SIMC: A Legacy of Preserving the Prairie

Arrowhead Park

Arrowhead Park sits on the eastern edge of Sioux Falls, in what once was the rough quarry town of East Sioux Falls. The quarry of East Sioux Falls supplied the rich beautiful red Quartzite stone that graces many buildings in down town Sioux Falls, including the Old Courthouse Museum. 

In 1982 Dale and Dorothy Weir purchased the land, where they built a summer home and added access roads, but they had much greater plans for the land.

An extraordinary couple with a strong commitment to furthering the well-being of their community, they did not want to develop the land, but rather to preserve the natural prairie habitat including the three quarry ponds for future generations.  One of their first steps was the installation of aerators to keep the quarry water ice free so that the wide variety of wildlife that lived on the land would have access to the water year round.

The city of Sioux falls was growing steadily and it would not be long before the area would be swallowed by the city. By purchasing the quarry land they could maintain and preserve the native trees, shrubs, grasses and ensure the populations of the fish and waterfowl on the 131 acre prairie land as well as preserve the quarry ponds. 

Included in the  purchase of the land was the 1888 Quarry barn. It is believed that the barn was designed by the famous architect Wallace Dow.

The Weir's who were getting older and had no children to carry on their plan for the land donated it to the City of Sioux falls in 1999 to be used as a nature park. It was named Arrowhead Park because when viewed from the air one of the quarry ponds is the shape of an arrowhead. A short four years later Dorothy Weir passed on and was followed by Dale Weir in 2010. The two left behind this beautiful legacy and will forever be remembered for their support and generosity to the community of Sioux Falls, SD.

Thank you for visiting me here in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

This is my contribution to 'Sunday In My City'. 

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