Wallace L. Dow Biography


	This biography appears on page 1477 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	WALLACE L. DOW, one of the most talented and best known architects 
in the state of South Dakota, comes of staunch New England stock and is 
himself a native of the old Granite state, having been born in Croydon, 
Sullivan county, New Hampshire, on the 21st of September, 1844, and 
being a son of Hial and Lura (Powers) Dow. The father of our subject was 
a carpenter and building contractor at Newport, New Hampshire, and under 
his direction Wallace L. learned the trade in his youth, while his 
educational advantages were such as were afforded in the local schools 
and Powers Institute, at Bernardston, Massachusetts. Mr. Dow's early 
ambition was to follow the profession of architecture, and he devoted 
all his energies for several years to preparing himself for work along 
this line. From 1861 to 1866 he was engaged in the heating and plumbing 
business in Springfield, Massachusetts, the knowledge thus gained 
proving of much value to him in connection with the practical work of 
his profession in later years. At the expiration of the period noted he 
returned to Newport, New Hampshire, where he organized the firm of W. L. 
Dow & Company, for the purpose of contracting and also manufacturing 
builders' supplies. An extensive enterprise was built up by the firm and 
he continued to be identified with the same for several years. He then 
devoted a few years to the study of architecture, under the effective 
direction of his uncle, Edward Dow, a prominent architect in Concord, 
New Hampshire, and then came west, in the autumn of 1880, locating in 
Pierre, South Dakota. In February of the following year Hon. N. G. 
Ordway, then governor of the territory, appointed him a member of the 
board of directors to whom was assigned charge of building the 
territorial penitentiary in Sioux Falls, to which city he removed in 
1882, while he has ever since made this his home and business 
headquarters. He was chairman of the board for four years, within which 
time the penitentiary was completed and placed in operation, the same 
being now the state prison of South Dakota. Since the completion of this 
important work Mr. Dow has devoted his entire attention to architectural 
work, and has made plans for most of the public buildings in the state, 
while his professional services have been in requisition outside the 
limits of the commonwealth. The development of the building-stone 
industry in his section of the state has been accomplished largely 
through his efforts. In politics he is staunchly arrayed in support of 
the principles and policies for which the Republican party stands 
sponsor. 

	In 1865 Mr. Dow was united in marriage to Miss Lois M. Whipple, of 
Croydon, New Hampshire, and they have three sons, namely: Edward W., who 
is associated with his father in business; Baron C., who has been for 
many years an attache of the well-known Sioux Falls newspaper, the 
Argus-Leader; and Annie H., who is at home.