Wallace L. Dow

Wallace L. Dow, often known as W.L. Dow, was an architect of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

He has been referred to as the "Builder on the Prairie" and was "considered the premier architect of South Dakota in the late 19th century."^[1]

Wallace L. Dow was born in Croydon, New Hampshire on September 21, 1844, the son of Hial and Lura Powers Dow. Dow was educated in local schools and at the Powers Institute. He learned the carpentry and building contracting trade from his father, and worked in the plumbing and heating trades in the early 1860s in Massachusetts. He returned to New Hampshire and formed his own contracting and building supply manufacturing company. He then studied architecture under his uncle, Edward Dow, an architect, in Concord, New Hampshire.

Wallace Dow moved to Pierre, South Dakota, in 1880. In February, 1881, Dow was appointed by the governor to the board responsible for building the territorial prison in Sioux Falls. Dow was chairman of the prison construction board for four years. He moved to Sioux Falls in 1882. Following completion of the prison worked as an architect. He designed many public buildings, and played an important role in development of the construction stone industry in the state.^[2][3]

He worked also as Wallace LeRoy Dow and as Wallace Dow and Sons.

Dow married Lois M. Whipple of Croyden, New Hampshire, in 1865. Their three children were Edward W. Dow, Baron C. Dow, and Annie H. Dow.^[2] Dow died in Sioux Falls July 6, 1911.

A number of Dow'sworks are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.^[4]

Works

• Dakota Wesleyan University, bounded by E. and W. University Aves. and McCabe St., Mitchell, South Dakota (Dow,W.L.), NRHP-listed^[4]
• Douglas County Clerk of Courts and Auditor's Office building, U.S. 281, Armour, South Dakota (Dow,W.L.), NRHP-listed^[4]
• First Baptist Church of Vermillion (1889-90), 101 E. Main St., Vermillion, South Dakota (Dow,Wallace Le Roy), NRHP-listed^[4][5]
• Main Hall, University of South Dakota campus, Springfield, South Dakota (Dow,W.L.), NRHP-listed^[4]
• Old Main, Clark St., University of South Dakota campus, Vermillion, South Dakota (Dow,W.L.), NRHP-listed^[4]
• South Dakota School for the Deaf, 1800 E. 10th St., Sioux Falls, South Dakota (Dow,Wallace L.), NRHP-listed^[4]
• South Dakota State Penitentiary Historic Buildings, 1600 North Dr., Sioux Falls, South Dakota (Dow,W.L.), NRHP-listed^[4]
• George D. Dayton House, 1311 4th Ave., Worthington, Minnesota (Dow, Wallace L.), NRHP-listed^[4]
• One or more works in Downtown Vermillion Historic District, Main St., roughly bounded by Market and Dakota Sts., Vermillion, South Dakota (Dow, Wallace, et al.), NRHP-listed^[4]
• William G. Milne House, 508 E. 9th St., Dell Rapids, South Dakota (Dow, Wallace, and Sons), NRHP-listed^[4]
• One or more works in Old Courthouse and Warehouse District (Boundary Increase), roughly bounded by N. Dakota Ave., 4th St., the Big Sioux R., and 7th St., Sioux Falls, South Dakota (Dow, Wallace L.), NRHP-listed^[4]
• One or more works in Sioux Falls Downtown Historic District, roughly bounded by S. Dakota and S. First Aves., W. Ninth and W. Fourteenth Sts., Sioux Falls, South Dakota (Dow, Wallace L.), NRHP-listed^[4]
  • Illinois Central Railroad passenger terminal, 200 N Cherapa Pl, Sioux Falls, SD 57103^[6]
  • Rock Island Railroad passenger terminal, 201 E 10th St, Sioux Falls, SD 57104^[6]
• Wentworth depot, standard depot plan of the South Dakota Central Railway Company, moved to Prairie Village Museum near Madison^[6]
• Old Minnehaha County Courthouse, Sioux Falls, South Dakota^[7]
• All Saints School, Sioux Falls, South Dakota^[7]

Gallery

• 

  South Dakota State Penitentiary Building, Sioux Falls, South Dakota

• 

  Douglas County Clear of Courts and Auditor's building, Armour, South Dakota, now the county museum

• 

  University Hall, University of South Dakota, Vermillion

• 

  George D. Dayton House, Worthington, Minnesota

• 

  William G. Milne House, Dell Rapids, South Dakota

• 

  Illinois Central Terminal, Sioux Falls, South Dakota

• 

  Rock Island Passenger Terminal, Sioux Falls, South Dakota

• 

  Old Minnehaha County Courthouse, Sioux Falls, South Dakota

• 

  All Saints School, Sioux Falls, South Dakota

References

1. "Dayton House Architecture: Wallace L. Dow".
2. Robinson, Doane (1904-01-01). History of South Dakota. B. F. Bowen. p. 1477.
3. The Granite Monthly: A Magazine of Literature, History and State Progress. J.N. McClintock. 1911-01-01. p. 288.
4. National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
5. John Burrows (November 5, 1980). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: First Baptist Church of Vermillion / First Baptist Church" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved July 13, 2016. with nine photos from 1980
6. Hufstetler, Mark (December 2007) [July 1998]. "South Dakota's Railroads" (PDF). South Dakota State Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
7. Tierney, James Fallows and John. "Romanesque on the Plains: The Look of Sioux Falls". Retrieved 2016-08-28.