Visitors Guide winter 2020

WINTER 2020

TOURNEY

TOWN SIOUX CITY CELEBRATES ITS NAIA STATUS

ALSO: A MINI-ATTRACTION THAT WAS MONUMENTAL

VISITSIOUXCITY.ORG SIOUXLAND LIFESUNDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2019

GOOD FORTUNE Is Just Around The Bend!

Blackbird Bend Casino is the friendliest gaming experience you’ve ever imagined with all of the best amenities:

-100s of the latest and hottest slots - Electronic Table Games - Giveaways & Promotions - Live Blackjack - Great dining in the Upstream

JUST 35 MILES SOUTH OF SIOUX CITY I-29 ONAWA EXIT CALL TOLL-FREE: 1-844-622-2121 2

SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE | WINTER 2020

FIND US ON Proudly hosted by the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska and Iowa.

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-BETS OFF

INSIDE COVER STORY: NAIA Tourney Town

Page 4

ATTRACTIONS

Page 7

FOOD: Two sweet ideas

Page 13

DINING

Page 17

MAP

Page 18

EVENTS

Page 20

SHOPPING

Page 24

HISTORY: A monumental mini-golf facility

Page 26

HISTORY

Page 29

ENTERTAINMENT

Page 30

PARKS

Page 32

LODGING

Page 34

13

26

ON THE COVER: Concordia players celebrate the win against Southeastern 67-59 in the NAIA women’s basketball championship game on March 12, 2019. The national tournament returns this year to the Tyson Events Center. See page 4 for details.

Photo by Justin Wan, Sioux City Journal

The 2020 Sioux City Visitors Guide is produced in cooperation with Visit Sioux City by Information Publications, Inc., 515 Pavonia St., Sioux City 51101 All material is copyrighted, 2020 by the publishers. To advertise or for information on how you can have Information Publications produce a similar publication for your business or community, contact: Chad Pauling at 712-293-4317 or cpauling@siouxcityjournal.com Photos courtesy of the Sioux City Journal and Sioux City Public Museum.

WINTER 2020 | SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE

3

Northwestern fans celebrate during the second-round NAIA DII Women’s Basketball Championship action against Indiana Wesleyan at Tyson Events Center in Sioux City in 2019.

JUSTIN WAN, SIOUX CITY JOURNAL

BACK FOR

DOLLY A. BUTZ dbutz@siouxcityjournal.com

P MORE March again brings NAIA championship basketball madness to Sioux City

4

SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE | WINTER 2020

layers, coaches and fans of 32 teams will once again descend on Sioux City for some action-packed college hoops when the 29th annual NAIA Women’s Basketball Division II National Championship Tournament kicks off March 11 at the Tyson Events Center.

Earlier this year, the NAIA named Sioux City the best NAIA championship host for the way the city, Spectra and the Tyson hosted the tournament.

The best NAIA host is awarded to the championship host who displays excellence in all aspects of conducting a national champi-

onship and produces an excellent student-athlete experience. In the three-season history of the best championship host award, Sioux City has received it twice.

Earlier this year, it was announced that Sioux City will continue to host the tournament when both divisions merge after the conclusion of the 2020 season, so the up-

coming tournament will be the end of what NAIA Championship co-tournament director Corey Westra calls a “historical run” of 32 teams.

“This year is the last year of the Division II tournament. That’s probably the biggest thing about this year in Sioux City,” he said. “Next year, we go to a single division format in the NAIA. We go to 16 teams.”

One big change attendees will be sure to notice is the new video board and ribbon panels that the Tyson unveiled in September.

The nearly $1 million in updates have been in the works for several years, but ultimately came to fruition in the past year with support from the city and the Events Facilities and Tourism Advisory Board. The Tyson’s previous scoreboard was about 15 years old; and the facility lacked ribbon panels.

The video board, which measures 26 feet tall by 44 feet wide, offers more flexibility than the previous one. The ribbon panels, which are 200 feet long and 3 feet tall, stretch around the east and west sides of the arena’s mezzanine. Another panel on the south end is 25 feet wide by 3 feet tall.

The updates will allow Tyson Events Center employees to do live scoring from the booth and show instant replays and entertainment during breaks in the tournament action.

“The arena is going to look a lot different this year for the fans and the players with the ribbon board,” Westra said. “That’s going to be a huge addition.”

Westra encourages tourna-

Southeastern’s Elsa PaulssonGlantz is defended

by Concordia’s Riley Sibbel, right, in the NAIA Division II women’s basketball championship in 2019.

JUSTIN WAN, SIOUX CITY JOURNAL

WINTER 2020 | SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE

5

ABOVE: Concordia players and fans celebrate the win against Southeastern in the NAIA women’s basketball championship game in Sioux City in 2019.

JUSTIN WAN, SIOUX CITY JOURNAL INSET: A new video board with a message welcoming volleyball players and fans is shown on a wall of the Tyson Events Center as Central Methodist and Bellevue play in day 1 pool play action of the 2019 NAIA Women’s Volleyball National Championship. The video board and a message ribbon were upgrades made to the events center earlier this year.

TIM HYNDS, SIOUX CITY JOURNAL

ment-goers to immerse themselves in the community’s culture, whether that’s visiting a local business, such as Palmer’s Olde Tyme Candy Shoppe, or taking in one of the city’s attractions, like the Sioux City Public Museum, Art Center or Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center.

“I think Sioux City’s a great location because of the way we embrace the tournament,” he said. “When that tournament is in town, it’s the biggest deal in this community.

6

SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE | WINTER 2020

ATTRACTIONS IOWA

Aalfs Courtyard Fourth & Virginia streets, Sioux City A green space courtyard in downtown Sioux City, home to a locally created mural that depicts life in the 1800s and downtown buildings of decades past.

Anderson Dance Pavilion On the Riverfront Larsen Park Road, Sioux City 712-279-6126

Located along the Missouri River, the Pavilion is host to many summer special events, parades, walks, and picturesque weddings.

A scenic walkway leads to a well-manicured lawn with spectacular annual plantings and a modern, full-access children’s play area.

Bruguier’s Cabin 1201 Riverside Blvd., Sioux City Considered to be the oldest structure in Sioux City, the cabin originated as part of the Theophile Bruguier farm. The cabin became part of an abandoned house that was set to be demolished in 1933 so the lumber could be used for a boys camp, but workers noticed the original logs and researchers traced the structure’s origins to Bruguier.

Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center 4500 Sioux River Road, Sioux City 712-258-0838 www.woodburyparks.com Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. Closed Mondays.

Admission: Free This award-winning facility showcases the Loess Hills and provides opportunities for outdoor recreation, education and stewardship. Exhibits include an interactive badger tunnel, prairie diorama, rare birds’ egg collection and extinct passenger pigeon.

Hikes, special events and programs for all ages are held year-round. The facility is handicap accessible. Three miles of hiking trails, including a quarter-mile handicap accessible trail, offer views and connect with other trails in Stone State Park.

The Greatest Escape 621 Floyd Blvd., Sioux City 712-223-5528 www.thegreatestescapesiouxcity.com Customers book one of three fun-themed rooms with up to 10 of their friends. Once

TIM HYNDS, SIOUX CITY JOURNAL The Bruguier Cabin, Sioux City’s oldest structure, is located in Riverside Park. French fur trader Theophile Bruguier, who is considered the first white settler in Sioux City, built the one-story structure on his farm in 1849.

inside, the door “locks” and they have one hour to crack codes, solve puzzles and find keys that will aid in their escape. Can be accessed by people of all ages.

Hard Rock Hotel and Casino 111 Third St., Sioux City 712-224-7625 hardrocksiouxcity.com

Street offers several restaurants, bars, shopping and entertainment venues in a condensed, historic area.

Hands on Exhibits

The 30,000-square-foot Hard Rock Sioux City casino features table games, slots, a newly introduced sports book, hotel rooms, a theater, several restaurants and rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia.

Historic Fourth Street District 1000-1100 Fourth St., Sioux City

Live Birds of Prey

Historic Fourth Street contains the best concentration of late 19th century commercial buildings in Sioux City. Nestled in the heart of downtown, Historic Fourth

RE-LIVE AVIATION & GROUND TRANSPORTATION HISTORY

Nature Programs

10am-4pm Mon-Tues, Thurs-Fri-Saturday 12-4 Sunday Closed Sunday, Tues & Wed-Oct 1 thru Mar 31 ADMISSION

Adults $6.00 • Seniors $5.00 • Children $3.00 Group Rates / Motor Coach & Tractor Trailer Parking Gift shop is open same hours as museum

2600 Expedition Court • Sioux City, Iowa 51111 • 712-252-5300 e-mail: airmuseum@longlines.com / www.midamericaairmuseum.org

Dorothy Pecaut

Nature Center

4500 Sioux River Rd. Sioux City, IA • 712-258-0838 www.woodburyparks.org

WINTER 2020 | SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE

7

ATTRACTIONS

TIM HYNDS, SIOUX CITY JOURNAL The Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center and the attached Betty Strong Encounter Center were built and are maintained by Missouri River Historical Development, the nonprofit group that holds the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino’s gambling license.

cultural complex on the riverfront, seeks to encounter deeper meanings of the expedition and its transforming impact on the people, land and rivers of this area, using changing exhibits, movies and a year round calendar of programs and activities for all ages. The cultural complex was built and is sustained by Missouri River Historical Development, Inc. (MRHD).

Long Lines Family Rec Center 401 Gordon Drive, Sioux City 712-224-5124 • www.sioux-city.org

JUSTIN WAN, SIOUX CITY JOURNAL Children play a game of whack-a-mole in an interactive video effect game room at Sioux City’s LaunchPAD Children’s Museum.

LaunchPAD Children’s Museum 623 Pearl St., Sioux City 712-224-2542 www.launchpadmuseum.com LaunchPAD is an immersive learning environment for children ages 6 months to 10 years. Hands-on exhibits emphasize STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) principles and reflect the history and heritage of the Sioux City region.

Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center/Betty Strong Encounter Center 900 Larsen Park Road, Sioux City

8

TIM HYNDS, SIOUX CITY JOURNAL Vintage airplanes from all eras are on display at the Mid America Museum of Aviation & Transportation.

712-224-5242 www.siouxcitylcic.com The Lewis & Clark Center commemorates the explorers’ time in Siouxland with a range of permanent hands-on exhibits, the Garden of Discovery, a 30-by-50-foot U.S. flag and 14-foot bronze outdoor sculpture of Lewis, Clark and Seaman the Newfoundland dog.

The adjoining Betty Strong Encounter Center, opened in 2007 to create a private, non-profit

SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE | WINTER 2020

The Long Lines Family Rec Center provides recreational facilities for individuals and groups. The center has courts for open gym, soccer, basketball, volleyball, in-line hockey, dodgeball, wrestling, batting cage and special events. The centerpiece of the facility is the 53-foot climbing wall and free-standing boulder that allow visitors rock climbing techniques. Conference rooms are available

for meetings, parties and other small events.

Mid America Museum of Aviation & Transportation 2600 Expedition Court, north of Sioux Gateway Airport, Sioux City 712-252-5300 midamericaairmuseum.org Winter hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ThursdaySaturday. Summer hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and

Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Closed in January.

The museum features a variety of aircraft and transportation vehicles including vintage bicycles, cars, fire truck and police cars, military vehicles and displays to a Boeing 727-200.

Orpheum Theatre

528 Pierce St., Sioux City www.orpheumlive.com Ticket Info: 855-333-8771 Symphony Info: 712-277-2111

only casualty of the 1804 Lewis & Clark Expedition; hediednearSiouxCity.Overlookingthe Missouri River, this 100-foot tall memorial was the first historic landmark registered by the U.S. Government.

Sgt. Floyd River Museum & Welcome Center 1000 Larsen Park Road, Sioux City 712-279-0198

www.siouxcitymuseum.org Admission: Free Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Closed New Year’s, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas days.

Tours may be arranged after hours.

Board the Sergeant Floyd, and begin a journey into the region’s maritime history. Built in 1932 as an inspection boat by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Sergeant

The Orpheum is a magnificently restored 1927 theater in the heart of Sioux City’s downtown cultural district and is the home to the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra, the Broadway at the Orpheum series and other live entertainment events. The historic theater, its elegant lobby and stylish bar also provide a setting for meetings, parties, wedding receptions and other events.

Public Safety Memorial at City Hall Sixth & Douglas streets, Sioux City This memorial pays tribute to all of the fallen firefighters and law enforcement officers who helped keep the Siouxland community a safe place to live.

The Railroad Museum

3400 Sioux River Road, Sioux City 712-233-6996 www.SiouxCityRailroadMuseum.org Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday- Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Closed Mondays and major holidays.

Once belonging to the Chicago, Milwaukee St. Paul & Pacific Railroad, this 99-year-old, 30-acre complex once employed more than 560 people to maintain steam and diesel locomotives and rail cars. Step back in time by climbing into the cab of the Great Northern steam locomotive and rail cars. Guided and self tours are available, and complimentary motorcar rides are available with each ticket.

Sculpt Siouxland Fourth Street from Pearl to Virginia streets, Sioux City www.SculptSiouxland.org Sculpt Siouxland is a year-long exhibit displaying sculptures from local and national artists. This exhibit is free to the public and displayed along Fourth Street in downtown.

Sergeant Floyd Monument Hwy. 75 near Glenn Avenue, Sioux City The monument honors Sgt. Charles Floyd, the

WINTER 2020 | SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE

9

ATTRACTIONS Sioux City Art Center 225 Nebraska St., Sioux City 712-279-6272 www.siouxcityartcenter.org Admission: Free (contributions appreciated) Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Thursday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sun. 1 to 4 p.m.; closed Monday.

Shepherd’s Garden

The Sioux City Art Center welcomes visitors with its elegant three-story glass atrium, accented with a geometric maze floor fashioned from terrazzo tile. Two of its five galleries feature selections from the permanent collection of more than 900 works, including a Grant Wood mural.

Throughout the year, other gallery space showcases touring exhibits of works by artists with international, national and regional reputations. The children’s Junior League Hands-On! Gallery offers a fun atmosphere for children to explore basic elements of art through interactive stations.

Corner of Sixth and Jackson streets, Sioux City

Sioux City Convention Center

TIM HYNDS, SIOUX CITY JOURNAL The Sgt. Floyd riverboat museum in Sioux City’s Chris Larsen Park is shown.

Floyd River Museum & Welcome Center chronicles the Missouri River’s development as a major shipping route and the key to Sioux City’s success in its early years. Discover exhibits about the Lewis & Clark Expedition, the fur trade, Sioux City’s evolution as a transportation hub and river craft that still cruise along the Missouri River.

The three-deck vessel displays a forensic likeness of Sgt. Charles Floyd, a restored Engineer’s quarters, Radio Room and Officers’ Rest room. The Museum includes

Native American artifacts, an authentic dugout canoe, fur-trapping supplies and model steamboats.

This community park has a spiritual emphasis conducive to quiet meditation, but it is also a frequent spot for downtown workers to eat lunch and for families to gather.

SouthNebraska Sioux City Parks for all ages Historical Attractions Golf & Disc Golf Course Hotels & Convention Centers Awesome Sporting Facilities Walking, Biking & Dog Trails Boating, Camping, Fishing & Hunting Siouxland Freedom Park and Memorial Wall John Douangdara Memorial War Dog Park

South Sioux City Area Convention & Visitors Bureau 4401 Dakota Avenue, South Sioux City, NE 68776 Tel: 866-494-1307 www.visitsouthsiouxcity.com 10

SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE | WINTER 2020

801 Fourth St., Sioux City 712-224-6495 www.visitsiouxcity.org The Convention Center hosts trade shows, conventions, meetings and special events.

As the Tourism Bureau for the area, the Convention Center can assist with programs, maps, hotel recommendations and much more.

Sioux City Public Museum 607 Fourth St., Sioux City 712-279-6174 www.siouxcitymuseum.org Admission: Free Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 1 to 5 p.m.

The museum features exhibits showcasing Siouxland history across centuries, including Native American history, rare artifacts, interactive displays, history of the stockyards and a wide range of traveling shows.

Sioux City Transit System Operational times: Monday through Friday 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Trinity Heights 2509 33rd St., Sioux City 712-239-8670 www.trinityheights.com Admission: Free Hours: Grounds open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Book story and gift shop open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Monday-Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.

The 33-foot statue of the Sacred Heart

of Jesus and the 30-foot statue of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Queen of Peace highlight Trinity Heights. Jerry Traufler’s life-size wood carving of the Last Supper, one of only three in the world, and the Divine Mercy Chapel are located in the St. Joseph’s Center/museum. On the grounds is a Circle of Life Memorial to the Unborn. The eight acres of beautiful gardens, small shrines and a simulated mountain stream and pond allow the visitors many opportunities to “Come away to a quiet place by yourself and rest a little” – Mark 6:31.

completed in 1917, is an example of prairie style architecture. The building features sculptures, intricate terra cotta moldings, sculptured light fixtures, and a stained glass dome. The courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, and was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1996. It is the largest publicly owned prairie school building in the world.

Spirit of Siouxland Sculpture

1260 200th St., Hubbard, Neb. 402-632-4109

Flight 232 Memorial Located in Chris Larsen Park on Sioux City’s waterfront, west of Anderson Dance Pavilion The sculpture depicts Lt. Col. Dennis Nielson of the Sioux City Air National Guard carrying 3-year-old Spencer Bailey, a survivor of the United Airlines Flight 232 crash at Sioux Gateway Airport on July 19, 1989. The sculpture is based on a photograph taken by former Sioux City Journal photographer Gary Anderson. The image, published the day after the crash in newspapers and magazines around the world, came to symbolize the compassionate response to the crash.

Tyson Events Center 401 Gordon Drive, Sioux City 855-333-8771 www.tysoncenter.com The Tyson Events Center features a 10,000seat arena, and offers an flexible venue for a wide variety of entertainment and sporting events. The facility includes a full-size ice hockey rink, and is home to the Sioux City Musketeers hockey team and Sioux City Bandits indoor football team.

War Eagle Monument Take I-29, Exit 151 and follow War Eagle Drive, Sioux City Wambdi Okicize, known as “War Eagle” served as a riverboat guide or pilot on the upper Mississippi River; he worked for the American Fur Company delivering messages, and during the War of 1812 he carried messages for the government. The monument was erected in tribute to War Eagle. The bluff provides a spectacular view of the tri-state area.

Woodbury County Courthouse 620 Douglas St., Sioux City 712-279-6601 • woodbury-ia.com Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday The Woodbury County Courthouse,

area. Many programs on outdoor recreation are also given, including fishing, backpacking, wilderness survival, cooking and others. With more than 20 miles of trails, the park provides hikers and mountain bikers opportunities to explore the park’s back country. Several mountain bike races are held every year on the Park’s diverse and often challenging trails.

Siouxland Freedom Park

NEBRASKA

1101 Foundry Road, South Sioux City 712-222-1686

Danish Alps Recreation Area

siouxlandfreedompark.org

Danish Alps State Recreation Area comprises a 219-acre lake surrounded by 520 acres of parkland. The area is named for the early Danish settlers in the area. Kramper Reservoir, named for Vince Kramper, was planned with shoreline and fishing in mind. The area also offers camping, day use facilities and hiking, biking and equestrian trails.

Emmanuel Lutheran Church 1500 Hickory St., Dakota City, Neb. 402-987-3316 or 402-987-3388 Hours: Sundays 2 to 4 p.m., June through August

In the heart of Siouxland along the banks of the Missouri River, 55 acres of land are dedicated to the men and women who served and sacrificed in the name of freedom, and all who cherish their precious gift. Freedom Park is located across the Missouri River from the Floyd Monument, in full view on the river’s bluff and includes a permanent half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and John Douangdara Memorial War Dog Park.

Future plans include an interpretive center, amphitheater, family friendly leisure space, walking trails and other monuments.

South Sioux City Convention and Visitors Bureau

Built in 1860, this was the first Lutheran Church in the Nebraska Territory. The Vespers Service is held every August.

Missouri National Recreational River Resource and Education Center at Ponca State Park Two miles north of Ponca on Spur 26E, Ponca, Neb. 402-755-2284 “Where People and Nature Meet” describes the beauty and solitude of this conference center. Along with meeting rooms, the facility offers a visitor center and hands-on interpretive center focusing on the natural and cultural history of the Missouri River.

Ponca State Park Two miles north of Ponca on Spur 26E, Ponca, Neb. 402-755-2284 www.ngpc.state.ne.us/parks The park, which encompasses 859 acres, has trail rides, pool, hay rack rides and the Missouri National Recreational River Resource and Education Center. On-site staff and volunteers help guide and educate visitors on the history, biology, ecology, astronomy, geology and archeology of the

402-494-1307 www.visitsouthsiouxcity.com Call today for your convention, sports or group tour, hunting or family vacation needs.

SOUTH DAKOTA

Adams Homestead & Nature Preserve North Sioux City, S.D. (McCook Lake Exit) 605-232-0873 gfp.sd.gov/STATE-PARKS/directory/adamshomestead Trails open year around. Visitor center open weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., weekends in summer (call for hours). A 1,500-acre park in the Missouri River basin. Homestead established in 1872 includes the family farmhouse, historic barn, log cabin, the Lamont Country School and Stavanger Church. It also includes interpretive exhibits, more than 13 miles of biking and hiking trails with views of native plants and wildlife.

North Sioux City, S.D. Adams Nature Preserve, video lottery & bingo, 180 hotel rooms, Veterans Memorial and five community parks.

WINTER 2020 | SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE

11

Antiques & Flea Markets • Shop Siouxland for the beSt buyS! •

Large Selection of Collectibles Variety of Primitives, Farm Toys, Trunks, Glassware, Jewelry, Rusty Gold, and much more.

Open Tues. - Fri. 10am - 5pm; Sat. 10 am - 4pm; Sun. 12 pm - 4 pm Located at the light on Hwy 75 Hinton, IA. • 712-947-4250

Sweet Repeats

s Parkt PeterM arke Flea Upscale

Stella and Dixie Belle Paints Sold Here

“The arket” Flea M

2326 Transit Ave. Sioux City, IA Open 7 Days A Week

Mon-Sat 10-5 | Sun 12-4

3938 Transit Ave, Sioux City • 276.7000

712-587-8830

J & J COINs We Buy aNd sell

Coins • Currency • Bullion Antiques • Postcards • Estates 901 S. Cecelia St. • Sioux City • 712-274-9195 800-397-9053 • www.jj-coin.com

Mon-Thrus: 10am-6pm / Fri-Sat: 10am-5pm / Sun: Noon-5pm

got stuff?

♦ Fun Flea Market ♦ Consignment Home Furnishing ♦ Antiques & Collectibles

Sunny Sunday Swap Meets June, July and August

Open 7 Days a Week 4400 S. York St., Sioux City, IA 51106

I-29 Exit 143@ Singing Hills Blvd 1/2 Blk South of Sam’s Club

712.233.2345 www.secondhandfinds.com

12

Antiques on Historic Fourth

Siouxland’s Newest Antique Mall 1016 4th St. • Sioux City, IA 712-258-3530 Mon.-Sat. 10am-6pm • Sun. 12-4pm

SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE | WINTER 2020

Randy Peters Proprietor

2330 Transit Ave. Sioux City IA 51106 712-255-0455 Hours 10-6 Monday through Sunday

MeMory Lane antique & FLea Market Like Us on Facebook "Take a Trip Down Memory Lane" A Fresh Concept in Flea Markets

north 2 LocationS South Open: Sun-Fri. 12-5 • Sat. 10-6 Open: M-Sat. 10-6 • Sun. 12-6 1414 Cedar 1551 Indian Hills Drive • Ste 106 Dakota City, NE Indian Hills Shopping Center (402) 987-0952 Sioux City, lowa 51104 (712) 252-0089

SWEET places to visit Sugar Shack, Brightside pull in visitors

T

EARL HORLYK ehorlyk@siouxcityjournal.com

he “Sweetest Bakery in Iowa” is located in an easy-to-miss storefront, a block or two, north of the downtown district.

In business for nearly 20 years, Sugar Shack Bakery, 700 Jennings St., has been named the “Sweetest Bakery” in the Hawkeye State by Dawn Foods Products, an internationally known bakery service provider.

Owned by Claudia Hessa, Sugar Shack Bakery competed against more than 1,100 bakeries across the country for the honor.

“In the past, we’ve been voted one of the top ten bakeries in Iowa plus we’ve been a recipient for the Siouxland’s Choice Award,” Hessa said.

“But being named the sweetest bakery in the state is truly a nice honor for me and my staff.”

You have to give Hessa and her pastry-making posse plenty of props, since the bakery is actually staffed around the clock.

“Our store hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays,” she said. “Since we’re limited to a certain number of ovens, we stagger our work shift.”

Which makes sense since Sugar Shack Bakery makes everything from cakes to cupcakes to bars to truffles in addition to its best-selling cookies, Hessa said she and her cookie artisans are always pushing the envelope when it comes to designs.

“We try to keep abreast of the cookie trends,” she said.

Ultimately, she isn’t in the business of pleasing critics. Instead, Sugar Shack gets

Claudia Hessa shows off a platter of decorated cookies at the Sugar Shack Bakery. The 700 Jennings St. bakery was named the “Sweetest Bakery in Iowa” by Dawn Foods Products, Inc. EARL HORLYK, SIOUX CITY JOURNAL

WINTER 2020 | SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE

13

TIM HYNDS PHOTOS, SIOUX CITY JOURNAL Consisting of bacon, hash browns, scrambled eggs and toast, the Brightside Breakfast is a delicious way to start your day. Made-to-order breakfasts and specialty omelets will be available at Brightside Cafe & Deli.

plenty of thumbs up from its fans.

This is also true for Brightside Cafe, a popular 525 Fourth St. eatery which is also trying to be a good downtown neighbor.

Juan Munoz, co-owner of Brightside Cafe, talks about the cafe’s “feeding it forward” initiative at the 525 Fourth St. eatery.

14

SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE | WINTER 2020

PAYING IT FORWARD BY FEEDING IT FORWARD Juan Munoz always thought a downtown diner should be a part of the fabric of a community.

That has been his philosophy Munoz has had since he and his younger brother Erik Munoz opened Brightside in May 2018.

For the past few months, Brightside has offered a new “Feed It Forward” program in which guests can help feed those who cannot afford a meal.

“Restaurant in other communities have seen success with the program,” Munoz said. “Guests can pay in advance for a breakfast and lunch while signing a card and leaving an inspiring message.”

Customer can feed it forward with a to-go box that includes a sub sandwich, a side and a drink, a Sunday Brunch Buffet plate or any other type of meal.

For instance, a person identified only as Jessi paid for a breakfast platter with coffee, encouraging a hungry recipient to “never give up.”

A full-time chiropractor as well as a restaurateur, Munoz has often thought about

IF YOU GO The Sugar Shack Bakery 700 Jennings St., Sioux City 712-252-5598 Brightside Cafe & Deli 525 Fourth St., Sioux City 712-224-7827

opening a downtown deli that could transition from a place for specialty omelets and coffee in the morning and soups, salads and sandwiches at noon.

Since the restaurant’s opening, the Brightside Omelet (filled with bacon, tomatoes and smothered in cheese and topped with avocado) and the Grizzly Omelet (loaded with lots of ham, bacon, sausage and cheese) are tops with the A.M. crowd.

Additionally, the Brightside Club (smoked ham, oven-roasted turkey, roast beef, cheddar cheese and mayo) and the Brightside Burger (a one-third pound all-beef burger topped with lettuce, tomatoes, onion, pickles, cheese and a zesty sauce) have earned raves at lunchtime.

A more recent innovation has been a 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday buffet, with an ever-changing menu.

“We are always expanding our Sunday buffet offerings,” Munoz explained, “but people seem to love our first-Sunday-of-the-month Mexican buffet that has carnitas, a chorizo egg bake, pazole, enchiladas and much more.”

While Brightside is doing OK when it comes to business, many people aren’t so fortunate.

Guests can add a “Feed It Forward” card to a wall, specifying the type of meal that they want given to a stranger.

Munoz said the meals aren’t targeted toward a particular group. He just doesn’t want anyone to take of the system.

“We never make judgments because anyone can come up short,” Munoz said. “Nobody should go hungry.”

So far, most of the “Feed It Forward” recipients say they’d like to return the favor as soon as they can. This is exactly what Munoz wanted.

“We want everyone who walks through our Brightside doors to experience our positivity,” he said. “We also want to spread this positivity when they leave.”

“Paying it forward through a small act of kindness can be a beautiful thing,” he said.

TIM HYNDS, SIOUX CITY JOURNAL Classic comfort food fare like French Toast will always be on the menu at Brightside Cafe & Menu, according to coowner Erik Munoz. Munoz, who owns the 525 Fourth St. eatery with his brother Juan, thinks Brightside’s downtown location will attract office workers wanting a respite from fast food.

WINTER 2020 | SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE

15

free!

Located in the heart of downtown Sioux City, the Sioux City Public Museum features large, colorful exhibits, interactive displays, and so much more.

Hands-on experiences include the award winning “Innovation I-Wall” and “The Big Dig,“ which replicates an active fossil dig site.

CUrreNT eXHIBITS

I-29, Exit 149, 1000 Larsen Park Rd, Sioux City, IA (712) 279-0198 • siouxcitymuseum.org

The MV Sgt Floyd, next to the Missouri River, is home to an Iowa Welcome Center, a river museum and gift shop. Learn about Native American culture, fur trapping, the Lewis & Clark expedition, hard working steamboats and more.

Hours: 10am - 4pm Daily Closed Major Holidays

Through February 2 The Art of Frank Howell: The Early Years Through February 23 Remnants of the West: Photography by Edward S. Curtis & Mark James

R E M NA N T S O F T H E W E S T Photography by Edward S. Curtis, Hupa Trout-Trap, plate 439, Copyright 1923, Dubuque Museum of Art, Gift of the Dubuque Cultural Preservation Committee, 2009.439.

Edward S. Curtis and Mark James

SIOUX CITY PUBLIC MUSEUM 607 4 St. • Sioux City, IA th

Located at 4th & Nebraska Streets in downtown Sioux City 16

SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE | WINTER 2020

Mark James, Beaver Dam, Moraine Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, 1995, collection of the artist.

HOUrS: Tues.-Sat. 10am-5pm • Sunday 1-5pm Closed Mondays & Holidays (712) 279-6174 • www.siouxcitymuseum.org

PARKS Bob Roe’s Point

After 2320 Transit Ave., Sioux City 712-276-3689

Bob Roe’s North End Zone

4100 Floyd Blvd., Sioux City 712-522-2834 Where Good Times Gather.

Serving up delicious pizza, wings and so much more to Siouxland for over 30 years.

Open Mon.-Sat. 11 a.m. to midnight; Sun. noon to 10 p.m. bobroespointafter.com

El Ranchito Restaurant

TIM HYNDS PHOTOS, THE WEEKENDER Bob Roe holds a slice of pepperoni, hamburger and green olive pizza, his favorite at Bob Roe’s Point After. Although he continues to come in every morning, his daughter Terri Rexius has taken on more of a leadership role in the popular Transit Avenue restaurant.

One of Kahill’s Chophouse’s newest menu items is its Seared Ahi tuna. Made with sushi-quality tuna, crudite veggies, a teriyaki and wasabi glaze, it also comes with Basmati rice that is covered with sesame seeds. Yes, the rice is supposed to be blue.

2101 Cornhusker Drive, South Sioux City 402-494-2988 Experience the best Mexican food in town. Food specials Monday through Friday and everything is special on the weekend! Open 10 a.m.-9 p.m.

Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Kahill’s Chophouse

Fourth & B St., South Sioux City 402-494-5025 Siouxland’s premier restaurant!

Inviting restaurant and bar offers early and late night Happy Hours, steaks, chops and pastas in a gorgeous setting.

Minerva’s Restaurant

2945 Hamilton Blvd., Sioux City 712-277-0800 A chef prepares an order of Seafood Mac and Cheese at Minerva’s.

A traditional upscale steak and chop house also featuring fresh seafood, pasta, extensive wine list and chef features. Distinctive dining atmosphere.

Westside Pizza

1200 W. Fourth St., Sioux City 712-252-3864 It’s all about the pizza. westsidepizza.com

WINTER 2020 | SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE

17

18

SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE | WINTER 2020

WINTER 2020 | SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE

sitors Bureau

er

28 nds during

r ones St.

elcome on the Iowa se I-29’s

Centers

19

HILTON GARDEN INN

Rodeway Inn & Conference Center

A

A

A

A

HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO

A

P

P

PR

P

A

P

A

A

P

PR

HO-CHUNK CENTRE

A

A

Shepherd’s Garden

PR

PR

P

P

A

P

801 Fourth St., Sioux City 712-224-6495 visitsiouxcity.org 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, weekends during special events.

Sioux City Convention Center

City 712-279-0198 siouxcitymuseum.org 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 7 days per week.

Closed New Year’s, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas days. Tours may be arranged after hours.

1000 Larsen Park Road, Sioux

Sgt. Floyd River Museum & Welcome Center

IOWA

3900 Dakota Ave., Suite 11, South Sioux City 402-494-1307 visitsouthsiouxcity.com

South Sioux Convention & Visitors Bureau

NEBRASKA

418 Pierce St., Sioux City 712-252-0014 downtownsiouxcity.com 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Downtown Partners

4400 Sergeant Road, Food Court 712-224-3065

Southern Hills Mall Info Center

Siouxland Information Centers

EVENTS Back in Black: AC/DC Tribute Saturday, January 4 Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, 111 Third St. This tribute band brings high-energy, exciting brand of AC/DC music to the Hard Rock’s intimate Anthem venue on the first Saturday of the year. The Texas-based group highlights its tribute performances of both Bon Scott and Brian Johnson in its arsenal.

Jersey Boys Tuesday, January 7 and Wednesday, January 8 Orpheum Theatre, 528 Pierce St. Go behind the music and inside the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons over a special two-night run at the Orpheum.

The Tony Award-winning true-life musical features several top-10 hits as it tells the story of four boys from New Jersey.

JUSTIN WAN, SIOUX CITY JOURNAL Adventurers of all ages enjoy Cone Park.

Cone Park 3800 Line Drive Sioux City’s Cone Park is open for tubing and ice skating during cold temperatures in winter months. Tuesday through Sunday, evenings plus weekend days.

Jacob Martin Friday, January 10 The Marquee, 1225 Fourth St. Nashville-based Martin prepares to return to Sioux City for a Friday night show at The Marquee in the Historic Fourth Street district.

Indigenous Saturday, January 11 The Marquee, 1225 Fourth St. The blues-rock band brings its unique style influenced by Jimi Hendrix and Carlos Santana to Sioux City, not far from the band’s roots on South Dakota’s Yankton Indian Reservation.

Barnes Bull Riding Challenge Friday, January 17 and Saturday, January 18 Tyson Events Center, 401 Gordon Drive The Iowa-based PRCA rodeo brings its 20

SUBMITTED The Blue Man Group requires performers who are able to get reactions without uttering words. Instead, they look to found objects to help.

headline event to Sioux City for two days at the city’s largest venue.

The Chicago 6 Friday, January 17 Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, 111 Third St. Onetime Chicago bears star Dan Hampton gathers the band again for a revival of the group originally formed from the 1987 NFL strike. The group promises music spanning ZZ Top to Kid Rock and John Mellencamp, plus some original parodies to get the audience even more engaged.

SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE | WINTER 2020

All Shook Up: Tribute to the King Contest Saturday, January 25 Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, 111 Third St. Ten of the top Elvis Presley tribute artists converge on Sioux City for a day-long competition to crown a champion and compete for prizes. The contest spans day and night with early rounds and a grand finale, and the audience is just as important as judges.

Dueling pianos take to the stage for a fun night of music and competition at one of Sioux City’s most intimate, exciting venues.

Richard Marx Saturday, February 1 Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, 111 Third St. Marx brings an acoustic evening of love songs to the intimate Anthem venue on the first Saturday in February. More than three decades into his career, he continues to produce music and tour, and is among just a few artists to score a number one hit in each of the past four decades.

An American in Paris MATTHEW MURPHY An American soldier (McGee Maddox) woos a French woman (Allison Walsh) in “An American in Paris.”

to Sioux City on its latest string of live performance, the Blue Man Group Speechless Tour. The tour promises new compositions and fresh instruments alongside Blue Man Group classics – and yes, attendees in the first few rows could get a little messy.

Chris Janson Thursday, January 30 Orpheum Theatre, 528 Pierce St.

PROVIDED

We Are Monsters Saturday, January 25 through Sunday, February 2 LAMB Arts Regional Theatre, 417 Market St. The theater’s LAMB School, composed of school-age performers getting their feet wet on stage, presents the fresh new children’s musical for a week-long run in Sioux City.

Blue Man Group Tuesday, January 28 Orpheum Theatre, 528 Pierce St. The renowned musical group brings its trademark brand of theatrical concert

Janson, a rising country star, has already earned three CMA nominations, scored two No. 1 singles and the Song of the Year crown at the 2018 MusicRow Awards.

His stardom rose recently with “Buy Me a Boat,” the chart-topping single that was named Country Song of the Year at the iHeart Radio Music Awards.

Matt Stell Friday, January 31 Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, 111 Third St. Instead of picking Cambridge, Harvard and a career in medicine, Stell opted for the honky tonk lifestyle in Nashville. Five years after uprooting his life en route to Tennessee, he’s on the concert tour and headlines an Anthem show alongside Chris Bandi and Ray Fulcher.

PianoPalooza Friday, January 31 The Marquee, 1225 Fourth St.

Friday, February 7 Orpheum Theatre, 528 Pierce St. A national tour of the four-time Tony Awardwinning musical comes to Sioux City as part of the Broadway at the Orpheum series. The show takes the audience back to 1940s Paris, where George Gershwin’s fabulous music is matched by dramatic storytelling and impactful acting.

Hairball Friday, February 14 Tyson Events Center, 401 Gordon Drive The unique rock and roll experience returns to Sioux City for one wild night of music and performance. Music spans from Van Halen and KISS to Journey, Aerosmith and Motley Crue, but Hairball brings much more than upbeat electric bass, drums and guitars – Hairball is an event with no shortage of confetti, fire and spiders.

The Music of Queen Saturday, February 15 Orpheum Theatre, 528 Pierce St. This unique Sioux City Symphony Orchestra show offers an upbeat rendition of Queen classics from “Somebody to Love” and “Bohemian Rhapsody” to “We Are the Champions.” The orchestra, under the baton of music director Ryan Haskins, is joined by a full rock band for this Saturday night special.

Steve-O Saturday, February 15 Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, 111 Third St. The former “Jackass” star recounts his life

WINTER 2020 | SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE

21

EVENTS iconic live shows in music.

World Championship ICE Racing Saturday, February 22 Tyson Events Center, 401 Gordon Drive The toughest, fastest and most extreme flattrack motorcycle and quad racers take to the ice at the Tyson in downtown Sioux City.

These machines go from 0-60 mph in barely three seconds as they battle for the world title. And if the competition doesn’t bring the audience to their feet, the Motorcycle Ice Limbo halftime show certainly will.

PROVIDED PROVIDED Steve-O

in the spotlight in a stand-up comedy show at the intimate Anthem venue inside Sioux City’s Hard Rock. Sober for more than a decade, Steve-O celebrates his 45th birthday as a mellower – to some degree – man.

KISS Friday, February 21 Tyson Events Center, 401 Gordon Drive The legendary rock band makes a Sioux City stop on its career-closing End of the Road World Tour. After 100 million albums sold over decades, the legends continue to fill arenas and deliver among the most

PAW Patrol Live Saturday, February 29 and Sunday, March 1 Tyson Events Center, 401 Gordon Drive The ultra-popular Nickolodeon classic brings its live tour to Sioux City for four shows over the weekend. Ryder brings his friends along on Pirate Day in Adventure Bay as part of the Great Pirate Adventure, and children of all ages will clamor to find out what happens next.

Sunny Sweeney Saturday, February 29 The Marquee, 1225 Fourth St. Houston-born country artist Sweeney, who snagged an ACM nomination for top new female artist when she first broke out, brings her four-album discography and several notable singles to Sioux City for a weekend show.

Outside Mullingar Friday, March 6 through Sunday, March 22 LAMB Arts Regional Theatre, 417 Market St.

jOin uS At tHe BeSt Beer gArDen in SiOuxlAnD!

The Sioux City theater performs the John Patrick Shanley play, which came to prominence with a 2014 run at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre on Broadway.

Beethoven Symphony No. 7 Saturday, March 14 Orpheum Theatre, 528 Pierce St.

Block off Historic Fourth Street • Open 7 Days A Week 22

SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE | WINTER 2020

British violinist Chloë Hanslip headlines this Sioux City Symphony Orchestra show

with a performance of Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor. It’s Hanslip’s Sioux City debut after a career that began with her first violin playing at age 2 and has captured audiences worldwide since.

Netflix. Since being named Rolling Stone’s “Number One Partier in the Nation” more than two decades ago, Kreischer will share introspective anecdotes about his family and hilarious party-boy antics.

Dancing With The Stars: Live!

Sioux City Musketeers home games

Sunday, March 15 Orpheum Theatre, 528 Pierce St.

All games at Tyson Events Center, 401 Gordon Drive Games begin at 3:05 p.m. Sundays, 7:05 p.m. all other days

The upbeat tour of the television classic comes to Sioux City with a cadre of fanfavorite professionals from the ABC show – performers could include Val Chmerkovskiy, Sasha Farber, Emma Slater and more. The performance will include every time of dance performed on the show and special, live audience-only extras.

Sioux City Bandits vs.

Omaha Saturday, March 21

JUSTIN WAN, SIOUX CITY JOURNAL Sioux City Musketeers’ Nolan Krenzen, controls the puck against Tri-City Storm’s Benji Eckerle during a hockey game in 2019.

attempts and special glow in the dark performances.

Bert Kreischer Saturday, March 28 Orpheum Theatre, 528 Pierce St. Kreischer brings his Berty Boy tour to the Orpheum as his standup specials “Secret Time” and “The Machine” show on

Sunday, January 12 Fargo Friday, January 31 Tri-City Saturday, February 1 Omaha Friday, February 7 Sioux Falls Saturday, February 8 Sioux Falls Sunday, February 9 Fargo Sunday, February 16 Fargo Friday, March 6 Waterloo Saturday, March 7 Waterloo Friday, March 27 Madison Saturday, March 28 Des Moines Sunday, March 29 Des Moines

JUSTIN WAN, SIOUX CITY JOURNAL Sioux City Bandits’ Dillon Turner, left, celebrates his touchdown against Wichita Force during an indoor football game in Sioux City, Iowa.

Tyson Events Center, 401 Gordon Drive Sioux City’s professional indoor football team opens its landmark 20th season with a home contest against Interstate 29 rivals Omaha.

Harlem Globetrotters Wednesday, March 25 Tyson Events Center, 401 Gordon Drive

Stop by Doxx’S for the frienDlieSt & beSt Wait Staff in toWn!!

We aim to pleaSe!

The Globetrotters are back with their brand-new Pushing the Limits world tour, and that includes a midweek stop in Sioux City as winter turns to spring. It’s the 94th consecutive year for the Hall of Fame team, and performances include live world record

WINTER 2020 | SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE

23

SHOPPING

MOLLY MONTAG, SIOUX CITY JOURNAL FILE Lakeport Commons.

Downtown Sioux City 712-252-0014 downtownsiouxcity.com Downtown Sioux City offers unique shopping for him, for her, for the family and the home with many locally owned specialty shops.

Gordon Plaza Gordon Drive east of Highway 75 This shopping center east of downtown Sioux City features a Hy-Vee, furniture and apparel stores and several restaurants. The complex also hosts service business from hair salons to tax preparation outlets.

Sergeant Floyd Welcome Center

The Galley Gift Shop aboard the Sergeant Floyd, home to a museum and visitor information about Sioux City, features local, tri-state and Siouxland souvenirs. Highlights include mugs, t-shirts, books and postcards.

Lakeport Commons Lakeport Street & Highway 20, Sioux City Easily accessible from South Lakeport Street or Sergeant Road, Lakeport Commons is home to national chains like Best Buy and Old Navy, regional outfitters like Gordmans and an array of local shops.

The complex also features sit-down and quick-service restaurants, salons and other services.

1000 Larsen Park Road, Sioux City 712-279-0198 24

SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE | WINTER 2020

Marketplace Shopping Center 28th & Hamilton, Sioux City 712-239-6565 marketplacehamilton.com Anchored by a Hy-Vee store, the outdoor Marketplace shopping center features stores like Plato’s Closet, restaurants like Minerva’s and much more. The shopping area also includes specialty shops, salons, coffeehouses and a variety of services.

Sioux City Gifts 1922 Pierce St., Sioux City 712-255-4346 siouxcitygifts.com This shop offers unique gifts celebrating the Orpheum Theatre, Woodbury County Courthouse, the Catholic Diocese of Sioux City, the Sioux City Jewish community and more. Plus, don’t miss Sioux City memorabilia like books, totes and mugs.

Southern Hills Mall 4400 Sergeant Road, Sioux City 712-274-0109 southernhillsmall.com Sioux City’s largest shopping center features dozens of stores in an enclosed setting, anchored by J.C. Penney, Barnes & Noble and Scheels All Sports. Other shops include local favorites, footwear chains and assorted national apparel retailers.

Southern Hills also features an AMC movie theater, a food court and family friendly activities.

Sunnybrook stores Sunnybrook Drive between Sergeant Road and Highway 20 Several major stores, from Target and Bed Bath & Beyond to Marshalls, Lowe’s and Hobby Lobby have Sioux City locations along Sunnybrook Drive. The shopping strip, not far from Southern Hills Mall and Lakeport Commons shops, also features restaurants and local shops.

PROVIDED

little cash.

LOTTA FLAVOR. Our Daily Specials include a soft drink!

FREE*

Chips & Salsa 2101 Cornhusker Drive South Sioux City, NE 402.404.2777 or 402.494.2988 Open 7 days a Week!

Sun-Thurs 10am-9pm Fri & Sat 10am-10pm *One free order per table

WINTER 2020 | SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE

25

A LOOK BACK Mini golf course near Floyd Monument remembered as ‘a masterpiece’

S

MASON DOCKTER

mdockter@siouxcityjournal.com

ix decades ago, a Sioux City native in his early 40s returned from California and turned part of his parents’ Floyd Monument-adjacent farm into his dream: a grand mini-golf course.

The Floyd Monument Miniature Golf Course (also referred to as the Floyd Park Miniature Golf Course, the Siouxland Miniature Golf Course and probably other variations), 2701 Highway 75 S., opened in 1954. The area was then on the far southern outskirts of town.

Its proprietor, Leo Tracey, had witnessed the tremendous popularity of mini-golf, Leo Tracey then a relatively new phenomenon, when he lived in California.

Born Leo Trasowech (he later changed the last name) in Sioux City in 1913, Tracey spent most of his formative years in California. Having decided at some point that he wanted his own mini-golf destination, Tracey built one on his parents’ pasture land in the early 1950s.

Something of an artist, he had visited a number of mini-

PROVIDED BY ANDREE TRACEY Leo Tracey serves root beer out of a keg at the Floyd Park Miniature Golf Course in this circa 1954 photo. The course was open four decades.

golf courses to observe how they were designed.

Tracey designed the course, leveled off a hill on the property and built (with the help of contractors) an 18-hole mini-golf course with a spectacular view off the bluff. There was also a 19th hole, which, if completed successfully, won the player a free

Very little remains of the Floyd Park Miniature Golf Course, which once sat at this spot just south of the Floyd Monument on Highway 75.

MASON DOCKTER, SIOUX CITY JOURNAL

26

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2019 2019

SIOUXLAND LIFE

round.

The course, according to Tracey’s daughter Andree, became an overnight sensation, popular with the young and old alike.

“We’ve found that it is most popular with young people – college kids and high school kids out on a date,” Leo Tracey told the Sioux City Journal in 1990, when he was 76 years old.

“There are others who

COURTESY ANDREE TRACEY A circa-1970s photo, apparently showing the 12th hole, at the Floyd Monument Miniature Golf Course.

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO Leo Tracey, shown here at age 76 in this 1990 Journal file photo, opened the Floyd Park Miniature Golf Course, also referred to as the Floyd Monument Miniature Golf Course, in 1954.

COURTESY ANDREE TRACEY A photo of the Floyd Park Miniature Golf Course taken in the 1980s.

WINTER 2020 | SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE

27

come – older people and families out for a good time.” Al Sturgeon, a Sioux City attorney and former state representative and senator, became a fan of Tracey’s mini-golf course starting when he was a child in the early 1960s. He later took his own children to play there.

Get him to start reminiscing about the course and – well, he’s got no shortage of things to say about it. “I didn’t appreciate how fantastic that place was until I started going around to other cities and playing miniature golf courses, otherwise known as putt-putts, and I thought, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me, that’s all you’ve got?’” Sturgeon said.

“I mean, once you played the Floyd Monument golf course there wasn’t a close second. Because it wasn’t one of these, you know, felt-type fairways with cheap, wood frame – I mean, this thing was rather a masterpiece.” The course’s unusually high-quality, concrete, sand and limestone construction was the work of Tracey’s own design. Music was piped over the course, and even people who didn’t like mini-golf reportedly enjoyed the course’s flower garden, snacks and soft drinks. Horses kept by the Tracey family grazed close enough to the course that patrons could sometimes pet them, to the delight of children.

“There was atmosphere to that place that was just so delightful,” Sturgeon said. Weekends were very busy. Andree Tracey wrote that customers sometimes had to make reservations, and the highway was often backed up with lines of cars trying to get in. Players’ mini-golf scores appeared in the Journal sports section during the yearly tournaments Tracey held.

Though it’s been decades since he last played the course, Sturgeon remembers the contours of the individual holes. The fourth hole had a replica of the Floyd Monument, while hole 10 had a musical windmill.

“You had to hit the ball to the right, through a fairly narrow chute, to get over the hump to the other side,” Sturgeon said of the Floyd Monument hole.

After Leo Tracey’s parents died, decades after he opened the course, he and wife Marcia moved into his parents’ former farmhouse, which was adjacent to the course. The course shut down after Tracey sold it in 1994 (according to advertisements from the late 1980s, Tracey had apparently planned to retire and close the course six years earlier). Today the wide-open property, its mini-golf course, clubhouse and the farmhouse long gone, is part of the Floyd Monument park.

In retirement, Tracey spent his days making sketches of people he saw at the 28

COURTESY ANDREE TRACEY A circa-1970s photo of the Floyd Park Miniature Golf Course parking lot.

COURTESY ANDREE TRACEY The Tracey family at the golf course circa 1955-56. Leo Tracey is the tall man in the back wearing a cap.

Southern Hills Mall before moving to Minneapolis, where he died at age 100 in 2014. Prior to his death, he reportedly attributed his longevity to chocolate, good friends and exercise, according to Andree Tracey.

The Floyd Monument Miniature Golf Course and the Floyd Monument itself likely enjoyed a mutually beneficial

SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE | WINTER 2020

relationship – perhaps the 118-year-old sandstone monument would see more visitors today if it still had a lighthearted attraction next door.

“I think that is probably a parcel of land, that, I wouldn’t say neglected, but I’d just say it’s been put on the back burner and... I mean it still has potential,” Sturgeon said.

SHOPPING

PROVIDED BY SIOUX CITY PUBLIC MUSEUM The Sioux City Corn Palace in 1850.

PROVIDED BY SIOUX CITY PUBLIC MUSEUM A steamboat sits on the Upper Missouri River in 1890.

Early Sioux City History The Lewis & Clark Expedition traveled through the Sioux City area on the Missouri River in 1804, where Sgt. Charles Floyd, the lone man to die during the expedition, fell victim to an illness. The expedition passed through again on its return in 1806. In 1849, Theophile Bruguier, a French fur trader, married local Indian chief War Eagle’s daughter and settled in the Riverside area. Sioux City was platted in 1854 by Dr. John K. Cook and incorporated in 1857. The town developed around the mouth of Perry Creek on the Missouri River. Steamboats brought the first

PEARL STREET RESEARCH CENTER A view of downtown Sioux City looking toward the river circa 1880-1899.

JOE STABILE This photo shows the bandshell in the late 1930s.

settlers and supplies to the area and helped to make Sioux City a retail and wholesale center for the region.

Boom Period Sioux City boomed in the late 1880s and early 1890s. Many people thought Sioux City would become a Chicago on the great plains, and it grew exponentially towards the end of the century. The Panic of 1893, however, stopped the city’s growth, though it recovered and became the business and recreational hub for the tri-state region, albeit at a smaller scale than in the biggest boom.

20th Century Growth The city recovered after the Panic of 1893 with a renewed spirit and desire to grow. The Prairie School and Art Deco and Modem styles of architecture can be seen in many buildings and houses in Sioux City built in the 20th century. Works Progress Administration projects in the 1930s included a Bandshell, park shelter houses, a football stadium and roads and bridges. Downtown Sioux City became increasingly vibrant during the middle decades of the century.

WINTER 2020 | SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE

29

Cable TV (60 channels) & Guest Laundry, Free WI – FI, Affordable Daily/ Weekly/ Monthly Rates, Microwave - Refrigerator Available, Family Room Available, Pet Friendly With Permission, electric Hookup - Truck Parking, One Block To Marina Inn Exhibit Center.

Just A Two Minute Drive to Downtown Sioux City!

• Free High Speed Wireless Internet • 32”Flat Screen TVs • 24-Hour Fitness Center Pet Friendly • Free Deluxe Breakfast www.choicehotels.com 4230 South Lakeport Street, Sioux City, IA 51106 P: 712-274-1400 | F: 712-276-2136

REGEnCy 402-494-3046 Inn

400 Dakota Avenue South Sioux City, ne. 68776

• Free Wireless internet • Free SuperStart Breakfast •Business Center • In-Room Microwave/Fridge •Coffee & Hair Dryer • Children 17 & Under Free With Adult

• Free Wireless Internet • Free Full Hot Breakfast Buffet • Pool • In-Room Microwave • Fridge • Coffee Maker & Hair Dryer • Business Center • Flat Screen TV/HBO • Fully Equipped Fitness Center • Handicap Accessible Rooms

• Flat Screen TV/HBO• Guest Laundry• Pet Friendly with Fee • Large Vehicle Parking • New Fitness Center Sioux City Morningside

130 Nebraska St., Sioux City, IA 51101 Ph: 712-277-1550 • F: 712-277-1120

4307 Stone Ave., Sioux City, IA 51106 Destination Super

30

SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE | WINTER 2020

P: 712-274-1520 • F: 712-274-1820

ENTERTAINMENT Orpheum Theatre 528 Pierce St. The Orpheum, which reopened in 2001 after undergoing a $15 million renovation, hosts Broadway shows and big name entertainers, as well as Sioux City Symphony Orchestra and Rockestra concerts. Built in 1927, the opulent theater boasts a 2,690-seat, six story auditorium complete with a Wurlitzer pipe organ, half-circle boxes, hand-carved detailing, gilded ornamentation and a hand-painted ceiling.

When: Call for showtimes and dates.

More info: 712-244-5000 or orpheumlive.com

Tyson Events Center 401 Gordon Drive Elton John, Fleetwood Mac, Neil Diamond, Taylor Swift and John Mayer have entertained scores of fans on stage at the Tyson Events Center. The entertainment and sporting venue, which opened its doors in 2003, is also home to the Sioux City Musketeers hockey team and the Sioux City Bandits indoor football team.

The 10,000-seat Tyson, which was designed by firms Ellerbe Becket of Kansas City and FEH Associates Inc. of Sioux City, is equipped with a full-size ice hockey rink surrounded by a U-shaped seating bowl.

When: Call for showtimes and dates.

More info: 712-279-4850 or tysoncenter.com

JIM LEE, SIOUX CITY JOURNAL FILE The Orpheum Theatre in Sioux City is shown.

recent years, including Post Malone, Kesha, Pitbull, Old Dominion and Nickelback.

When: Programs are scheduled throughout the year. Hours vary.

More info: 712-226-7600 or hardrockcasinosiouxcity.com

Sioux City Art Center 225 Nebraska St. The Sioux City Art Center, a three-story, 55,000-square-foot concrete, brick and glass facility, opened to the public in 1997 as the result of a private/public partnership. Each year, around 35,000 people visit the Art Center, which has an extensive collection of permanent artworks and showcases various traveling exhibitions throughout the year. The center also offers art classes for preschoolers through senior citizens, and an annual outdoor arts festival, ArtSplash, on Labor Day weekend.

The Atrium Gift Gallery offers a wide selection of one-of-a kind handcrafted items in all price ranges. The Art Center’s new, 11,000-squarefoot Gilchrist Learning Center opened in September.

When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday; and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

More info: 712-279-6272 or siouxcityartcenter. org

WinnaVegas Casino 1500 330th St., Sloan, Iowa Owned and operated by the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, WinnaVegas has more than 54,300 square feet of gaming space.

The casino has more than 850 slot machines, 10 casino table games, a poker room and a bingo hall. WinnaVegas also has a hotel, dining

Vangarde Arts

JIM LEE, SIOUX CITY JOURNAL FILE The Sioux City Art Center.

options, spacious event center and multiple meeting rooms.

When: 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

More info: 800-468-9466 or winnavegas.com

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City 111 Third St. The 30,000-square-foot Hard Rock Hotel & Casino offers more than 850 slot machines and 28 table games, an AAA Four Diamond rated hotel, six restaurants and bars, a vast memorabilia collection and two live entertainment venues: Anthem and Battery Park. Anthem, which can hold up to 850 people, hosts live music and entertainment acts weekly. Battery Park, a festival-style outdoor amphitheater, which holds 5,000 people, plays host to larger touring bands. The Battery Park concert series has brought dozens of artists to the stage in

416 Pierce St. The Vangarde is a space devoted to connecting the creative community with the business community through unique and inviting social activities. Relaxed fine art galleries and a concert-quality performance space play host to events that include art exhibits, music, comedy and open mic nights. Vangarde Arts has hosted musicians, such as Ray Wylie Hubbard, John Primer, Johnnie Winter, James McMurtry, David Lindley and world renowned Jazz singer/ pianist/composer Patricia Barber, as well as rising young stars.

When: Programs are scheduled throughout the year. Hours vary.

More info: 712-251-6432 or vangardearts.com

LAMB Arts Regional Theatre 417 Market St. LAMB Arts, a self-supporting, professional theater, is one of a handful of professional non-equity theater companies in the country.

Shows run for five weeks with an average of 16 performances of each production. This year’s slate includes “Matilda” and “Beer for Breakfast.”

When: Call for showtimes and dates.

More info: 712-255-9536 or lambtheater.com

WINTER 2020 | SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE

31

PARKS Albertsen’s Bridgeview Park

Cone Park

Grandview Park

Sixth Street & Dakota Avenue, South Sioux City

3800 Line Drive, Sioux City Located near baseball stadium Lewis & Clark Park, Cone Park offers a tubing hill, ice skating rink, an outdoor fire pit, and a day lodge for warming, rentals and concessions during the winter. The lodge is used as a rental facility during the non-winter months and the ice skating rink converts to a public splash pad in the summer.

24th Street & Grandview Boulevard, Sioux City The award-winning music pavilion, dedicated in 1935, features an rose garden and a natural amphitheater with a band shell. Grandview Park is home to Saturday in the Park and summer Sunday evening concerts by the Municipal Band.

Flags of all 50 states are displayed, representing patriotic pride in honor of service members and women. It was conceived during the Gulf War.

Bacon Creek Park 5015 Correctionville Road, Sioux City The 240-acre park has a pond with fishing available; trout are stocked from November to March. A four-mile trail takes visitors around the pond and through the trees. Shelters, grills and picnic tables are available for family outings, and dogs can enjoy the five acre Dog Park.

There are separate large and small dog areas.

Cottonwood Cove Park 14th & Hickory streets, Dakota City, Neb. A 4.5-acre park located on the banks of the Missouri River features a public boat ramp, camping, shelter and play equipment.

Klasey Park South Sioux City Klasey Park is located one block off of Dakota Avenue. It is home to Voss Fields and South Sioux City legion baseball. Voss Fields host multiple tournaments each summer including district and state tournaments. The park also has two shelters for rent, a basketball court, playground equipment and green space.

Latham Park

Boundless Playground

1915 S. Lemon St., Sioux City lathampark.com The park is located in a traditional, residential area of the Morningside section of Sioux City.

Occupying almost a full acre of ground, it is home to a wide variety of flowering plants, warbling songbirds, a wonderful fountain, quiet sitting areas and a friendly squirrel or two.

1100 31st St., Sioux City located at Leif Erikson Park The Boundless playground serves children with special needs. Accessibility, plus with a rubberized safety surface, makes this playground a strong choice, with stimulation to every sense.

Lewis & Clark Wayside

JIM LEE, SIOUX CITY JOURNAL FILE Canada geese swim in Crystal Cove Park in South Sioux City.

Crystal Cove Park

JUSTIN WAN, SIOUX CITY JOURNAL A walker enjoys the trail at Chris Larsen Park in Sioux City.

Chris Larsen Park Larsen Park Road, Sioux City The park features a public boat ramp, an outdoor pavilion, a scenic trail and a state-of-theart children’s play area. Hikers enjoy the threemile Gateway 2000/River’s Edge Trail, which begins in the park. The trail hugs the Missouri River and then turns to follow the Big Sioux into Riverside Park. Follow Riverfront Trail for two miles through Chris Larsen Park to access Floyd Trail. Users may hike, bike, or in-line skate on this four-mile trail overlooking the Floyd River and linking the Missouri riverfront to Leeds.

32

End of W. 29th Street, South Sioux City 402-494-7540 visitsouthsiouxcity.com The park is in the southwest corner of South Sioux City at the end of West 39th Street.

Crystal Cove features 60 acres with a lake, a 1.5 miles bike/hike trail, nature trails, fishing and shelter for rent. The park is home to more than 200 species of birds and wildlife. The lake is stocked three times yearly with fish for summer and winter ice fishing.

Emerson City Park Emerson, Neb. 402-695-2662 Camping is available, including camper hookups. The small town of Emerson is the only one in Nebraska that is located in three counties simultaneously.

SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE | WINTER 2020

14th & Hickory streets, Dakota City, Neb. Located on the bluffs of the Missouri River, the wayside is about three miles from where the Lewis & Clark expedition had its longest encampment and roughly four miles from where they caught more than 1,300 fish in one day. This overlook commemorates the historic discovery and provides a breathtaking view of the beautiful Missouri River.

Miracle Field 1301 Riverside Blvd., Sioux City A park designed for people with mental and physical disabilities. Miracle Field includes an all-inclusive playground, Miracle League baseball diamond, splash pad, covered commons area, concession stand and handicap accessible restrooms.

Mulberry Bend Newcastle, Neb. A scenic overlook near the Newcastle/Vermillion Bridge which offers a spectacular view of the Missouri River.

Ponca State Park Ponca, Neb. Enjoy rolling hills, horseback riding, swimming, fishing and hiking. New mini-lodges are available, and the park has a visitors center and outdoor programs.

Riverside Park

1301 Riverside Blvd., Sioux City The park comprises 100 acres on the west side of town. It has numerous shelters, play areas, ball fields, access to the bike trail, Riverside Aquatic Center, Bruguier’s Cabin and views of the Big Sioux River.

Scenic Park Fourth & D streets, South Sioux City 402-494-7535 Scenic Park is home to a 109-site campground with full and basic hook-ups, South Sioux City’s public outdoor pool, newly remodeled tennis courts, playground equipment, shelters for rent, Missouri River boat ramp, Riverview Ball Complex and Dibble Soccer Complex. It also hosts the Norm Waitt Sr. YMCA.

TRAVEL BRILLIANTLY JUSTIN WAN, SIOUX CITY JOURNAL People take in the view at Stone State Park in Sioux City.

Stone State Park Hwy. 12 N. / 5001 Talbot Road, Sioux City 712-255-4698 iowadnr.gov The rugged topography of Stone Park matches that of the Loess Hills common in western Iowa. The park offers scenic vistas of wooded valleys, dry prairie ridges, the Big Sioux River, and the neighboring states of South Dakota and Nebraska. Stone State Park contains six miles of equestrian trails, six miles of mountain bike and snowmobile trails and eight miles of hiking and cross-country skiing trails. The park also includes a day use lodge, camping facilities and cabins. Stone State Park is a great place for a family picnic; three open shelters are available and may be reserved online or by phone.

FOR RESERVATIONS CALL 402.494.4000 OR VISIT MARRIOTT.COM/SUXMC From apps that become your personal concierge to rooms that revolve around you, at the South Sioux City Marriott Riverfront, we're on a journey to make your travel experience uncomplicated, unforgettable and brilliant.

South Sioux City Marriott Riverfront South Sioux City, NE USA 68776 402.494.4000 Marriott.com/SUXMC

Veterans Memorial Park Wakefield, Neb. This park features a wall of honor and a Cobra military helicopter.

MARRIOTT HOTELS

@MARRIOTT

Veterans Memorial Park Fifth & Water streets, Sioux City This park is a memorial to veterans of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard.

©

2019 Marriott International

WINTER 2020 | SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE

33

Wheelchair Access Rooms

Parking

Breakfast

Business Services

Fitness Center

Airport Shuttle

Internet

Whirlpool Suites

Pets

Pool

AmericInn Lodge & Suites 4230 S. Lewis Blvd., Sioux City

57/11

5

•

•

•

coming

•

•

6

•

•

Bennett’s Motel 5227 Military Road, Sioux City

37/0

1

•

•

•

Budget Host Inn 1201 First Ave., South Sioux City, Neb.

51/0

51

•

•

•

87

4

•

•

•

•

Comfort Inn at Southern Hills Mall 4202 Lakeport St., Sioux City

69/9

4

•

•

•

•

Cottonwood Inn 4402 Dakota Ave., South Sioux City, Neb.

59/1

1

•

•

•

69/15

2

•

•

•

45

2

•

•

•

52/5

5

•

•

181/13

4

•

•

15/0

0

•

•

15/0

0

•

•

65/4

4

•

•

•

•

91

7

•

•

•

•

Hard Rock Hotel and Casino 111 Third St., Sioux City

54/12

5

•

•

coming

•

Hilton Garden Inn 1132 Larsen Park Road, Sioux City

123/32

7

•

•

•

•

Holiday Inn Express & Suites 4723 Southern Hills Drive, Sioux City

85/24

5

•

•

•

•

Candlewood Suites Sioux City 4720 Southern Hills Drive, Sioux City

Country Inn & Suites by Carlson-Dakota Dunes 151 Tower Road, Dakota Dunes Days Inn 1311 River Drive, North Sioux City Days Inn 3000 Singing Hills Blvd., Sioux City Marriott 385 East Fourth St., South Sioux City Economy Motel 2921 Gordon Drive, Sioux City Elmdale Motel 2200 N. U.S. Highway 75, Sioux City Hampton Inn 101 S. Sodrac Drive, North Sioux City Hampton Inn & Suites Sioux City South 5555 Sergeant Road, Sioux City

34

SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE | WINTER 2020

•

•

•

8

•

•

1

•

•

5

•

•

4

•

•

•

•

•

3

•

•

•

•

•

5

•

•

•

0

•

0

•

•

4

•

•

0

•

•

•

0

•

•

•

2

•

0

•

•

Restaurant

Rooms/Suites

LODGING

•

•

•

•

• •

•

8

•

•

•

0

•

•

•

•

•

0

•

•

•

•

•

•

3

•

•

•

•

•

0

•

•

•

•

0

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

0

•

•

9

•

•

•

•

•

•

18

•

45/2

2

•

•

•

•

2

•

Super 8 Motel Morningside 4307 Stone Ave., Sioux City

57/0

3

•

•

•

•

0

•

Super 8 Motel South 2530 Singing Hills Blvd., Sioux City

56/2

5

•

•

•

•

0

•

Town & Country Motel 1910 Court St., Sioux City

18/0

18

•

•

1

•

Quality Inn & Suites 4230 S. Lakeport, Sioux City

51/6

3

•

•

•

•

0

•

Wingate by Wyndham 4716 Southern Hills Drive, Sioux City

62/4

3

•

•

•

•

0

•

•

•

•

•

Knights Inn & Suites 2829 Dakota Ave., South Sioux City

70/4

1

•

•

•

•

71

2

•

•

•

New Victorian Inn & Suites 3101 Singing Hills Blvd., Sioux City

66/8

2

•

•

•

Palmer House Motel 3440 Gordon Drive, Sioux City

59/2

2

•

•

Ramada Inn City Centre 130 Nebraska St., Sioux City

112/2

2

•

Red Carpet Inn & Suites 110 Sodrac Drive, North Sioux City

34/7

2

•

Regency Inn 400 Dakota Ave., South Sioux City

25/0

2

•

Rodeway Inn 103 Sergeant Square, Sergeant Bluff

52/0

2

•

Sioux City Hotel and Convention Center 707 Fourth St., Sioux City

193/32

1

Stoney Creek Hotel & Conference Center 300 Third St., Sioux City

161/9

Super 8 Motel 108 Sodrac Drive, North Sioux City

Knights Inn Sioux City 6166 Harbor Drive, Sioux City

•

•

Restaurant

Whirlpool Suites

•

5

Pool

Internet

•

114/6

Pets

Airport Shuttle

0

Fitness Center

•

Business Services

4

Breakfast

•

Parking

3

Wheelchair Access Rooms

•

Rooms/Suites

•

Holiday Inn, Downtown 701 Gordon Drive, Sioux City

•

•

•

•

•

•

WINTER 2020 | SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE

35

36

SIOUX CITY VISITOR’S GUIDE | WINTER 2020