Retaining Wall Program

Retaining Wall funds are to assist in repairing historic retaining walls, when possible; replace historic retaining walls, when necessary, on historic or historic eligible residential property.  Retaining walls that threaten individual life safety on other residential property also qualify to be repaired or replaced in the City of Deadwood.

To be eligible for the Retaining Wall - Residential Program, the retaining wall must exist within the Deadwood city limits and exist as part of a residential property. Retaining walls on commercial properties are not eligible for this program.

A retaining wall must also meet one of the following:

• The retaining wall must be determined to be a historic or contributing feature in the Deadwood National Historic Landmark District. To obtain this status, the retaining wall must possess an age of fifty years or older, and must be eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places as defined in the National Park Service’s National Register Bulletin 15: How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation.
• The physical condition of the retaining wall must threaten the integrity of a historic or contributing building or structure in the Deadwood National Historic Landmark District. Historic buildings and structures contribute to the National Historic Landmark District are listed in the city’s 1993 Historic Sites Inventory. Any property not present in these listings must be eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places as defined in the National Park Service’s National Register Criteria for Evaluation. Determination of a retaining wall’s threat to a historic or contributing building or property will be done by the Deadwood Building Inspector in accordance with the Building Codes adopted by the City of Deadwood.
• The physical condition of a retaining wall must threaten individual life safety. The City of Deadwood Building Inspector will determine a retaining wall’s threat to individual life safety based upon applicable definitions under the Building Codes adopted by the City of Deadwood.

The City of Deadwood’s Historic Preservation Officer, in consultation with the Building Inspector, determines a project’s eligibility. All eligible applications are subject to the review by the Deadwood Historic Preservation Commission.

The loan programs are contracted and operated through NeighborWorks Dakota Home Resources.  For information regarding the loan programs click here.

Click HERE to access the applications for the Historic Preservation Grant & Loan Programs.