Sioux Falls (population 153,888) is a city in South Dakota. It serves as the county seat of Minnehaha County. More than 25% of the total population of the state lives within the greater Sioux Falls metropolitan area.
Settlement started in the middle part of the 19th century when land speculators in what was then the Dakota Territory noticed the area's water power potential along the Big Sioux River cascades. In 1876 Sioux Falls became incorporated as a village. During the year 1883 Sioux Falls was established as a city. This happened in the time of the railroads. Growth and prosperity accompanied the arrival of the railroad within Sioux Falls. In the modern time, the economy of the city of Sioux Falls was based on agricultural businesses. The establishment of the John Morrell meat packing plant started the city's industrial period in 1909.
The city of Sioux Falls has more recently developed a varied business economy, especially concentrating on finance, health care and retail. There are many finance companies operating within the city of Sioux Falls, like for example Citigroup, Bank First, HSBC, Great Western Bank, Total Card Inc, Wells Fargo, Capital Card Services and Premier Bancard. The local health care providers are major employers within Sioux Falls. Sanford Health is the largest employer in Sioux Falls and Avera Health is 2nd largest. Retail trade is a major sector. Sioux falls is home to 3,200 retail outlets employing roughly 20 percent of the workforce.
Manufacturing and food processing are still important to the economy of the city. Sioux Falls companies make such things as fabricated steel, computer components, electronic test equipment, concrete items and corrugated boxes. Major manufacturing businesses include Hutchinson Technology, Bell Incorporated, John Morrel & Company and Gage Brothers.
Sioux Falls offers a lot for entertainment and arts, with city streets filled with numerous historical monuments and statues. There are actually lots of galleries and museums, such as the Delbridge Museum of Natural History, that is reputed to have amongst the very best collections of mounted wildlife within the country. For people who are into the history of medicine, the Sioux Empire Medical Museum provides tourists with an overview of medical development through displays dating from the early 1900s. The Medical Museum is situated at Sioux Valley Hospital.
Outdoor enthusiasts head to Great Bear Recreation Park for downhill and cross country skiing. There are slopes for both advanced skiers and beginners. The Sioux Falls calendar of events comprises a Jazz and Blues Festival which takes place at Yankton Trail Park. Thousands attend this outdoor musical event that happen every July.