Faulkton’s colorful history

Major John Pickler and his wife Alice were among the first people to settle in Faulkton. Their home, which was constructed starting in 1882, is a unique 20-room Victorian mansion.

Local artist Charles T. Greener was hired to paint the Pickler Mansion. His creative color choice in a striking shade of salmon led to it being nicknamed the “Pink Castle. The Picklers hosted many illustrious guests over the years, including Theodore Roosevelt, Grover Cleveland and Susan B. Anthony. The Picklers were leaders in the women’s suffrage movement. John was involved in the first legislation aimed at giving women in South Dakota the right to vote.

The Pickler Mansion has been preserved and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The Faulk County Historical Society conducts tours of this remarkable piece of Faulkton’s past.