Sioux Falls, SD

Sioux Falls, SD is the largest city in South Dakota and is the county seat of Minnehaha County.  It is the 47th fastest growing city in the U.S. and the fastest growing city in South Dakota.  The population of Sioux Falls is 153,888 with a median income of $41,200 and a median age of 33.  The city sits on the banks of the Big Sioux River and the on the prairie of the Great Plains.  The Falls that the city is situated around were created about 14,000 years ago during the last ice age.  Several different Native American tribes have lived in this area over the last several 1000 years and the first European explorer to visit was a French explorer in the 18th century.  Philander Prescott came to the Sioux Falls area in 1832 but only camped overnight.  Captain James Allen led a military expedition to Sioux Falls in 1844.  In 1856 two separate groups, the Dakota Land Company and the Western Town Company laid claim to the Sioux Falls area and worked together to build a city.  In 1865 Fort Dakota was built in the area where the current down town area of Sioux Falls is today.  After the fort was built this brought several settlers to the area.  The arrival of the railroad in the 1880s brought even more.  Sioux Falls was granted a city charter on March 3, 1883.  Sioux Falls did have some difficulties as it became a city.  It was evacuated in 1862 due to the Dakota War of 1862.  It was plagued by Grasshoppers and the National depression in the 1890s.  However, things turned around for Sioux Falls when the John Morrell meat packing plant was built in 1909 which got the city growing again.  Today Sioux Falls' main economy is health care, finance and retail trade.  There have been several notable people from Sioux Falls including Mary Hart, Pat O'Brien and David Soul.  In 2008 Sioux Falls suffered a devastating flood but you would not know that today.  With the draught the Big Sioux river is drying up which, in some areas, has the falls at a trickle through Sioux Falls.  Even with the falls being smaller, it is still a beautiful city.
This is my first time in South Dakota and now I can check off another State I have visited.  The rest of the this trip, until we get to California, will all be States that I have never been to.  We head to Rapid City, SD today and will be staying there for a week so we can see all that southwest South Dakota has to offer; Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, the Badlands, etc.  Check back and see where we go! Westward Ho!.