Restored historical marker returned to courthouse

It was the first and only hanging recorded in Hughes County. But for a good while now, this singular tale of frontier justice was marked only by a sign that was getting harder and harder to read.

That sign, which for years sat on the Hughes County Courthouse lawn, had been worn down by age and from being repeatedly sprayed by the sprinkler system.

“City water is not the best thing for signs,” said Don Zeller, treasurer of the Pierre/Fort Pierre Historic Preservation Commission.

As part of an ongoing project to maintain local historical markers, the commission removed the sign several months ago for refurbishment. It was sent to Morris Inc. in Fort Pierre, where it was cleaned, sandblasted and repainted.

A new sign post, out of range of the sprinklers, was set up just outside the courthouse’s front doors. The marker was reinstalled Monday afternoon.

The sign is one of several the commission is refurbishing or replacing through a $4,000 federal grant that expires next spring.

Last week the commission placed a restored sign on Farm Island to mark the location of the Old Fort Sully. It has another refurbished sign that will be placed later by the American Legion cabin at the end of Pierre Street. A completely new marker has also been made to go up at the Fort Pierre Stockgrowers Bank.

The commission has enough money left from the grant to refurbish a couple more historical markers, Zeller said. As part of another project, Zeller and commission President Gordon Koch also put up a new sign at the Snake Butte Turtle Effigy site on Monday.

“These mark a great deal of history in South Dakota, and to me they mark local history,” Zeller said.