Rowe House South Dakota State Historical Society

Built in 1907 by Walter Rowe, an important local figure, the Rowe House is an excellent example of the Folk Victorian style architecture that was prevalent in South Dakota between 1890 and 1910. This style is inspired by Italianate and Queen Anne designs with the main area of focus drawn from the porch or cornice line which accents the exterior portions of the building. The handsome stone house with a front porch across the front has a hip roof with a tin eave overhang with brackets. The building is also a fine example of the distinct use of cut stone in construction. It was one of the earliest homes constructed in a neighborhood of mostly one-story ranch style homes.
 
Walter Rowe started and was head of the Capital City Telephone Company that served both Pierre and Fort Pierre and was responsible for making Fort Pierre accessible by telephone and telegraph.  Rowe made telephone service possible between Pierre and Fort Pierre by erecting telephone poles on the banks of the Missouri River and on sandbars and LaFramboise Island to connect telephone lines between Pierre and Fort Pierre. He then connected Pierre to other cities such as Rapid City and Wolsey. The company’s installation of telephone service allowed Pierre to communicate with the western and northeastern parts of the State, an important sign of progress.  In 1905, when the Dakota Central Telephone Company bought the Capital City Telephone Company, Rowe stayed on as manager.