Local Lou

An almost forgotten airport in the midst of what is now one of the busiest areas in Sioux Falls. This historical marker is hidden in plain sight on Kiwanis Ave near 46th street and tells us about the 21 year long run of Soo Skyways Airport.  

Let's take off and learn some of Sioux Falls early aviation history!

For more information check out https://www.localloupodcast.com/episodes-of-local-lou/soo-skyways-airport

These Historic Photos Have Some Truly Odd Stories Behind Them | (historycollection.com) 

Magnificent Flyers | Fillmore Historical (fillmorehistoricalmuseum.org) 

VA-Vol-12-No-11-Nov-1984.pdf (eaavintage.org) 

Frederick Melvin “Fearless Freddie” Lund (1897-1931) - Find a Grave Memorial 

Our History | Sioux Falls Regional Airport (sfairport.com) 

Harold W. Tennant (1896-1928) - Find a Grave Memorial 

The Golden Age of Air Racing: 1927-1933 - Google Books 

Flying Magazine - Google Books 

An Irish immigrant family that had only been in Dakota Territory for a few months suffers unbearable loss when on an unseasonably warm winters day turns into a 3 day blizzard in January of 1873.

Those who live in Sioux Falls in modern day know that our weather can turn on a dime, but take yourself back to the pioneer days when there was no meteorologist to warn you of a dangerous storm rolling in.

Join the Local Lou Patreon today!

This Day in Weather History: January 7th\ 

History of Dakota Territory : Kingsbury, George W. (George Washington), 1837-1925 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive 

Almost Saved, But Lost: The January 1873 Blizzard - Renville County Historical Society and Museum (renvillecountyhistory.com) 

1873 Blizzard Historical Marker (hmdb.org) 

Famous winter storms | Minnesota DNR (state.mn.us) 

History of Minnehaha County, South Dakota - Google Books 

Amazon.com: The Beautiful Snow: The Ingalls Family, the Railroads, and the Hard Winter of 1880-81: 9781643439051: Cindy Wilson, Margarita Sikorskaia;Margarita Sikorskaia, Margarita Sikorskaia;Margarita Sikorskaia: Books 

The Children's Blizzard - By David Laskin (paperback) : Target 

Exploring a Sioux Falls neighborhood's over 70 year holiday tradition, a one night illuminating event.

2023 was a big year for Dorothy's Tree, an evergreen that has been decorated every year for a few decades in honor of Dorothy's Weir. So how does that change when the tree begins to die? Let's explore this piece of Sioux Falls Holiday History!

https://patreon.com/LocalLouPodcast?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Col. Melvin Grigsby (1845-1917) Historical Marker (hmdb.org) 

The Smoked Yank - Google Books  

Melvin Grigsby (1845-1917) - Find a Grave Memorial 

Andersonville - Prison, Location & Civil War | HISTORY 

Helen G Gale McKennan (1841-1906) - Find a Grave Memorial 

2/11/1909 Argus Leader 

10/12/1906 Page 8 Argus Leader 

1/16/07 Argus Leader Page 5 

1/29/1909 Argus Leader 

7/22/1908 Argus Leader Page 4  

Welcome to the Local Lou Podcast! I am thrilled to have you here today as we explore fascinating local history.

In this episode, we'll delve into a bust dedicated to Helen McKennan and her contributions to the McKennan Park Historic District, established in 1984. We'll also introduce you to four significant figures from Sioux Falls' history: Helen Gale McKennan, Artemus Gale, Frances Carpenter, and EA Sherman. By learning more about these individuals, we'll be able to discuss the controversy we uncovered in the previous episode, "A Park Born in Controversy."

McKennan Park - City of Sioux Falls 

Twelve Thousand Years of Human History As Recorded on Historical Markers in Minnehaha County, SD By Bruce Blake 

03 Oct 1906, Page 3 - Democrat and Chronicle at Newspapers.com Helen’s death notice in NY newspaper 

Harriet Putnam Guild 1834-1872 - Ancestry® Dr. William Mckenna’s first wife 

Landmarks of Orleans Co - Google Books William, Harriet, and Helen.  

History of Minnehaha County, South Dakota - Google Books Mrs. Gale Reading Room 

Early History of North Dakota - Google Books Artemas comes to Sioux Falls 

W.L. Dow - Google Books Carpenter House 

Artemas Gale (1826-1909) - Find a Grave Memorial Artemas timeline per an obituary  

Frances C Gale Carpenter (1845-1925) - Find a Grave Memorial 

Western Contractor - Google Books 

Edwin Alonzo “Father of Sioux Falls Park System” Sherman (1844-1916) - Find a Grave Memorial 

Sherman Park - City of Sioux Falls 

A Trilogy of Sioux Falls Park History - City of Sioux Falls 

Florence Louisa Cowdrey Sherman (1846-1891) - Find a Grave Memorial 

Katharine Emma Elwell Sherman (1862-1938) - Find a Grave Memorial 

The historical marker A Park Born In Controversy is located in Mckennan Park in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In this episode of Local Lou we will read the historical marker and learn about 4 different men that will be involved in the controversy; W. H. Lyon, Col. Melvin Grigsby, Mayor Frank Pillsbury, and Mayor W. T. Doolittle. Don't worry in the next episode we will learn more about the controversy as well as the history of Mckennan Park.

https://pin.it/6gnuQuE

History of Dakota Territory - Google Books 

Rick D Odland, Sioux Falls, Arcadia Pub. 2007 page 127 

Pillsbury Wife obituary 18 Sep 1923, Page 7 - Argus-Leader at Newspapers.com  

The Norfolk Weekly News Journal May 26 1911 Mayor Pillsbury dead 

History of Dakota Territory - Google Books W T Doolittle 

Elizabeth Catherine Stroch Doolittle (1852-1940) - Find a Grave Memorial 

12 Jun 1926, Page 2 - Argus-Leader at Newspapers.com William Doolittle Death 

22 Jan 1940, Page 3 - Argus-Leader at Newspapers.com Doolittle Wife Obit 

10 Apr 1879, 1 - Yankton Press and Dakotan at Newspapers.com Grigsby and Gale Railroad Connection 

Melvin Grigsby (1845-1917) - Find a Grave Memorial 

History of Minnehaha County, South Dakota - Google Books Grigsby 

Fannie Louise Kingsbury Grigsby (1847-1924) - Find a Grave Memorial 

27 Sep 1930, Page 1 - Argus-Leader at Newspapers.com 

William Hugh Lyon (1858-1930) - Find a Grave Memorial 

05 Feb 1949, Page 2 - Argus-Leader at Newspapers.com Winnona Lyon obit 

Winona “Dolly” Axtell Lyon (1863-1949) - Find a Grave Memorial  

This episode of Local Lou partners with the Sioux Falls Food Tours check out their website for the 190 Savor Tour or if you live in or are visiting Sioux Falls, book a public or private food tour in Sioux Falls.

Location 

Falls Park 131 E Falls Park Dr, Sioux Falls 

Museum suggestions in Sioux Falls: Stockyards Ag experience at Falls Park and Old Courthouse Museum 200 W 6th Street. 

Sioux Falls Murals 6th and Phillips Ave across from the Orpheuim Theater 

Arc of Dreams 

Exit 374 approx .25 miles from interstate  

Mile marker 362.7 Salem Rest Area 

Exit 332 Mitchell Corn Palace 

Exit 330 Prehistorical Indian Village 

Exit 284 SD Tractor Museum 

Exit 263 Chamberlain SD 

Exit 260 Chamberlain Bridge 

Exit 226 Presho 

Mile Marker 221 Westbound 218 Eastbound  Vivian Rest Area 

Exit 192 Murdo McKenzie Historical Marker   

Exit 170 1880 Town 24280 SD Highway 63 Midland, SD 57552 

Exit 131 Minuteman Missile Site  

Exit 110 Badlands National Park Eastbound or Exit 131 Westbound 

Exit 110 Wall Drug 

Exit 57 Dinosaur Park 

Official Website of the City of Sioux Falls - City of Sioux Falls 

Falls Park in Sioux Falls, SD | Experience Sioux Falls 

Good Earth State Park at Blood Run | South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks (sd.gov) 

Philander Prescott Historical Marker (hmdb.org) 

Human Timeline Historical Marker (hmdb.org) 

Historic Sioux Falls - City of Sioux Falls 

Siouxland Heritage Museums (siouxlandmuseums.com) 

Home | Arc of Dreams (siouxfallsarcofdreams.org) 

Home | SculptureWalk Sioux Falls 

About — Wayne Porter (portersculpturepark.com) 

The Rest Area Tipis of South Dakota – PoppinUpUSA.com 

Whitwam: The man who made the iconic tipis and more | KELOLAND.com 

Obituary | Ward Whitwam | Miller Funeral Home & On-Site Crematory (millerfh.com) 

Concrete Tipi | SAH ARCHIPEDIA (sah-archipedia.org) 

Corn Palace History | Mitchell Corn Palace, SD 

Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village (mitchellindianvillage.org) 

Landmarks : Trinity Church in Kimball (sdpb.org) 

South Dakota Tractor Museum – Kimball, South Dakota - Atlas Obscura 

City | City Of Kimball | Kimball (cityofkimballsodak.org) 

The Making & Meaning of Dignity Historical Marker (hmdb.org) 

SGT Charles Floyd (1782-1804) - Find a Grave Memorial 

Chamberlain Oacoma Bridge – chamberlain oacoma chamber (chamberlainsd.com) 

How Come They Called it Presho Historical Marker (hmdb.org) 

Medicine Creek Rest Area Historical Marker (hmdb.org) 

Murdo Mackenzie Historical Marker (hmdb.org) 

History (murdosd.com) Dictionary of American Biography, XXII, 416-17 and from the Murdo Coyote, May 25, 1906 

Murdo's 1880 Town (southdakotamagazine.com) 

1880 TOWN 

Frequently Asked Questions - Minuteman Missile National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov) 

Minuteman Missile National Historic Site Visitor Center   

Minuteman Missile National Historic Site | Black Hills & Badlands - South Dakota (blackhillsbadlands.com) 

Audio Tours - Minuteman Missile National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov) 

Badlands National Park History (us-parks.com) 

Drive Badlands Loop Road (Highway 240) (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov) 

Ben Reifel (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov) 

10 AMAZING Facts About Badlands National Park (morethanjustparks.com) 

Jungle on a Seabed Historical Marker (hmdb.org) 

South Dakota's Wall Drug | The Road to Nowhere (roadtripusa.com) 

Wall Drug billboard signs on I-90 will make you WANT to stop at the Wall Drug store! 🌞 South Dakota travel blog - Flashpacking America 

Roadside Attraction | Wall South Dakota (walldrug.com) 

Here Is The Fascinating History Of Wall Drug In South Dakota (onlyinyourstate.com) 

Dinosaur Park | Black Hills & Badlands - South Dakota (blackhillsbadlands.com) 

Dinosaur Park, 940 Skyline Drive, Rapid City, Pennington County, SD | Library of Congress (loc.gov) 

Here is a little remembered piece of Sioux Falls South Dakota history. A several year wave of grasshopper invasions hit Dakota Territory but did you know these invasions were widespread from Canada to Texas?

Extinction of the Rocky Mountain Locust | BioScience | Oxford Academic (oup.com) 

Jeffrey A. Lockwood | Locust (jeffreylockwoodauthor.com) 

Locust - Google Books 

On the Banks of Plum Creek - Google Books 

A South Dakota Guide - Google Books 

https://books.google.com/books?id=23UUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA142&dq=south+dakota+grasshopper+plague&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwju9bP5t8H_AhUpADQIHVA5CDkQ6AF6BAgDEAI  

Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota - Google Books 

The Rocky Mountain locust (Melanoplus spretus) plague in Nebraska | Britannica 

The Development of American Agriculture - Google Books 

We are heading down to Falls Park to check out the historical marker Prison Quarry!

Newspapers.com

Bulletin of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics - Google Books 

South Dakota State Penitentiary :: SD Dept. of Corrections 

South Dakota State Penitentiary - Wikipedia 

Wallace L. Dow - Wikipedia 

NPGallery Asset Detail (nps.gov) 

Page 1390 History of Dakota Territory History of Dakota Territory - Google Books 

1890 Biennial Report Biennial Report - Google Books 

Biennial Report of the Board of Charities and Corrections, State of South D... - Google Books 

What People Really Make (and Spend) Behind Bars : Planet Money : NPR