South Dakota Community Foundation Awarded $5,228 to Pickstown and Fort Randall Museum
April 5, 2025 // Grants, South Dakota Fund Grants
South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) recently awarded a $5,228 South Dakota Fund grant to Pickstown and Fort Randall Museum. Funding will assist with the installation of an HVAC system in the museum’s new section.
“Thank you to SDCF, this grant has allowed for heating and cooling in our museum,” said Bill Lampman, Pickstown and Fort Randal Museum. “It also gave us the ability to access 1,600 more square feet of museum space and allow for a longer season for visitors to the museum.”
Pickstown and Fort Randall Museum began as an idea during a high school reunion in 2011 when four alumni determined that historical information from Pickstown and Fort Randall Dam needed to be preserved for future generations.
In 2013, the Pickstown and Fort Randall Museum Foundation and Board were organized with a mission to collect, preserve, and display historical objects, records, and information relating to the Fort Randall area. The board began displaying items in 1856 with the establishment of the town, the construction and development of the town and Fort Randal Dam in 1946, the history of the school system until 1968, and the evolution of the town to its present state.
As the collection has expanded, the space has expanded into other sections of the building where the museum is located. With this expansion, installation of an HVAC system is required to continue temperature regulation throughout the building.
“It’s important to preserve history in order to keep telling our stories to future generations,” says Ginger Niemann, SDCF Senior Program Officer. “SDCF is proud to partner with Pickstown and Fort Randall Museum to assist with the installation of an HVAC system.”
To learn more about funding opportunities offered by SDCF, please visit our website at SDCommunityFoundation.org.
SDCF is a public non-profit organization established in 1987. SDCF, with offices in Pierre, Rapid City, Sioux Falls and Aberdeen administers 1,300 funds benefiting hundreds of charitable organizations annually. The Foundation distributed nearly $40 million in grants in 2024 which made a tremendous difference in communities statewide. This would not have been possible without the generosity of our donors. If you have a specific cause you would like to support or would prefer to give for the general good of our state, please visit https://sdcommunityfoundation.org/giving to learn more or call 1-800-888-1842.