Before European colonizers arrived in what later became known as Sioux Falls, the Lakota and Dakota Native American tribes occupied the region. These tribes were expert nomadic bison hunters. Numerous burial mounds can be seen along the cliff sides near the river, reflecting the presence of prehistoric people who inhabited the region before 500 B.C. Early maps indicate that they used the falls as a meeting place with the French fur trappers, who were considered the first European visitors to the area. The first documented visit was by Philander Prescott, an explorer, and trader, in 1832, and Captain James Allen, who led a military expedition to the falls in 1844. Township developers started showing an interest in the falls around 1856. Two separate groups, the Dakota Land Company of St. Paul and the Western Town Company of Dubuque, Iowa, were responsible for land claims around the falls in 1856. A temporary barricade of turf, named "Fort Sod," was erected to protect themselves from hostile local tribes. Seventeen men spent the first winter in this fort, and the following year the population grew to around 40. Sioux Falls was established in 1880 with a population of 2,162, which steadily grew into the contemporary metro population of over 200,000. White settler and Native American conflicts were few, but the remaining citizens fled the area when two immigrants lost their lives in an 1862 conflict. The settlers and soldiers then traveled to Yankton in late August 1862, and the abandoned townsite was pillaged and burned to the ground. The Great Dakota Boom began in the 1880s. As a result, the population of Sioux Falls mushroomed from 2,164 in 1880 to approximately 10,167 by the end of that decade. Simultaneously, the city underwent a growth transformation, halted by a severe plague of grasshoppers and a national depression in the early 1890s. Sioux Falls also became famous for its easily obtainable divorces in the 1880s due to the local judges not enforcing sworn testimonies. It became known as the divorce capital because couples flocked to Sioux Falls for quick, easy divorces. The residents were not happy about this reputation. On the upside, business people built additional hotels and restaurants to accommodate the 'divorce tourists'. This divorce phenomenon ended in the early 1900s.

Things To Do
Sioux Falls presents a selection of appealing activities and attractions, from beautiful waterfalls to outstanding food, such as:

Sioux Falls Park is the most popular attraction where you can spend hours drinking in the impressive Big Sioux River sights and sounds as nearly 7,500 gallons per second of water runs over a series of waterfalls, with the highest being 100 feet tall.

Falls Park covers over 120 acres, with walking trails and an observation tower at the visitors center. The walking paths are lined with trees, creating a beautiful setting for a stroll at any time of the day.

Sculpture Walk started in 2004, is located in downtown Sioux Falls, and accepts new entries annually, which has helped the program grow over the years. You can take the self-guided tour at the Washington Pavilion to see statues such as jazz musicians near Phillips Avenue diner or bears and eagles, representative of the best of South Dakota's artists.

The Arc of Dreams is also well worth visiting. It stands 85 feet above the Big Sioux River and spans the length of a football field. The stainless-steel monument, lit at night, is considered the crown jewel of the city's sculpture walk.

The Old Courthouse Museum served as the County's courthouse from the 1890s to the early 1960s and provided insights into its history over three floors of exhibits.

The things to do in Sioux Falls are seemingly endless and include the Japanese Garden, Good Earth State Park, The USS South Dakota Memorial, and The Heroes Honor Area at Veterans Park.