May 5, 2021 by SDSU Collegian

May 5, 2021

THE CITY OF BROOKINGS A look into the life of the Brookings community, events and residents

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May 5, 2021

Things to do in Brookings this summer 1. McCrory Gardens A visit to the gardens is free for students with their student ID. 2. Brookings Summer Arts Festival The 50th annual event begins in June, read more about the arts festival on A4. 3. South Dakota Art Museum Visit the Governor’s Biennial art exhibit this summer until June 13. 4. SDSU Agricultre Heritage Museum Learn more about SDSU’s history with agriculture at the Ag Hertiage Museum.

5. Lake Campbell Go fishing or get the gang together to relax at Lake Campbell. 6. Splash Zone Water Park Cool off this summer by visiting the Splash Zone Water Park on 6th st. 7. SDSU Dairy Bar Grab some Cookies & Cream ice cream to beat the summer heat. 8. Downtown Visit the small businesses downtown and some of the historic features of Brookings.

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Brookings’s rich history shows in historic sites HALEN GROENKE Reporter (She/Her)

Fo u n d e d i n 1 8 8 3 , Brookings is the fourth largest city in the state with a population of over 24,000 people. With such a long history, sites like Nick’s Hamburger Shop and the Coughlin Campanile are a must-see while in town. Nick’s Hamburger Shop at 427 Main Ave. was opened in 1929 by Harold Niklason and his wife Gladys, and since then has had five different owners. Nick’s was added to the National Register of Historic Places in the 1980s. After almost 100 years, Nick’s is still one of the best spots in town to get a burger, according to the locals. “We sell more cheeseburgers now than we do hamburgers,” owner Todd Fergen said. The option for cheese on your burger was first implemented by Duane Larson, who owned the shop from 1975 to 2004. The rich history of Nick’s Hamburger Shop is what brings people from all over together. Fergen has been the owner of Nick’s since 2013. Previous owner Dick Fergen, Todd’s father, operated the shop for nine years before his death in 2013. “It’s all community,” Fergen said. “The heritage of this place is only an icon because of the community who made it that way.” Another historic site in Brookings, the Coughlin Campanile, is a must climb while on South

Dakota State’s University campus. The Campanile cost $79,000 to build and was gifted to SDSU by graduate Charles Coughlin. The 165-foot structure was completed in 1930, making it the tallest structure in eastern South Dakota at the time. It has been the heart of campus ever since. The Coughlin Campanile was placed on the National Register of Historic places in 1987. Speaker, author and South Dakota State Sen. of Brookings V.J Smith was the director of the SDSU Alumni Foundation from 1996 to 2006 and helped raise money for the renovation of the Campanile during that time. The restoration included replacement of limestone at the base and concrete work on the bricks, and was completed in 2001. “Every senior needs to do that,” Smith said, referring to climbing the Campanile. “I think it’s a loss for people because well, obviously, when someone is 85 years old, they’re probably not going to walk all those steps.” The Campanile used to have a full-time employee at its base because of the flow of tourists who visited the structure years ago. You can now get the key from the Alumni Foundation located across the street and make your way up the 187 steps it takes to get to the top. “I’m just going to tell you, 20 to 30 years from now when you come back and you look at the structure, you’re going to think about it a little bit differently because you took

the time to walk up those steps,” Smith said. Four historic districts make up the city of Brookings, and 83% were developed between 1894 and 1928. These include the University Residential Historic District, the Central Residential Historic District, the Sexauer Seed Historic District and the Commercial Historic District. Mike Struck, community development director for the city of Brookings, has lived here for 15 years, and has worked directly with the Brookings Historic Preservation Commission since July 2020. The Community Development Office answers questions regarding community development initiatives that now include the historic preservation of buildings in the city. “It’s really interesting when you look at the community and the mixture of houses, especially in the central and university districts, because you’ve got pockets of housing that the owners have really bought into historic preservation,” Struck said. The new historic preservation plan for Brookings was unveiled by the Historic Preservation Commission members in February 2021 and was presented to the city council April 27, 2021. The plan discusses information that will benefit the historic preservation of Brookings. It also defines various goals the commission wishes to implement over the next 10 years.

Collegian photo by FRANKIE HERRERA

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May 5, 2021

Brookings arts festival to celebrate 50th year JORDAN RUSCHE Lifestyles Editor (She/Her) This summer marks the 50th annual Brookings Summer Arts Festival (BSAF), an event that features live entertainment, food vendors and artists from across the country. The 2021 BSAF will be held July 10-11 and is located throughout Pioneer Park in Brookings. Though this year’s vendors and entertainment have not yet been finalized, BSAF Publicity Chair Shari Avery says most of BSAF’s staple attractions will be returning this summer. “There’s visual art, and the food art and the performing art, so you can label it however you want to put it, but there’s just some really neat things that happen,” she said. The festival features 15 different arts categories, including clothing, jewelry, photography, pottery and more. Attendees can also find booths dedicated to living history,

baked goods, natural skin products, antiques and children’s activities. There are also various local and regional food trucks and stands spread throughout the park. “We have everything from South Dakota pork sandwiches to some crazy Cajun stuff from Florida,” she said. Finally, entertainment can include children’s entertainers, soloists and bands spread across three different stages. No festival was held last summer because of COVID-19, but Avery said the event was still commemorated as the 49th year of the festival. “We acknowledged our 49th with some commemorative pictures and things like that, cause we kind of wanted to stay on track,” she said. This year, Avery anticipates fewer artists and vendors than in a normal year, as some are either from states with stricter travel restrictions or are older individuals who are more susceptible to the

We are open Tuesday- Saturday 6 a.m.- 2 p.m. Stop in for some delicious micro doughnuts!

virus. She also said they will be encouraging guests and vendors to follow city and CDC guidelines during the festival. BSAF first began in 1972 after Time Magazine interviewed a newly established Northwestern Energy on why they chose to settle in Brookings. According to Avery, one reason the company gave was the art culture in Brookings—which was not exactly true at the time. “They created this story in this magazine, and it was sort of not exactly all there yet, so these people said, ‘well we’ve got to make this all happen,’” Avery said, “so ... a group of people got together and said, ‘we are going to establish this festival.’ So, we always credit a gas company here in Brookings of giving the push to get something started.” The original festival hosted even more events, including a 4-H Horse Show, parade, a high school band concert and street dance. There were also only 15 art booths at the first festival. Since then, the process to participate as an artist has become much more disciplined, with the festival now being juried. Committee members judge each artist’s work based on a list of criteria, according to Avery. “We require what they bring to be original artwork or skilled craftwork,” she said. “We require that the artist is present.” Dave Huebner, BSAF’s living history chair

and owner of Dakota Stoneware Pottery in Bushnell, South Dakota, has been to every BSAF since the event’s founding, which he helped to jump start. “I was an art student in the mid-1960s,” he said. “At that time, I decided I wanted to make a living as an independent artist creating art to sell.” He has continued to participate in BSAF because of the opportunity it provides to showcase his pottery. “The festival is a chance for regional artists to show off and market their work,” Bushnell said. “Each piece of art I make is (a) one of a kind item, and like selling a piece of me. I like to know who is buying my art and … will appreciate the work I put into it.” Avery also enjoys

seeing the different creations of the artists at the festival and said one of her favorite things about the event is how it brings people together, and to Brookings. “Wherever you walk in the park you can hear music of some kind, and you can hear people laughing,” she said. “On the other (hand), it’s such a great chance to showcase Brookings.” For South Dakota State University students looking to get involved, Huebner said the festival serves as a great way to get others to see your work. “Most of my classmates at SDSU started their art career doing small art shows in Brookings while [they were] students,” he said. “The exposure helped guide their future and show them art was a

SUBMITTED viable career.” Avery also added that the festival is always looking for volunteers to help set up the festival and keep everything moving smoothly. “If there’s someone out there who would like to volunteer in any form, we do things like, Thursday night we’re staking the park,” she said. “We usu-ally have some need for a couple extra hands, and again with COVID, some of the people who would normally volunteer are a little leery yet in April.” Volunteers can contact BSAF through the gen-eral info email or phone number on the website or through the event’s Facebook page. For more informa-tion about BSAF and for updates about this year’s festival lineup, details can be found at BSAF.com.

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“Around the Community” food promotion supports local restaurants GRACIE TERRALL News Editor (She/Her) Having trouble choosing what restaurant you want to eat at in Brookings? The new restaurant-style passport promotion may be able to help. B ro o k i n gs H o m e Team launched their newest promotional event in mid-April called “Around the Community,” a Brookings spin on the “Around the World” beer bucket. The event is going on until July 31. Pa r t i c i p a nt s w i l l receive a “passport” with all of the participating restaurants along with their feature menu item that people can order from and receive a 10-30% discount and a stamp on their passports. Once ten stamps from ten different locations are received, they can win a free “Around the Community” t-shirt. “I was looking for something to keep the restaurants on people’s minds, to get people out and about and give the opportunity for these restaurants to continue to stay in business,” Shane Anderson, team leader for Brookings Home Team powered by Century 21 Krogman & Company and “Around the Community” event coordinator, said. The 14 participating restaurants are: • 1481 Grille • The Cardinal Tap • CC’s Bar and Grill • Craft Chophouse and Lounge • Guadalajara • The Lodge

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Pheasant Lounge Pints & Quartz Tables Steakhouse The Valley Restaurant and Catering • Whiskey Creek • Wilbert’s Alehouse • Wo o d e n Legs Brewery Each restaurant has selected a menu item that is unique to their kitchens. “I wanted the restaurants to pick the item that fits their heritage,” Anderson said. “Like, Wilbert’s Alehouse has special, homemade bratwursts that are a German recipe.” Whiskey Creek chose their classic ribs and sides for the promotion. “These are something we’ve been making for a long time and we are very proud of it,” Whiskey Creek General Manager James Higgason said. “Our ribs are phenomenal and I personally feel that everyone should give them a try.” Some restaurants decided to branch out from their normal dishes. The Pheasant Lounge, open since 1949, is known for its savory dinner items. However, for the promotion, they chose their Nordic Waffle Brunch. “Our Saturday and Sunday brunch is kind of a different concept than what we serve during other hours” Michael Johnson, a third-generation manager and head chef, said. “We thought it was a way to get people who haven’t experienced it, to try our Nordic waffles and we’ve definitely seen new faces now.” The Pheasant part-

Collegian photo by GRACIE TERRALL The Pheasant Restaurant and Lounge is one of the participants in “Around the Community.” nered with Stina Aasland, roast beef, mashed pota- Scandinavian cultures. bestselling cookbook toes and gravy. It’s something fun, it’s “We just took it to the wholesome and it’s very author that has been dubbed the “Waffle next level and gave it a affordable.” Queen of Norway,” to ‘South Dakota’ infusion, These waffles, and all Johnson said. “It’s sort other Nordic waffles on create their waffles. In Nordic culture, of an innovation based their menu, are part of the there is a concept called on both what is kind of “Around the Community” “hygge,” which is a feeling hyper-local food culture promotion. of comfort and cozi- and the influence of the While the promotion ness. The Nordic Waffle, as Johnson says, is the emblem of hygge. “It’s what you do when you cozy up with friends typically in the afternoon,” he said. “We thought that translated well to our brunch.” The Pheasants Nordic waffles have a crepe-like texture, with cardamom spices to “add to the coziness factor,” Johnson said. These waffles are typically not served with syrup, but rather a variety of berries and “brunost” which is a Norwegian cheese. The Pheasant decided to incorporate more local tastes into their waffles as well. They make everything from the Norwegian brown cheese with lingonberry preserves and lemon sour cream to their hot beef waffle which has

lasts until the end of July and there are 250 passports dispersed to all of the restaurant locations, there is only a limited supply of “Around the Community” t-shirts, Anderson said. Both Higgason and Johnson agree that the promotion is beneficial to not only the people of Brookings but also gives the restaurants more business. “When our local food and hospitality industry is doing well, it’s good for all of us,” Johnson said. For more information regarding the “Around the Community” promotion and local restaurants visit the “In and Around Brookings, SD Food & Drinks” page on Facebook.

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More photos from last week’s A Day in the Life at SDSU project.

A Day in the Life at SDSU photo by KEANU PHUMIPRAPHAT April 15, 7 p.m. — Members from SDSU’s chapter of the Delta Chi Fraternity pose for the crowd while receiving feedback for their performance during the Airband event at the Coolidge Sylvan Theatre.

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April 15, 5 p.m. — Melissa Hagedorn, third-year Human Biology major, and Abby Snell, fir t

A Day in the Life at SDSU photo by ALISON SIMON April 15, 6 p.m. — Naomi Wynn, president of the Black Student Alliance, makes a statement about the BSA’s presentation on the topic of police brutality during the Tunnel of Oppression diversity program.

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A Day in the Life at SDSU photo by KELLY MITCHELL rst-year Business Economics major, celebrate as they put the final touches on the decorations for the State A Thon dance marathon.

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A Day in the Life at SDSU photo by VERONICA FRITZ April 15, 6 p.m. — Dr. Jacob Wallace conducts the South Dakota State University Concert Band as they prepare for an upcoming concert.

A Day in the Life at SDSU photo by JOSIE NELSON April 15, 11 a.m. — Customers wait to place and receive their orders from Union Coffee.

A Day in the Life at SDSU photo by MICHAEL HOUSEMAN April 15, 2 p.m — Students gather in the University Student Union to study or grab a quick lunch from The Market.

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Downtown murals highlight artists, community of Brookings HALEN GROENKE Reporter (She/Her) When in downtown Brookings, you just might find yourself looking at the colorful murals created by several artists, some local and some from other states. These eight vibrant murals can be enjoyed by the public and just might make a great backdrop for your next picturesque photo. The murals were painted by South Dakota State University instructor Molly Wicks, SDSU alum and tattoo artist Robbie Jelsma, the Pandr Design Company from San Diego and artist and owner of Creative Impressions, as well as director of Downtown Brookings, Ashley Biggar. “The Brookings Mural,” located on the back wall of the Brookings Register, was done by a collaboration of Wicks and SDSU art students. The mural consists of the colors red and black to represent the Brookings Bobcats and yellow and blue to represent SDSU.

The mural is 17 feet tall and 45 feet wide. The mural was first started in fall 2016 and completed in spring 2017. “To have a lot of people working on one project, there needs to be a minimal approach to creating a cohesive piece, and one that looks good,” Wicks said. Wicks is originally from Brookings, but left to receive her BFA at the University of Minnesota and her MFA from Washington State University. She has been back in Brookings for 10 years as an art professor at SDSU. The connection Wicks has to the Brookings community is what she had in mind when creating a piece of this size. “How can we embody the spirit of what the town has to offer, and those colors signify graduating from this high school and graduating from this college,” Wicks said. Jelsma created four of the murals that are located in downtown Brookings. The inspiration behind each was from a collab-

oration of the business owners where each of the murals are located. Jelsma’s first mural, created with spray paint, was done behind NAPA Auto Parts; the mural consists of some of Brookings more wellknown landmarks like Nick’s Hamburger Shop and SDSU’s Coughlin Campanile. “My whole inspiration does come a lot from the artists I follow on social media,” Jelsma said. Now, Jelsma is a tattoo artist in Springfield, South Dakota. All of his work can be found through his website, Portfolio 51. South Dakota Tourism hired Pandr Design Co. in October 2019 to create the “I Love South Dakota” mural located at 312 5th St. The mural captures the iconic SDSU Campanile and trees that are native to South Dakota. When visiting, be sure to add the hashtag #hifromSD to your photo so the artists back in San Diego can see all of its visitors. Biggar created two murals downtown, titled “Prism” and “Sisu.”

“Prism” was made to c e l e b r a t e d ive r s i t y and uniqueness in an individual. “If you look through a prism, the light goes through it, and then when it comes out, it comes out in different colors,” Biggar said. “That’s what I like to think of us as individuals. We’re all human beings, we all come out differently.” The piece “Sisu” was created to conclude all of the work Biggar did throughout the pandemic in making “A World of Hearts,” where she painted temporary hearts

on the windows of local businesses in Brookings. “I really wanted a piece to kind of finalize that series, as well as just have something there that’s more permanent, cause those window murals are temporary, they can be removed,” Biggar said. “It was all about the inspiration I received during that process of creating the window murals from the business community and even from individuals in general.” Executive Director of the Brookings Arts Council Ashley Ragsdale said the murals downtown

are often used for a backdrop in photography. Not only does it make for a great photo, but it encourages people to get outside and to visit the Brookings community, she said. “ Fo r u s a s t h e Brookings Arts Council we’re very much into whatever we can do to promote and to expand our public artists here in Brookings, whether that’s murals downtown or sculptures,” Ragsdale said. “Art is one of those things that everyone loves.” See photo on A8-9

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MAN ON THE STREET: WHAT TO DO IN BROOKINGS GRIFFIN TONSAGER Copy Editor (He/Him) Maggie McGill, Freshman, Nursing Major What is your favorite thing to do in Brookings? “My favorite thing to do here is probably the swing dances they have at St. Thomas More. They used to have it at this farm, but now they have it at a church because so many people go there for every dance now.” Katie Long, Freshman, Human Biology Major What is your favorite thing to do in Brookings? “My favorite thing to do is to go to AquaFresh because they have great smoothies and acai bowls.

I also like the location, because there’s a lot of different stores around it, it’s location is nice and I like how it’s set up inside.” Isabelle Zaske, Freshman, Interior Design Major What is your favorite thing to do in Brookings? “I like to visit Lake Cambell. It’s a nice place to walk around and it has a great view, it reminds me of home.” Kyra Hintz, Sophomore, Human Biology Major What is your favorite thing to do in Brookings? “My favorite thing to do in Brookings is to shop at Trendz. They have great deals on clothes.” Collin Fielder, Junior, Agriculture Business Major

What is your favorite thing to do in Brookings? “I really like to go golfing at Edgebrook. They’ve just got a really nice course.” Ryker Pedde, Sophomore, Math and Data Science Major What is your favorite thing to do in Brookings? “I like to go to the Dakota Nature Park or some of the local food places around here. I like how quiet it is at the Nature Park and I like fishing and longboarding over there. And my favorite restaurant would have to be Nick’s Hamburgers, they’ve got great burgers.”

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Collegian photo by FRANKIE HERRERA Freshmen Peyton Sands, Isabelle Zaske, Katie Long and Julia Wieskus spend time together on campus.

THANK YOU STUDENTS We had a great year on campus.

Housing and Residential Life looks forward to working with you all again next fall on campus! We look forward to helping you with your Fall housing needs. Call 605.688.5148

Students within two years of high school graduation and are required to live on campus.

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