Part of the park · Since 1909
Tennis and basketball courts
First courts 1909, concrete 1945, lights 1953, rebuilt as eight courts in 1984. A basketball court beside them.
The story
The first courts were built in 1909, the year after the park opened. They were rebuilt in concrete in 1945 and first lighted in 1953, and by then the park was the city's address for championship tennis: state and local tournaments through the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, and names like Floyd "Lefty" Johnson and John Simko. Kids rode their bikes to the courts to take on all comers.
By the 1980s the old asphalt and concrete had cracked and crumbled. In 1984 the city demolished the courts and built eight new concrete ones. An accessible basketball court stands beside them, and the tennis building at the north end has restrooms.
Photographs: Frame from The McKennan Park Historic District, City of Sioux Falls government-access television, 2010, via Internet Archive.
At a glance
| First courts | 1909 |
|---|---|
| Concrete | 1945 |
| Lights | 1953 |
| Rebuilt | 1984, eight courts |
| Basketball | One accessible court, beside the tennis courts |
| Where | North end, along 21st Street; small lot off 21st |
Questions: Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation, 605-367-7060.
Keep walking
Next parts of the park.
The pergola
Timber and shade beside the gardens, one of the centennial additions planned by Confluence.
The playground
An accessible playground in the middle of the park, with the McKennan bust beside it.
The wading pool
Free since 1929. The fourth pool on the site opened May 29, 2026, with a slide, sprays and a new bathhouse.