Historical Markers in
Minnehaha County, South Dakota

16-Inch 45-Caliber Gun 1908 Palisades Bridge 1936 Powder House Blast 1938 Earthquake 40mm Twin Mount AA Gun 8th Street Bridge 8th Street Bridge A Park Born in Controversy / McKennan Park Zoo AAUW Sioux Falls Branch Abraham Lincoln Amidon Graves Mystery Arrowhead Park Artisans at the Falls Battleship X Beginning of Great Changes Ben Clare Benton Lutheran Church Bergeson’s Homestead Bomber Rams Skyscraper Brandon Veteran's Memorial Bronze Propeller Cascade Mill Cascade Milling Company Ceremonial Dance Circle Children's Care Hospital & School Christensen 1917 Round Barn Cigar Manufacturing Col. Melvin Grigsby (1845-1917) Columbus College Congregation Sons of Israel Course Cradle of Statehood Dakota Conflict Dakota Iron Store Department of Veterans Affairs Dillinger Gang Bank Robbery Divorce Capital Drs. Van Demark E. A. Sherman Early Firefighting in Sioux Falls Early Sioux Falls Eliza Tupper Wilkes Falls Park Bridge Festival of Progress First Baptist Church First Congregational Church First Industrial Park Flooding Forgotten Heroes Fort Dakota Fort Dakota Fort Dakota, D.T. Fort Sod Fort Sod Foster Children Tragedy Foundation of the City Frederick Manfred’s “Siouxland” From Glory to Glory Garretson Germania Hall Great Northern Harnessing the River Hartford Area Veterans Memorial Hartman, 1899-1916 Hattie C. Phillips Hazel O'Connor Helen Gale McKennan Historic River Crossing Hive of the Queen City Horse-Drawn Streetcars Illinois Central Depot In Memory of Makana Na Ota E 'En In the Name of Progress Incident at Fort Sod Industry Inland Seas Iverson Crossing Road Jewett Bros. & Jewett Warehouse John Deere John Edmund Colton / Founding of Colton John Thompson, Pioneer / Early Settlers' Association Josephine Martin Glidden Memorial Chapel Josiah Phillips Kaufmann House Mystery Lady Liberty Launch Legacy of Ice and Rock Lindbergh Landing / Renner Field Linear Mound Lost Bird Lt. Jonas Lien Lumberyards Magma Manchester Biscuit Company Manchester Biscuit Company Manchester Biscuit Company Mark 4 Fire Control Radar Director Antenna Massacre Site Memorial to the Pioneers of Minnehaha County Mill Dam Tragedy Minnehaha County Monarch of the Plains Mound Builders Village Mount Pleasant Cemetery Municipal Airport Namesake of the City Nils A. Boe Old Nidaros Old Nidaros Church Replica Old Nidaros Replica Church Orpheum Theater Overflow Oyen-Person Log Cabin Peter Byg, Prairie Fire Victim Phillips Avenue Plaza Phillips to the Falls Pillars of the Nation Port Hatch Prehistoric Prayer Rock President William McKinley President Woodrow Wilson Prison Quarry Pumpkin Center Purple Heart Memorial Highway Quarries Quartzite Paving Stones Radio Station KSOO Radio Station WFAT Railroads Raven Industries Recreation Renner Area Veterans Memorial Richard Franklin Pettigrew Rock Island Railroad Bridge Ronald Reagan Rowena Methodist Church Sculptor H. Daniel Webster Sherman Centennial Plaza Sherman Park Sherman Park Indian Burial Mounds Sioux Falls Army Technical School Sioux Falls Municipal Band Site of First Home Site of Fort Sod Soo Skyways Airport South Dakota Achieve South Dakota Central South Dakota Historic Civil Engineering Landmark South Dakota School for the Deaf Stratosphere Balloonist Taopi Tasunke-Ota The 1900 Campaign Whistlestop by Theodore Roosevelt The Amidon Affair The Amidon Stone House The Andrew Kuehn Company The Big Slide The Cataract The City of Brandon The City of East Sioux Falls The Coliseum The Dakota Land Company The Dubuque House The Fifth Mound The First School House 1873 The Gaslight Era The Government Building The Great Bend The Gun Barrel Story The Hanging of an Innocent Man The Law Exchange Block The Legend of Jesse James The Miniature Village The Minnehaha County Courthouse The Old Yankton Trail and Stage Road The People's Party National Convention The Promise of Electricity The Queen Bee Mill The Sioux Quartzite The Town of Rowena Dakota Territory The Town of Valley Springs The Town Pump The Village of Renner The Woman's Alliance The "Squatter" Government at Sioux Falls City Thomas L. Fawick To God Be The Glory! Town of Hartford Traverse Tri-State Marker U.S. Senator R.F. Pettigrew Urban Renewal USS South Dakota Battleship Outline Valley Springs Valley Springs Rest Area Wallner Gardens Washington High School West Sioux Falls West Sioux Falls Willey-Williams Building Yankton Trail Bridge Yesterday "Mr. Soccer" Manfred Szameit
The first airplane to fly over the North Pole was piloted by South Dakota native Richard E. Byrd.
South Dakota random facts
Minnehaha County, SD has a rich and diverse history that dates back thousands of years. Prior to European settlement, the land was inhabited by various Native American tribes, including the Dakota Sioux. These tribes relied on the region's abundant natural resources for their sustenance and livelihood.

The area was first explored by Europeans in the early 18th century, with fur traders and trappers venturing into the region. In 1856, Minnehaha County was officially established as a county within the Dakota Territory. The county was named after the famous waterfall, Minnehaha Falls, mentioned in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem "The Song of Hiawatha."

As the years passed, the population of Minnehaha County grew steadily. The construction of railroads in the late 19th century played a significant role in the county's development and prosperity. The introduction of the railroad facilitated the transportation of goods and people, leading to increased settlement and economic growth in the region.

Minnehaha County has also seen its fair share of challenges and notable events. During the Great Depression in the 1930s, the county, like many others, faced economic hardships. However, the county's resilience and resourcefulness allowed it to rebound and rebuild in the following years.

Today, Minnehaha County remains an important hub within South Dakota. Its county seat, Sioux Falls, is the largest city in the state and serves as a center for commerce, industry, and culture. The county continues to grow and adapt to the changing needs of its residents, while simultaneously preserving its rich history and heritage.

This timeline provides a concise overview of the key events in the history of Minnehaha County, South Dakota.

  • 1862 - The Dakota Territory was established, which included the area that is now Minnehaha County.
  • 1868 - The Yankton Sioux Treaty was signed, opening up the region to settlement.
  • 1871 - Minnehaha County was officially organized and named after the famous waterfalls on the Minnesota River.
  • 1873 - Sioux Falls, the county seat, was incorporated as a city.
  • 1881 - The Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railroad reached Sioux Falls, boosting the local economy.
  • 1890 - The population of Minnehaha County exceeded 20,000.
  • 1908 - The Minnehaha County Courthouse was completed and still stands as a historic landmark.
  • 1920s - The Great Depression took a toll on the county, leading to economic struggles.
  • 1939 - The Sioux Falls Air National Guard Base was established.
  • 1996 - The Rapid City flood caused significant damage to Minnehaha County.
  • 2000s - Minnehaha County experienced steady population growth and development.
  • 2020 - Minnehaha County celebrated its 150th anniversary since organization.