Part of the park · Since 1908
The walk and the trees
Twenty acres, one loop, and the shade Helen McKennan planted for.
The story
In spring 1908 the grounds were laid out to a landscape gardener's plan and planted with elms and walnuts; Helen McKennan had already planted shade trees on the ground. Dutch elm disease took the canopy in the 1960s and the trees were replanted. A paved walk now circles the park, with new walks added for the 2008 centennial and water fountains along the loop.
Each November the Friends hang 68 lighted garlands on 34 poles through the park and along the 21st Street boulevard, with ladders, coffee and doughnuts provided. They come down in spring.
Photographs: Photograph by Missy Kitzman, Sioux Falls, 2010, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
At a glance
| Planted | 1908, elms and walnuts |
|---|---|
| Replanted | After the 1960s |
| Walks renewed | 2008 |
| Lights | 68 garlands on 34 poles, November to spring |
| Rules | Dogs on leash; no alcohol |
Questions: Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation, 605-367-7060.
Keep walking
Next parts of the park.
Horseshoe and shuffleboard courts
Pitched here for a century. The 1969 state tournament was played on these courts.
The entrance wall and floral nameplate
The park's name in metal letters on fieldstone, and in impatiens, replanted in a new color every May.
The wading pool
Free since 1929. The fourth pool on the site opened May 29, 2026, with a slide, sprays and a new bathhouse.