PO Box 395
21 South Main Street
Aberdeen, SD 57402
Phone: (605) 626-7117
Email: dpm@brown.sd.us
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Dacotah Prairie Museum
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 The
Campaign for the Museum  |
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Dacotah Prairie Museum Building Renovation Photos
 here
- View Hatterscheidt Wildlife Gallery Renovation Photos here
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Building Project Updates (August 2003 Release)
The new ground floor windows and doors have been installed and finish work on the inside around the openings is complete. Jerry Johnson, a master finish carpenter from Mueller Lumber, created new woodwork to match the existing trim on all openings and in the lobby areas. These pieces match so perfectly that it's hard to tell what is old and what is new.
The two stained glass transoms that were found hanging in their original positions during the demolition stage of the project have been re-hung in those openings after being thoroughly cleaned of 100 years of dirt, soot, and paint by Allen Gates. These transoms were placed on the inside of the new windows since they are much to fragile to withstand the harsh outside environment. To see the beautiful result, check the website at http: www.brown.sd.us/museum where new photos of the project are posted regularly. If you are in the neighborhood, stop by to view these windows which are visible on the southwest corner of the first floor.
Another smaller stained glass window which was entirely covered with blue paint was found in the Zietlow exhibit area. The window was stripped and the frame repainted. The nine panes of yellow and orange glass will show nicely as the sun shines through the west doors.
The second floor remodeling is finished and staff are moving into their new spaces.
New windows on the second and third floor are being installed. All second floor openings on the Main Street and First Avenue sides have new windows and work is being completed on both the outside and interior trim on those windows. Work will continue around the building until all 82 windows have been replaced.
Renovation Progress (July 2003 Release)
Second Floor Remodeling: This part of our project is nearly complete. There are a few minor details that are still to be completed, but the new room has already been used for meetings and an artshow has been hung in
the expanded hallway gallery. Appliances need to be installed in the kitchen and hardware is yet to be installed on all new cabinets in both the kitchen and education workroom areas. The ceramic tile for the restroom floor has arrived and we are on the installer's schedule. After that is complete, the fixtures can be mounted and the entire project will
be done.
It is an unbelievable transformation from carpentry shop to meeting/exhibit room space. Feel free to stop by to view this area whenever you are in the neighborhood.
First Floor Windows and Doors: The nine new windows and two double doors have been installed. Work is nearly complete on the exterior trimming of those openings which includes installing the appropriate trim and brick
moldings to each opening. New cedar panels are in place on the exterior under each of the six large windows and are currently being painted using forest green, midnight blue, and burgundy. The steel I beams above these windows will be painted with the same colors. Newly created woodwork on the interior of these openings has been installed and is in the process of being stained to match existing wood trim.
Hatterscheidt Wildlife Gallery: Lora Schaunaman and Debra Many Carson have begun the huge task of painting the landscape murals on the walls of the wildlife gallery. These artists spent most of the winter months
creating working drawings for the mural to insure that all animals, trees, and landscape components were in proper perspective and proportion to our existing animals which will be placed into the setting. After painstakingly drawing each detail of the proposed mural on paper, the images were transferred to the gallery walls using an overhead projector
to enlarge each image so it could be traced onto the wall. Paint was ordered - over 350 gallons of different colors which would be carefully mixed to create even more colors to obtain the desired subtlety of mountains, water, prairie and sky colorings. The actual painting is now in progress and the east wall of the gallery has been magically
transformed into a starry night sky over snowcapped mountains which will be the backdrop for both the Indian and Arctic animals. This is beginning to fold into a colorful sunrise on the south wall. When completed, this mural will encircle the room with a seamless portrayal of one day - sunrise to sunset - over different portions of the world (India, Africa, Alaska and the North American prairie) providing a wonderful backdrop for our animals.
Pictures of this progress will soon be available at this website here. In order to insure your safety, we ask that you view the progress via the website rather than stopping by the gallery where visitor space is very limited due to the many sections of scaffolding, ladders, paint supplies plus the animals that occupy the floor space in the room.
Second and Third Floor Windows: Work to replace the 80 plus windows on the museum's upper floors is
scheduled to begin the week of August 4. The first windows to be installed will be on the second floor, Main Street
side (in the new room) and the second floor office area on the south side of the building. Work will continue around the building from that point. It is our hope that work on this phase will be complete by the end of September. Then the awnings will be placed over the nine openings on the first floor completing this phase of our renovation project!!
Renovation Progress (June 2003 Release)
The windows and doors have arrived!!! At this writing, the two entry doors have been installed and five of the six largest windows are in. Work continues daily to complete the installation of the final large window and the three smaller ones. Matching trim will then be installed around each window and door to complete the process. Even without this trim in place, the new windows and doors are causing quite a stir among passersby who stop to admire our new look.
For those of you interested in details, here are some statistics about our new windows. Each of the six large windows measures 12 feet by 14 feet and weighs 800 - 900 pounds. The three smaller openings will hold windows measuring 8 feet by 10 feet that are adorned by curved tops. The exterior of all the windows and doors are wrapped in an extruded aluminum that has a baked on, forest green finish. The interior trim is wood which will be stained to match the original oak woodwork still existing throughout the building. Due to the size and configuration of these windows, it was necessary for them to be custom manufactured especially for this project by the Marvin Window Company. When the installation of the windows on all three floors is complete, new green and white striped canvas awnings will be installed above the ground floor windows to complete the restoration of the building's original exterior look.
Second floor project is nearing completion. The new meeting room, kitchenette and education work room have been painted and the existing oak trim and doors have been refinished. Refinishing the hardwood floors in the kitchenette and workroom and installation of ceramic tile in the restroom will be the next step. Cabinets and plumbing fixtures will then be installed followed by carpet in the meeting room and hallway. The scheduled completion date for this portion of the project is July 30.
Renovation Progress (May 2003 Release)
Windows: The window delivery date has been rescheduled for sometime in June. Our best hope is to have them completely installed by the end of July. Old windows and frames have been removed and the openings prepared for window installation.
New Meeting Room: The new meeting room has been completely re-wired for electrical and telephone services. The window trim has been removed for refinishing. The ceiling and walls have been covered with sheet rock and are waiting to be taped and textured.
New Restroom: The plumbing has been installed for the new handicapped accessible restroom. The walls have been sheet rocked and are waiting to be taped and textured after which the fixtures will be installed and floor tiled.
Kitchenette: The former break room area has been re-wired and plumbed for kitchen appliances. The hardwood floor will be refinished as soon as the walls are painted. New cabinets will also be installed.
Renovation Progress (April 2003 Release)
Work on the exterior brickwork has been completed until after the new windows have been installed. Now the work is concentrated on the interior of the building. The carpenter shop, break room, and education office areas have been gutted and two dumpsters of debris hauled away. New walls and wiring are currently being installed in preparation for a new conference/meeting room, kitchenette, and restroom.
We offer a sincere apology to anyone who has visited us in the past two weeks as you have suffered with us through dust, debris, periods of no electricity or water, hallways full of displaced things, and no parking. Thank you!! This, too, shall pass and we will be looking good again.
The new windows for the ground floor are scheduled to arrive on May 5 and be installed, small ones first, over the next few weeks.
As an unexpected bonus, the DPM received a $200,000 Community Development Block Grant from the State of South Dakota prior to Governor Janklow's leaving office. This money will be used to replace ALL the windows on the second and third floors of the building with ones that will match the new ground floor windows. Bids for this project are scheduled to be opened May 15. It will take most of the summer for the window manufacturer to make the nearly 90 windows of three different sizes for this job, so installation of those is expected in the early fall. That will truly complete our new look.
Renovation Progress (March 2003 Release)
Work is progressing on the project with special emphasis on three areas: masonry, awnings, and the new gallery space for second floor.
Masonry: A crew from Midwest Masonry Restoration Co. from Parkston, SD, arrived on Monday, March 24 to begin their work. They began on the north and east walls where broken and missing bricks will be replaced and joints tuckpointed where necessary - a process estimated to take two weeks. The crew will then tuckpoint the south and west sides of the building, and once the window openings are uncovered, level some of the stone windowsills and repair brickwork near the openings.
Awnings: A striped fabric has been chosen for the awnings which will be placed over all the ground floor window openings. A font (letter style) was selected for the lettering which will be on the bottom of each awning to identify the museum. These awnings will be installed as each window opening is completed. The existing awning over the entrance will be recovered in matching fabric and re-installed.
New Space: A floor plan has been finalized for the remodeling of the second floor area currently occupied by the carpenter shop, break room, and education office. Rooms in this area will be transformed into a meeting room/gallery, kitchenette, and handicapped-accessible, unisex restroom, respectively. Staff has been working on third floor to make space for the carpenter shop and education office.
Work Begins on Renovation Project (February 2003 Release)
On Monday, February 24, crews arrived to begin the process of removing the decorative wood trim from the interior
of the ground floor window and door openings. They will take the trim to their shop in Mitchell, South Dakota,
to be completely refinished and restored. Once the new windows are installed, this trim will be brought back and
reinstalled.
Hidden Treasures Found (February 2003 Release)
In preparation for the arrival of the work crews, museum staff dismantled exhibits and removed false walls in order
to expose the window openings that were to be worked on.
Decorative oak trim was found (intact) around each of the windows, and an original ceramic tile floor was discovered
under the existing carpet. It is assumed that the area these treasures were found in was the lobby of the
Northwestern National Bank that originally occupied the southwest corner of the first floor. Both the trim and the
flooring will be restored and incorporated into the new decor.
Exhibits Temporarily Closed (February 2003 Release)
Three exhibits on the Museum's first floor will be closed until further notice while building renovations are taking place.
The Zietlow Telephone Exhibit, the Hatterscheidt Wildlife Gallery, and The Tipi Exhibit have all been dismantled and
will be redesigned before re-opening to the public when the renovation project is complete.
The biggest challenge to museum staff will be moving the elephant head from its present site without damaging it in
transport. Its size dictates that it will need to be stored within the Wildlife Gallery since there is no door from that room
large enough to allow removal from the site. Speculation is that the mount was placed in the room through the northern
most Main Street window opening after which the opening was covered with the corrugated metal. A crew of volunteers
is scheduled to make this delicate move the first weekend in March.
Brown County Historical Society Donation (February 2003 Release)
At the annual meeting of the Brown County Historical Society, members voted to donate $2,500 to the Museum to be
used to secure the services of Eric Klineburger, a taxidermist from Seattle, Washington, associated with the company
that originally prepared the Hatterscheidt trophies for exhibit. Klineburger will spend 4 days at the Museum when the
renovation project is complete to thoroughly clean each animal and make any necessary repairs to them prior to their
being replaced in their new exhibit areas. Klineburger has spent most of his career working with exotic collections such
as the one housed at the DPM and is well qualified to perform this work. Staff is excited to have this opportunity for a
professional cleaning of " the gang" since the collection has received only minimal care and maintenance in its thirty years
at the DPM.
Building Project Update (January 2003 Release)
Several pre-construction meetings have been held with museum staff, the project architect, and the contractors
involved with window replacement, masonry, and awnings. Construction schedules call for work to begin in
mid February. Although the first floor exhibit areas will be impacted by this work, it is hoped that a total shut
down of those exhibits will not be necessary.
Much of the interior work can be completed while waiting for the custom made windows to be delivered from the Marvin Window Company in Minnesota. We ask for your patience in the next several months as traffic patterns
through the exhibits are altered and parking spaces are occupied by construction trailers and equipment.
Phase One Campaign for the Museum Reaches Goal (September 2002 Release)
The Dacotah Prairie Museum Foundation is pleased to announce that the $300,000 phase one campaign goal has been reached. The Foundation board will be accepting bids from interested contractors and finalizing the work schedule during the next few weeks.
These exterior updates will require exhibit changes in the Zietlow and Hatterscheidt galleries as the currently covered window openings well be opened and windows installed in these areas. As soon as work begins on the project, the west galleries of the first floor will be closed to the public until all work inside and out is complete.
Original 1889 Windows Intact (August 2002 Release)
At least two of the original decorative transoms above the large storefront window on the Museum's first floor are intact and will be restored and used in the upcoming window replacement project. Protective coverings were removed from the window openings in one interior exhibit space and the two transoms were found virtually unharmed.
These decorative windows are 12 feet long and over 3 feet tall and made up of a pattern of colored and clear glass in individual divided lights. Each transom is divided into three sections with a larger clear glass center panel that is surrounded by smaller, red glass panels. The hardwood trim is also intact and in good shape.
Similar transoms originally adorned each ground floor store front window unfortunately some were removed years ago. Any found intact will be restored and reset as part of the restoration project.
Collection Work Progressing Slowly (August 2002 Release)
The work to combine the artifacts currently stored in two rooms into just one room is progressing slowly and carefully. This move is necessary to provide a new space for the museum's carpenter shop that will be removed
from its current second floor space to create a new exhibit/program room.
The artifact move was originally scheduled to take two weeks, but the decision to digitally photograph each artifact prior to its replacement in storage has lengthened the process. By adding these digital images to the existing computerized inventory of the collection, staff can quickly view artifacts for research or possible exhibit via computer rather than physically unpacking each stored artifact for examination. This will increase the life of our artifacts significantly since damage most often occurs from handling the items. Eventually this digital imaging process will be completed on all collection storage areas making the DPM's collection management procedures truly state of the art.
A special thank you should be extended to Bob and Kathy Webb who have been assisting staff with the monumental project.
Proposed Interior Changes Alter Program Schedules (July 2002 Release)
To accommodate our building plans, which call for us to move our carpenter shop to the third floor to create space for a new exhibit/meeting room on the second floor, some work will be required in the collection area of the third floor. During the two weeks from August 5-16, all staff will be involved with the consolidation of two collection
storage rooms into one. The emptied room will eventually house the carpentry shop. In order to make this move
efficiently, no programs or tours will be scheduled for any staff person during that period.
" Campaign for the Museum" Enters Grassroots Phase (May 2002 Release)
The Museum has raised $230,000 in gifts and pledges toward its campaign goal of $300,000. Recent gifts include $25,000 from the Brown County Historical Society, $25,000 from the Deadwood Fund, and $15,000 from the Hatterscheidt Foundation. Even school children have been involved in the process. On a recent field trip to the Museum, the 4th grade class from Ellendale presented a check for $50.00 to be used toward the campaign.
Fund Raising Efforts Continue Toward $300,000 Goal (April 2002 Release)
More than $179,000 has been raised so far in the first of a series of campaigns the Dacotah Prairie Museum is conducting over the next 5 to 10 years. This first " Campaign for the Museum" started in mid-December and should be complete by the end of June.
A second-floor carpenter shop will be moved and a new education/exhibit room will be constructed in its place to give the museum more space for its growing education programs. Also, exterior repairs will begin with tuckpointing on the building's south and west walls. Old sheet metal that covers the Romanesque window spaces along First and Main streets will be removed and large new windows and awnings will be installed so that exhibits can be created for viewing by passersby. Campaign funds also will be used to provide new exhibits and to renovate existing ones. Vicki Lust serves as honorary chair of the campaign with Joe Senger and Adrian Pratt serving as campaign co-chairs. Kim Lien and Troy McQuillen will chair the general gifts phase of the campaign which will begin in May.
Goals of " The Campaign for the Museum" (April 2002 Release)
Bursting at the seams, we are conducting our first capital campaign ever, and asking the community we have served since 1970 to help us improve our facility. This is the first phase of a three-phase process which will be completed over the next five to ten years.
In “Phase One” we will raise $300,000 to:
[1] create a new education/exhibit room to accommodate our continuing growth
[2] tuckpoint our windowsills on our South and West sides to protect our building
[3] pull the metal panels and install big windows and colorful awnings on our First Street and Main Street sides to become an attractive asset to the business district
[4] redesign our entryways
[5] renovate existing exhibits and create new ones.
Remember: your gift or pledge to our campaign also pays for your 2002 Museum membership. We need your help now to take this long-awaited big step forward.
PLEASE NOTE: All fundraising costs have been paid for by the Museum Foundation, so all donors' gifts go directly to improve the Museum.
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