We arrived in Sioux Falls on a sunny afternoon in July and left on a cold, rainy morning in October. We enjoyed the mild summer weather; the highest temperature during our stay was 93 degrees on September 15. However, 39 degrees on the day we left confirmed our decision to head south.
In our previous Sioux Falls posts, we shared the places we visited and the activities we enjoyed during our stay. This post will share a few more places as we finish our Sioux Falls stories.
Canaries Baseball
We went to the Tower Campground office to pick up mail and packages at least once a week. During one of those visits in early August, we were offered free tickets to a Canaries baseball game. They came from an anonymous fan who wanted to share with the campground guests. Curious to see the stadium, we took a couple of tickets.
The Canaries are an American Association baseball team. The attendance was sparse that evening; however, the fans seemed to be having a good time. Even though we weren’t canaries fans, we cheered along with them. The final score:
Battleship South Dakota Memorial
In our post, Exploring Sioux Falls with our Grandson, we stopped at the Battleship Museum after it had closed for the day. In late September, Andy and I revisited the museum.
The museum is open daily from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm May through September. Admission is free; however, donations are welcome.
The museum is filled with memorabilia from the battleship and Word War II. As we walked through the rooms, the museum volunteer shared stories regarding the battleship and the museum’s history.
We learned the US South Dakota was Battleship 57. However, after the Japanese reported on two occasions they had sunk the South Dakota, she was referred to as Battleship “X” for security reasons. Battleship X was the most decorated battleship of WWII.
Old Courthouse Museum
Located in downtown Sioux Falls, the Old Courthouse Museum is another free attraction. The museum occupies the original Minnehaha County Courthouse. The courthouse was built in 1890 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in May 1973.
The main street entrance was closed, and we walked around to 6th St. Once inside, we explored the first floor, including the main street foyer.
After viewing the displays, we walked up the staircase to the second floor. The view on the stairs was one of my favorites.
Second Floor
The large courtroom on the second floor has been restored to its original beauty and is available to rent for special events.
Across the hall from the courtroom is the law library. This room is also rented out to the public for events.
One of the exhibits we enjoyed on the second floor told the story of the theaters that were once a part of Sioux Falls.
Third Floor
The third floor of the museum has an interactive exhibit that young visitors enjoy. We know this because we heard a group of children laughing and playing above us while we were on the second floor.
Upstairs we found the one-room school exhibit. There was a display of lunch boxes and textbooks used in the late 1870s. The teacher’s desk with surprises in each of the drawers was fun. The drawer opened on the left show’s items taken from the children in the classroom.
After exploring the classroom, we walked across the hall into the balcony overlooking the restored courtroom. There are chairs set up for spectators, as there would have been when the court was in session.
Art & Wine Walk Downtown Sioux Falls
The first Friday in October we drove to Downtown Sioux Falls to take in the Art & Wine Walk. Deciding not to sample wines as we walked, we only participated in the art part. We stopped at the open shops, looked at the art on display, and, in some stores, watched artists working their craft.
The Historic State Theatre
As a fundraiser, the State Theatre was one of the stops on the walk. We had read about the theater during our visit to The Old Courthouse Museum and were curious to go inside.
Popcorn was available for a donation, and we picked up a bag to eat as we explored the theater.
A lot of work has gone into restoring the lobby, concessions, and restrooms. The restoration of the auditorium is still in progress. 
We enjoyed our evening out, visiting the open shops and seeing inside the State Theatre.
The Ransom Church – Sioux Falls
If you have been reading our blog, you know that we attend a local church while living in RV parks. In Sioux Falls, we went to The Ranson Church. It is similar to other churches we have visited. The service is broadcast from their primary location to their other sites in the city. Starting at the Downtown Campus, we switched to the West Campus location when it opened. The West Campus is less than a mile from the campground and will be serving the people in that area of town.
Exploring with Friends
While living in Sioux Falls, we got together with friends from Kansas City. One couple was traveling through in their RV and stopped overnight. We met them for dinner and had a great time catching up.
Our other friends come to Sioux Falls several times a year to visit family. They were in town Labor Day weekend, and we were happy they had time to meet with us.
Since they had lived there previously, they treated us to a tour of the area. One of the places we stopped was the Tri-State Marker.
The actual marker is in the middle of the street. This marker was there previously but had to be relocated here due to accidents.
We pulled out of Sioux Falls on October 13. After two weeks of appointments, working on the house, and spending time with our grandchildren, we hooked up our RV and headed to southern Missouri for a few days at Stockton State Park before driving west for the next assignment.