City of Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota. Located in the Big Sioux River Valley in southeast South Dakota, the city had a population of 123,975 according to census 2000. Annual average temperature is 45.1 F. During the late fall and winter, strong winds cause abrupt drops in temperature, but cold spells are usually of short duration. The city first grew during the Dakota boom years of the late nineteenth century as the arrival of the railroad made possible the nationwide transportation of granite quarried in Sioux Falls. Sioux Falls has grown in many ways since then, and consistently tops the rankings by Forbes and Inc. magazines of top cities for business.


Fort Dakota, a military post, was established in the area in May 1865, to help assure the resettlement of Sioux Falls. Another incentive came when the water power of the falls was harnessed in 1873. A scourge of grasshoppers in 1874 hurt resettlement, but by 1876 Sioux Falls claimed a population of 600 people. Sioux Falls was incorporated as a town in 1877 and as a city in 1889.


Sioux Falls maintains numerous parks that are spread throughout the city. Probably the best known of these is Falls Park, established around the city's namesake waterfalls on the Big Sioux River, just north of downtown. Other notable parks include Terrace Park (Terrace Park History), McKennan Park, Sherman Park, and Yankton Trail park. A popular feature of the park system is a paved 14-mile path used for biking, jogging, and walking. More than 30,000 visitors attend the Sioux Falls and Sioux Empire farm shows at the W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds over four days in January. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated with a parade downtown. A major spring event is the Festival of Choirs at Augustana College. More than 500 restaurants present menu choices that include Japanese, Chinese, French, Mexican, and Greek dishes. The local specialty is beefsteak; venison is also popular.