The William C. Blanchard House in Aberdeen has been added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The National Register is the official federal list of properties identified as important to American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, and culture. The State Historic Preservation Office of the State Historical Society works in conjunction with the National Park Service, which oversees the National Register program, to list these properties.
“South Dakota has a very rich history and culture ranging from prehistoric Indian villages and homesteader cabins to unique businesses and richly detailed historic neighborhoods – which are all wonderful testaments to our state,” said Ted M. Spencer, State Historic Preservation Officer and director of the State Historic Preservation Office.
The Blanchard House was built circa 1913 and is significant for its architecture as a Craftsman styled foursquare dwelling. The house has many stylistic features for both styles on the interior and exterior. The Craftsman style of architecture was popular throughout the country from 1905 to 1930 and is the most dominant architectural style for the house. On the exterior of the house, features include a full-width porch, multiple-paned windows, exposed decorative rafter tails, and unenclosed overhanging eaves. The interior boasts the style by its frequent use of natural materials which can be found in the wood flooring and wood trim. The custom fireplaces in the house are also a hallmark of this style. Some features of the house that exemplify the foursquare style include the general cubic shape, full width porch, two stories, presence of a dormer, the hipped roof, and grouped windows.
The name of this house comes from a man named William C. Blanchard who was born in 1885 in Perry, Michigan. In 1906 he moved to Aberdeen and worked for several years as a cashier at the First State Saving Bank. In 1911, he took up a position as manager of the Aberdeen Light and Power Company until 1927. The same year he started construction on his house, 1913, he also married Blanch Coleman. They eventually had three children. In 1928, William sold his home to Frank and Alta Sexton and moved his family to Kansas.
About the South Dakota State Historical Society
The South Dakota State Historical Society is a division of the Department of Education. The State Historical Society, an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, is headquartered at the South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre. The center houses the society’s world-class museum, the archives, and the historic preservation, publishing, and administrative/development offices. For questions or memberships, call 605-773-3458 or visit history.sd.gov for more information. The society also has an archaeology office in Rapid City; call 605-394-1936 for more information.
