Falls Park Informations

Falls Park is a public park located in north central Sioux Falls, South Dakota, surrounding the city's falls. Through it runs the Big Sioux River, and it includes a café, observation tower, and the remains of an old mill.

The Falls Overlook Café is located across the river from the observation tower and is inside a building that used to house a hydroelectric plant. It is open for lunch and dinner everyday during the summer months.

The observation tower is connected to the visitor center. It is open from 9am - 9pm Daily Memorial Day-Labor Day, for all other times of year go to VisitSiouxFalls.com/FallsPark. The visitor center offers guidance to those visiting the city as well as a variety of Sioux Falls souvenirs.

The mill opened in late 1881, and consisted of a seven-story main structure built of Sioux quartzite quarried on site. Nearly $500,000 was spent on the construction of the state-of-the-art mill and its supporting structures. The mill could process 1,500 bushels each day. However, by 1883, the mill was closed — a victim of inadequate water power and a short supply of wheat.

Little is known about the history of the Sioux quartzite barn on the northern edge of Falls Park. Oral history has suggested the building was constructed in the late 1800s as a part of a dairy/creamery operation, though there are no historical records to substantiate this. The City of Sioux Falls has owned the structure since 1917. At that time animals performing city work were stabled there. The barn is now home to the Stockyards Ag Experience, a museum and learning center that connects visitors to agriculture.

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