As falls Sue, so falls Sioux Falls

There really are falls in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. They’re the “Falls of the Big Sioux River” and they have been the focus of the area since long before white men settled in the region.

The falls were a source of power and the area was more industrial than scenic. By the 1970s the area was pretty run down and in need of more than just a face lift. It was redeveloped into Falls Park.

The 1908 Sioux Falls Light and Power Company hydroelectric plant is now a cafe.

And the remains of the Queen Bee Mill, closed in 1883, and destroyed by a fire in 1956 have been preserved. During the summer there is a nightly sound and light show.