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Battleship South Dakota.
Memorial to the Battleship South Dakota.

Concrete Outline of USS South Dakota

Field review by the editors.

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

When they scrapped "Old Nameless" in 1962, Sioux Falls couldn't get the whole battleship into landlocked South Dakota. So they salvaged what parts they could, poured a foot-high concrete outline onto the ground in Sherman Park along the banks of the Big Sioux River, and combined the pieces into a minimalist pseudo-replica.

The USS South Dakota was in every major battle and the most decorated ship of WWII from 1942-45. It brought down 32 Japanese planes and was the first ship to fire on the Japanese home islands! She was officially numbered BB57, also known as "Battleship X," and her state designation was as the South Dakota.

Anchor on the S.S. South Dakota.

The anchor, the ship's bell, a massive propeller, and other components are placed around the park within the outline. There is an original 16-inch gun (weighing 94 tons), suitable for shelling the towns of eastern South Dakota, and the actual flag mast. The outline is 680 feet in length.

The bridge contains a gift shop, where at one time a visitor could purchase a commission as an admiral in the South Dakota navy (latest report is that admiralties are no longer available). A short video about the Navy is shown. An extension was added in 2001 to house an expanded museum, though this further mars the illusion that a battleship is rising out of the plains.

Every other year, alumni of the battleship South Dakota gather on its deck/lawn for a reunion of heroes and their familes....

Concrete Outline of USS South Dakota

Sherman Park

Address:
2705 W 12th St., Sioux Falls, SD
Directions:
I-29 south of I-90 to Exit 79, east on 12th street, right on Kiwanis Avenue and 12th Avenue. Sherman Park.
Hours:
Open year round, Gift shop 10 am - 5 pm Mem-Labor Day. (Call to verify) Local health policies may affect hours and access.
Phone:
605-367-7060
RA Rates:
Major Fun
Save to My Sights

Nearby Offbeat Places

Bank Robbed by John DillingerBank Robbed by John Dillinger, Sioux Falls, SD - 2 mi.
Large CowLarge Cow, Sioux Falls, SD - 2 mi.
Replica Statue of DavidReplica Statue of David, Sioux Falls, SD - 2 mi.
In the region:
Stand on Three States: Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, Valley Springs, SD - 16 mi.

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