Dell Rapids: History, Remembrance and Summer Recreation

Get to know Dell Rapids from several perspectives: its historic area along Main Street, places of remembrance and summer recreation. You can also explore the history of the city and surrounding region. As you plan your trip, consider which of these themes you want to shape your stay—whether local history, an outdoor visit or a summer activity.

Main Street and City History

The Dell Rapids Historic District comprises 39 buildings along Main Street, the city's main business district. The Grand Opera House is also located in the district. Both names therefore refer to the same historic area: the district with its 39 buildings and the Opera House within it.

Sioux Quartzite is another connection to the area's history. Wallace Dow favored this stone, and Sioux Quartzite was quarried in Dell Rapids. The Dell Rapids Museum works to preserve the rich history and heritage of Dell Rapids and the surrounding region. Its focus extends beyond the city to the wider region.

Remembrance at Veterans Memorial Park

Dell Rapids Veterans Memorial Park commemorates military service with several clearly identified features. Five large quartzite stones each bear a large brass medallion representing one of the individual branches of the armed forces. Eight war theaters span from the American Revolutionary War to the present day. There are also three flagpoles for the U.S. flag, the state flag and the POW flag. A lawn is surrounded by a walkway.

If you would like to explore different aspects of local history during your trip, you can include this memorial site as a point of interest in its own right.

Summer Activities and Local Traditions

Dell Rapids City Pool is a popular summer destination. It offers times for public swimming, adult swimming and family swimming. When planning your day, you can make the pool a summer focus of its own, alongside the historic sites and time outdoors.

The annual Cootie Days were held at Dell Rapids City Park in 2017, marking the event's 96th anniversary.

Camping on the Big Sioux River

The Dell Rapids Campground is a separate option to consider when choosing where to stay, alongside looking for a vacation rental. The city-operated campground has 29 sites with electric, water and sewer hookups. It is located on the Big Sioux River, west of South Garfield Avenue in Dell Rapids, South Dakota. Thus, the river and the location west of this road are the campground's specific local points of reference.

The campground offers a shower house, a playground, picnic tables and fire pits. There is also access to a recreational trail with a pedestrian bridge over the Big Sioux River. If you are looking for a vacation rental, you can weigh history, the memorial and summer activities as different interests for your stay in Dell Rapids.

Explore More Places

For further orientation at the same destination level, also consider Brandon and Sioux Falls.

For the broader trip overview: Minnehaha.