Pyle House Museum - Huron, South Dakota

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Pyle House Museum - Huron, South Dakota - The home of Gladys Pyle, the first elected woman U.S. senator and South Dakota Secretary of State., is a well preserved example of Queen Anne architecture. Built in 1894, the home has original oak woodwork, fixtures and leaded and stained glass windows.

The family home that she lived in from 1894 until 1985 is on the National Register of Historic Places and has been converted into a museum. It is largely unchanged from when it was built and has many of the original furnishings. The carpeting, wallpaper, windows (including three stained-glass sections), doors, interior layout, radiators, door hardware, and wood finish are original or nearly so. In fact, although a more modern gas-powered furnace has replaces the original coal-fired one, the original ornate radiators still heat the house.

The home remained largely in it’s original state due to the untimely death of Gladys’ father, John Levi Pyle, in 1902 of typhoid fever. John Pyle was a local attorney as well as local politician, so after his death his family has to work hard to keep the house, and little money was available for new furnishings or interior decorations.

The house contains numerous Pyle family artifacts, including her maternal grandfather’s discharge papers from the 2nd New Jersey Infantry Regiment (dated March 27, 1866), photos of both of Gladys’ grandparents, and the Pyle family Bible dating to the 1840’s. The Huron College Rubiquat from the early 1900s (featuring pictures her two sisters as students) is on display as well. Also, a ballot that she appeared on is framed next to the downstairs bathroom, and her father’s cavalry sword and uniform from his duties as general of the South Dakota Regiment (the precursor to the South Dakota National Guard) are on display.

The upstairs bedrooms and bathroom (including Huron’s first indoor bathtub) has been converted into a small apartment for the live-in caretaker and is not viewable to the public.

PYLE, Gladys, a Senator from South Dakota; born in Huron, Beadle County, S.Dak., October 4, 1890; attended the public schools; graduated from Huron (S.Dak.) College in 1911; taught in the public high schools at Miller, Wessington, and Huron, S.Dak., 1912-1918; first woman member of the State house of representatives 1923-1927; served as secretary of State of South Dakota 1927-1931; unsuccessful candidate for Republican nomination for governor 1930; member of the State securities commission 1931-1933; engaged in the life insurance business; elected on November 8, 1938, as a Republican to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Peter Norbeck and served from November 9, 1938, to January 3, 1939; was not a candidate for election in 1938 to the full term; resumed the life insurance business and also engaged in farm management; member of the South Dakota Board of Charities and Corrections 1943-1957; agent for Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. 1950-1986; died in Huron, S.Dak., March 14, 1989; cremated, ashes interred in Riverside.

Gladys, her mother Mamie, and two sisters very involved in the Women’s Suffrage movement and frequenty hosted meetings of the local chapter in their house.

Location: 376 Idaho Ave SE - Huron, South Dakota

open: a nominal fee from 1pm to 3:30pm daily.

Phone: (605) 352-2528