Another mural has been painted on the side of a building on Deadwood Street in Fort Pierre.
The Ghost Mural project was financed by a $2,500 Fort Pierre Tourism Beautification Grant and $2,500 in Downtown Committee funds from the Fort Pierre Development Corporation. The project was commissioned by the FPDC Downtown Committee.
Local artist Jill Kokesh completed the restoration of the original signage on the side of the historic Gordon Hotel, now home to the Chateau Lounge & Conference Center. Owner Shane Mattheis had done a lot of work on his building, which enabled the ghost mural to be completed. Jill Kokesh’s brother Rick Kokesh, a carpenter, helped her with the project, which they finished in about five days.
The original project was to include both the Rowe Hardware and Gordon Hotel buildings, but complications in obtaining a grant to repair the bricks on the Rowe Hardware prevented that ghost murals from being done. Both the Rowe Hardware and Gordon Hotel buildings were built around 1900.
Fort Pierre Development Corporation Office Manager Sunny Hannum says they are currently accepting donations to make up for a shortage of funds needed to repair the Rowe building so the ghost mural can be restored. She says they are applying for a $15,000 grant, but even if they receive that, they’ll need to raise another $15,000 to complete the project.
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