Step back in time to 1865, when the bustling downtown area of modern Sioux Falls was nothing more than prairie and the echoes of recent conflict.
In 1865, Fort Dakota, a military reservation, was established in present-day downtown around 8th and Philips Ave., marking a pivotal moment in our city’s history.
The fort’s story begins with tragedy and abandonment.
In 1862, following the deadly conflict between settlers and Native Americans that resulted in the killing of Judge Joseph Amidon and his son, Sioux Falls was evacuated and burned.…