location of additional data: ____ State Historic Preservation Office ____ Other State agency ____ Federal agency ____ Local government ____ University ____ Other Name of repository: _____________________________________ Historic Resources Survey Number (if assigned): _Noted with each in Section 7__ Sections 9-end page 23 Page 30 of 60 [PAGE 31] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State ______________________________________________________________________________ 10. Geographical Data Acreage of Property: _32.2 acres________ Acreage previously listed in the National Register: __34.2 acres_____ Acreage of boundary increase: _ 0.5 acre________ Acreage of boundary decrease: _1.2 acres_________ Use either the UTM system or latitude/longitude coordinates Latitude/Longitude Coordinates Datum if other than WGS84:__________ (enter coordinates to 6 decimal places) 1. Latitude: Longitude: 2. Latitude: Longitude: 3. Latitude: Longitude: 4. Latitude: Longitude: Or UTM References Datum (indicated on USGS map): NAD 1927 or X NAD 1983 1. Zone: 14 Easting: 578505 Northing: 4840725 2. Zone: 14 Easting: 578603 Northing: 4840728 3. Zone: 14 Easting: 578607 Northing: 4840507 4. Zone: 14 Easting: 578717 Northing: 4840510 5. Zone: 14 Easting: 578720 Northing: 4840409 6. Zone: 14 Easting: 578608 Northing: 4840409 7. Zone: 14 Easting: 578611 Northing: 4840343 8. Zone: 14 Easting: 578647 Northing: 4840345 9. Zone: 14 Easting: 578648 Northing: 4840297 10. Zone: 14 Easting: 578610 Northing: 4840298 11. Zone: 14 Easting: 578615 Northing: 4840182 12. Zone: 14 Easting: 578660 Northing: 4840183 13. Zone: 14 Easting: 578661 Northing: 4840141 14. Zone: 14 Easting: 578615 Northing: 4840142 15. Zone: 14 Easting: 578616 Northing: 4840172 Sections 9-end page 24 Page 31 of 60 [PAGE 32] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State 16. Zone: 14 Easting: 578564 Northing: 4840182 17. Zone: 14 Easting: 578567 Northing: 4840061 18. Zone: 14 Easting: 578616 Northing: 4840061 19. Zone: 14 Easting: 578618 Northing: 4839965 20. Zone: 14 Easting: 578682 Northing: 4839966 21. Zone: 14 Easting: 578684 Northing: 4839923 22. Zone: 14 Easting: 578531 Northing: 4839950 23. Zone: 14 Easting: 578532 Northing: 4839880 24. Zone: 14 Easting: 578450 Northing: 4839897 25. Zone: 14 Easting: 578454 Northing: 4839919 26. Zone: 14 Easting: 578499 Northing: 4839913 27. Zone: 14 Easting: 578500 Northing: 4840032 28. Zone: 14 Easting: 578453 Northing: 4840034 29. Zone: 14 Easting: 578453 Northing: 4840054 30. Zone: 14 Easting: 578499 Northing: 4840057 31. Zone: 14 Easting: 578499 Northing: 4840139 32. Zone: 14 Easting: 578451 Northing: 4840140 33. Zone: 14 Easting: 578447 Northing: 4840237 34. Zone: 14 Easting: 578399 Northing: 4840237 35. Zone: 14 Easting: 578399 Northing: 4840356 36. Zone: 14 Easting: 578442 Northing: 4840357 37. Zone: 14 Easting: 578443 Northing: 4840535 38. Zone: 14 Easting: 578490 Northing: 4840535 Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the boundaries of the property.) The Mitchell Historic Commercial District begins along N. Main St. at E. 7th Ave. and extends east to N. Lawler St. From there it goes south to E. 5th Ave. and around the Davison County Courthouse block going east to N. Kimball St., south to E. 4th Ave. and returning west to N. Lawler St. Mid-block it goes east and south and returns to N. Lawler St. along E. 3rd Ave., to encompass 300-312 N. Lawler St. At E. 2nd Ave., the boundary turns east to encompass 201 E. 2nd Ave. returning to 2nd Ave then west to the alley between Main and Lawler Sts. At the alley it goes south to E. 1st Ave. where it runs east to N. Lawler St. Past mid-block, it goes east and south to E. Railroad Ave., to encompass 120 S. Lawler St. The boundary then runs along E. Railroad Ave. to a point before S. Main St. where it turns south and goes around the depot building at 210 S. Main St. before returning Sections 9-end page 25 Page 32 of 60 [PAGE 33] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State to the intersection of Main St. and Railroad Ave. It then goes north until turning west, north at the alley, and then returning to Main St., to encompass the building at 101 S. Main St. It continues north until a point turning west and north along the alley to encompass 121 and 123 N. Main St. It continues along the alley to the center of the 200-block where it turns west to N. Rowley St. It follows N. Rowley St. and turns east to the alley after encompassing the First United Methodist Church and its addition. The boundary continues north along the alley past E. 5th Ave and turns east after 501 N. Main St. At Main St. it goes north until reaching the starting point at E. 7th Ave. Boundary Justification (Explain why the boundaries were selected.) The boundary for this district has been selected to encompass the historic core of the downtown Mitchell area. This amendment reduces an area along N. Lawler St. between E. 1st and 2nd Aves. that has lost integrity with demolished properties and vacant lots, non- contributing resources, and a contributing building that has lost continuity to the historic district because of losses in its vicinity. ______________________________________________________________________________ 11. Form Prepared By name/title: _Liz Almlie, Historic Preservation Specialist_________________________ organization: __South Dakota State Historic Preservation Office___________________ street & number: ___900 Governors Drive_______________________________ city or town: _Pierre__________________ state: __SD_______ zip code: _57501___ e-mail: _shpo@state.sd.us______________ telephone: __605-773-3458___________ date: _6 January 2026_______________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Additional Documentation Submit the following items with the completed form: • Maps: A USGS map or equivalent (7.5 or 15 minute series) indicating the property's location. Sections 9-end page 26 Page 33 of 60 [PAGE 34] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State Sections 9-end page 27 Page 34 of 60 [PAGE 35] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State • Sketch map for historic districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources. Key all photographs to this map. Sections 9-end page 28 Page 35 of 60 [PAGE 36] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State • Additional items: (Check with the SHPO, TPO, or FPO for any additional items.) Sections 9-end page 29 Page 36 of 60 [PAGE 37] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State Photographs Submit clear and descriptive photographs. The size of each image must be 1600x1200 pixels (minimum), 3000x2000 preferred, at 300 ppi (pixels per inch) or larger. Key all photographs to the sketch map. Each photograph must be numbered and that number must correspond to the photograph number on the photo log. For simplicity, the name of the photographer, photo date, etc. may be listed once on the photograph log and doesn’t need to be labeled on every photograph. Photo Log Name of Property: Mitchell Historic Commercial District (boundary decrease; additional documentation) City or Vicinity: Mitchell County: Davison State: SD Photographer: Liz Almlie Description of Photograph(s) and number, include description of view indicating direction of camera: SD_Davison County_Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD)_0001 View of 210 and 208 N. Main Street, camera looking northeast. Date photographed: October 28, 2025. Sections 9-end page 30 Page 37 of 60 [PAGE 38] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State SD_Davison County_Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD)_0002 View of 100 N. Main, camera looking northeast. Date photographed: October 28, 2025. SD_Davison County_Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD)_0003 “Before” view of 100 N. Main, camera looking east. Date photographed: August 31, 2012. Sections 9-end page 31 Page 38 of 60 [PAGE 39] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State SD_Davison County_Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD)_0004 View of 118 N. Main, camera looking southeast. Date photographed: October 18, 2025. SD_Davison County_Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD)_0005 “Before” view of 118 N. Main, camera looking southeast. Date photographed: September 3, 2008. Sections 9-end page 32 Page 39 of 60 [PAGE 40] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State SD_Davison County_Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD)_0006 View of 514 N. Main Street (512 and 522 N. Main – demolished) with Corn Palace in background, camera looking northeast. Date photographed: September 29, 2025. SD_Davison County_Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD)_0007 “Before” view of 514 N. Main Street (edges of 512 and 522 N. Main – now demolished), camera looking east. Date photographed: September 3, 2008. Sections 9-end page 33 Page 40 of 60 [PAGE 41] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State SD_Davison County_Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD)_0008 View of west side of 300-block N. Main Street (In background: First United Methodist Church at left and Feinstein Brothers [317 N. Main] at center-right), camera looking northwest. Date photographed: September 29, 2025. SD_Davison County_Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD)_0009 View of north side of 100-block E. 1st Ave. at Lawler St. (Area of boundary decrease), camera looking northwest. Date photographed: September 29, 2025. Sections 9-end page 34 Page 41 of 60 [PAGE 42] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State SD_Davison County_Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD)_0010 View of south side of 100-block E. 2nd Ave. at Lawler St. (Area of boundary decrease), camera looking southwest. Date photographed: September 29, 2025. SD_Davison County_Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD)_0011 View of 201 E. 2nd Ave. at Lawler St., camera looking southeast. Date photographed: October 28, 2025. Sections 9-end page 35 Page 42 of 60 [PAGE 43] United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB Control No. 1024-0018 Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD) Davison County, SD Name of Property County and State SD_Davison County_Mitchell Historic Commercial District (AD, BI, BD)_0012 View of First Methodist Church addition (Area of boundary increase), camera looking southeast. Date photographed: September 29, 2025. Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: This information is being collected for nominations to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for listing or determine eligibility for listing, to list properties, and to amend existing listings. Response to this request is required to obtain a benefit in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended (16 U.S.C.460 et seq.). We may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Estimated Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for each response using this form is estimated to be between the Tier 1 and Tier 4 levels with the estimate of the time for each tier as follows: Tier 1 – 60-100 hours Tier 2 – 120 hours Tier 3 – 230 hours Tier 4 – 280 hours The above estimates include time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining data, and preparing and transmitting nominations. Send comments regarding these estimates or any other aspect of the requirement(s) to the Service Information Collection Clearance Officer, National Park Service, 1201 Oakridge Drive Fort Collins, CO 80525. Sections 9-end page 36 Page 43 of 60 [PAGE 44] Open Meetings Laws in South Dakota Updated November 2025 Page 44 of 60 [PAGE 45] SDCL 1-25-13 In 2025, the legislature enacted SDCL 1-25-13 which requires an annual review of: (1) The explanation of the open meeting laws of this state published by the attorney general, pursuant to § 1-11-1; and (2) Any other material pertaining to the open meeting laws of this state provided by the attorney general. Page 45 of 60 [PAGE 46] Open Meeting Basics South Dakota political subdivisions exercising sovereign power are required to follow the state’s open meetings laws. This includes ensuring official meetings are open to the public, providing adequate notice to the public of meetings, and allowing public comment periods at official meetings. This presentation is intended to highlight common issues, not cover all open meetings laws in detail. For more information, please refer to the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office brochure entitled “Conducting the Public’s Business in Public” which has been provided for review. Page 46 of 60 [PAGE 47] Who must follow open meetings laws? SD open meetings laws apply to political subdivisions of South Dakota which exercise sovereign power. This means that any public body of the City that has the authority to exercise sovereign power, such as implementing taxes, creating regulations, imposing penalties, etc., must comply with the open meetings laws. Public bodies that are advisory only are not required to comply with the open meetings laws. Each public body of the city that has the authority to exercise sovereign power must also review the open meetings laws annually. Page 47 of 60 [PAGE 48] What are open meetings? Open meetings include all official meetings of the political subdivision. This is when a quorum of members are present and official business or public policy of the body is discussed or decided. Open meetings include in person meetings, but also teleconferences, group texts, and group emails that include a quorum where official business or public policy of the political subdivision is discussed or decided. Page 48 of 60 [PAGE 49] How is the public notified? Generally, a political subdivision is required to post a notice for an official meeting at least 24 hours in advance. Less than 24 hours’ notice is permitted under certain circumstances, but as much notice as possible should still be provided. The notice must include the date, time, and location of the meeting and the items proposed to be discussed. The notice must be posted at political subdivision’s principal office and on its official website. It must also be delivered to all local news media that have asked to be notified. The political subdivision is also required to provide meeting materials on its website at least 24 hours in advance or when the materials are provided to board members, whichever is later. Page 49 of 60 [PAGE 50] How can the public participate? The public is entitled to attend open meetings and may record the meetings if the recording is reasonable, obvious, and not disruptive. The political subdivision must also allow public comment at official meetings, except for those held exclusively for certain purposes. The political subdivision may limit public comment as to the time allowed for each topic, and as to the total time allowed for public comment. The public is not entitled to attend or participate in a political subdivision’s executive sessions. Page 50 of 60 [PAGE 51] When can a meeting be closed? A political subdivision can hold private, executive sessions that are closed to the public and media. SDCL 1-25-2 provides several categories of discussions that may be done in executive session. Executive session may also be held when the federal or state constitution or federal or state statutes require or permit it. To enter executive session, the political subdivision must make a motion to enter executive session and cite the statute that applies to the discussions to be held. Discussions in executive session are limited to the cited statute. No action may be taken during executive session. Any action to be taken relative to matters discussed in executive session must be done once the political subdivision has returned to open session. Page 51 of 60 [PAGE 52] Questions/Comments/Discussion For more information, please refer to the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office brochure entitled “Conducting the Public’s Business in Public” and South Dakota Codified Laws Chapter 1-25. 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