[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 12185]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA

 Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the 
150th anniversary of the founding of Sioux Falls, SD. Sioux Falls is 
the largest city in South Dakota and growing at a phenomenal rate. 
Sioux Falls is a progressive and diverse community with all the 
opportunities normally associated large metropolitan areas and the 
friendliness of a small town. I offer my congratulations to the people 
of Sioux Falls on this momentous occasion.
  The waterfalls for which Sioux Falls is named have long been an 
attractive feature. Burial mounds have been found near the site dating 
as far back as 500 B.C. The area was settled by Europeans in the 1850s, 
when two groups made claims to land around the falls. Fort Dakota was 
established in 1865, and shortly thereafter the town began to blossom. 
The railroads arrived in the 1880s, and over the course of the decade 
the population leapt from 2,164 to 10,167. Other major events for the 
area include the opening of the John Morrell plant in 1909, 
establishment of an airbase in 1942, and the conclusion of construction 
of the interstate highways in the early 1960s.
  Modern Sioux Falls boasts a wide variety of educational, cultural, 
artistic, and recreational opportunities. The city has offerings from 
both public and private universities, including Augustana University 
and the University of Sioux Falls, as well as many specialized and 
technical schools for those seeking to further their educational goals. 
The city is served by the Argus Leader newspaper. The Old Courthouse 
Museum and the Pettigrew Museum are major attractions, as is the 
historic downtown area generally. The Washington Pavilion of Arts and 
Science, the Great Plains Zoo, and St. Joseph's Cathedral are only a 
small sample of the interesting places and activities in Sioux Falls.
  Sioux Falls is celebrating its sesquicentennial with a variety of 
events over the summer, such as ``150 Candles!'', a musical tribute to 
the history of Sioux Falls; historic building tours; a sesquicentennial 
gala ball; a performance by He Sapa Dancers and Lakota Drum Group; a 
commemorative Sioux Falls Canaries baseball game and fireworks display; 
and a parade ending at Falls Park with a community picnic to follow. 
These activities will serve as a reminder of the shared history of the 
community and bring the close-knit people of Sioux Falls even closer 
together.
  This anniversary is a significant milestone for Sioux Falls. After 
150 years, the city is stronger than ever. I am pleased to publicly 
honor the achievements of this wonderful South Dakota community as they 
reach this juncture. As the slogan of the community celebration states, 
the citizens of Sioux Falls are ``Honoring the Past, Shaping the 
Future.''

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