This article lists the oldest extant buildings in South Dakota, including extant buildings and structures constructed prior to and during the United States rule over South Dakota. Only buildings built prior to 1880 are suitable for inclusion on this list, or the building must be the oldest of its type.
In order to qualify for the list, a structure must:
This consciously excludes ruins of limited height, roads and statues. Bridges may be included if they otherwise fulfill the above criteria. Dates for many of the oldest structures have been arrived at by radiocarbon dating or dendrochronology and should be considered approximate. If the exact year of initial construction is estimated, it will be shown as a range of dates.
Building | Image | Location | First built | Use | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gingras Trading Post State Historic Site | Walhalla, North Dakota | 1844 | Trading post | Likely oldest buildings in North Dakota [1] | |
Headquarters Building (South Dakota) at Camp Hancock State Historic Site | Bismarck, North Dakota | 1872 | Residence | ||
Opheim Cabin | Cooperstown, North Dakota | 1879 | Residence | First permanent home in Griggs County (ND) built by Omond Nelson Opheim, Washburn Township, 1879 (cabin now on courthouse grounds, Cooperstown) [2] | |
Bread of Life Church (South Dakota) at Camp Hancock State Historic Site | Bismarck, North Dakota | 1881 | Church | Oldest church building in North Dakota; no longer in active use by congregation; later St. George's Episcopal Church | |
I. W. Goodner House | Pierre, South Dakota | 1881-1885 | Residence | One of the oldest houses in Pierre; built for Clerk of SD Supreme Court [3] | |
Griggs County Courthouse | Cooperstown, North Dakota | 1884 | Courthouse | The Griggs County Courthouse was designed by F.B. Edwards and built in 1884 by Alexander Moffat. A vault was added to the building in 1918 and a law enforcement center was added in 1960. It is the oldest courthouse still in use in North Dakota but the county is currently transitioning to a new courthouse. [4] | |
Glencoe-Sloan Memorial Presbyterian Church | Glencoe, South Dakota | 1885 | Church | Oldest church building still used for worship in South Dakota. [5] | |