First “Ghost Mural” Done; Seeking Funding for Second Building on Deadwood Street
FORT PIERRE, SD – Jill Kokesh has successfully completed the restoration of the original signage on the side of the historic Gordon Hotel home of the Chateau Lounge & Conference Center. Fort Pierre Development Corporation’s Downtown Committee commissioned the project in June 2025. Funding was supplied by a $2,500 Beautification Grant from Fort Pierre Tourism matched by $2,500 from the FPDC Downtown Committee.
FPDC Office Manager, Sunny Hannum, said, “We were able to get this done because of the cooperation of owner Shane Mattheis and all the work he had already done on his building.’ She continued, “We are currently accepting donations to make up for a shortage of funds to prepare the Rowe building for the “ghost murals” to be restored. We need $30,000 to do that work and are applying for a SD Fund grant for $15,000 but will need to raise another $15,000.”
Kokesh with the assistance of her brother and carpenter, Rick Kokesh, completed the project in about five days in spite of the heat and humidity.
Kokesh began subtly reviving the old signage with a thin application of paint so a translucent effect was achieved similar to what one might see in historic downtown Lead and Deadwood in the Black Hills. Because of the height of the work to be done above the street, a lift was required. Mattheis had salvaged the original free standing coke bottle that was part of the original signage so it could be replicated.
The Ghost Mural project is being financed by a $2,500 Fort Pierre Tourism Beautification Grant and $2,500 in FPDC Downtown Committee funds. The project was commissioned by the FPDC Downtown Committee that meets at the Log Cabin at 8 a.m. the first Thursday of each month. The original project was to include both the Rowe Hardware and Gordon Hotel buildings but Hannum ran into road blocks in obtaining a grant for tuck pointing on the Rowe Hardware. Tuck pointing was necessary to repair the bricks before the “ghost murals” could be done on the Rowe Hardware. Both buildings were built around 1900.
Hannum said, “If we don’t preserve our old buildings and our history, what will happen to our town and our heritage. I am committed to this project long term and will continue to search for funds for the work on the Rowe Hardware building.” She added an adage she picked up at the SDSU Energize Conference: “Failure is the pathway to success.”
Photo of Shane Mattheis Jill Kokesh provided by Shane Mattheis.