PIERRE, (KCCR) — A piece of Pierre’s and Avera Health’s history is coming down this year. Avera has announced plans to remove the former School of Nursing building on the heath services campus in Pierre. The School of Nursing was built in 1951 and was the first building in the nation designed specifically for the education of nurses. The school included dorms for students and classrooms and was good for students who preferred an education outside of a typical, large college environment. The building transitioned to other functions after the school closed in 1985. It housed several grant funded programs, the Avera St. Mary’s Foundation and Avera at Home. It has been vacant since 2017. Some features on the building will be archived including a cross above the main entrance, two cornerstones and an original mailbox. The former hospital building and skywalk will remain. A public tribute to the building will be held Monday at noon outside the building. Work should begin next week.
