Did You Know that Sioux Falls has 2 Sister Cities?

Did you know that Sioux Falls has two Sister Cities? Yep, our town is partnered with cities in Germany and Northern Ireland.

The Sister Cities program was founded by President Eisenhower in 1956. The goal is people-to-people citizen diplomacy through cultural exchanges and relationship building.

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Through the Sister Cities Association of Sioux Falls, we are partnered with Potsdam, Germany, and Newry and Mourne District Council, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.

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Potsdam is located in eastern Germany very close to Berlin. After the reunification of East and West Germany in the 90's Postdam became the capital city of the state of Brandenburg. Postdam is roughly the same size as Sioux Falls in population and area. We even have similar climates with cold, snowy winters and warm summers. It is however far older than Sioux Falls. Postdam is thought to have been a settlement of some sort for over 1000 years.

Potsdam and Sioux Falls became sister cities in 1990. This is the oldest such partnership between a U.S. municipality and a city in the former East Germany.

Watch: Take a Drive Through Downtown Sioux Falls of the 1950s

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Newry, Mourne, and Down District is an area of southeastern Northern Ireland with a population of almost 110,000. It includes several towns along the coast of the Irish Sea.

Sioux Falls has been a Sister City with Newry, Mourne, and Down District since 2008. In 2007 the District reached out to Sioux Falls when they were looking for a partner in South Dakota.

Find out more about the Sioux Falls Sister City Association here.

The Ultimate Sioux Falls Visitor's Guide: A to Z

Sioux Falls has lots to explore; fun stuff for the whole family, food of every kind, educational opportunities, and more! If you have out-of-town guests visiting, show them around our city. Eat at places they've never eaten. Take them to places they'd never go. Take some great photos to post on social media (and don't forget the hashtag #HiFromSiouxFalls). We've even listed some cool hotels where they can stay if you don't have the room.

Sioux Falls, South Dakota. We call it the 'Sioux Empire.' It's the biggest city in the state with a population of nearly 200,000. We’re known for our namesake, Falls Park, along the Big Sioux River. Sioux Falls has received numerous accolades for its quality of life. We have been named the number one best place to rent in America. We’ve topped the list of Best States to Find a Job. Sioux Falls is the Best City in America for Young Professionals.

We've appeared on lists such as Most Charming Small Cities, Top 10 Place to Raise Kids, and even ranked 10th in the 2020 Top 100 Best Places to Live. We have an abundance of achievements and you can see them on the Sioux Falls Development Foundation's website.

It's a pretty awesome city and that's why we think you should come and visit. If you're coming on business or pleasure, we've put together a list of places to go and things to see. We know you want to explore the attractions the city is known for like Falls Park, the Arc of Dreams, and the Sculpture Walk, but there's a lot more to see and do than just the touristy (that's really a word) stuff. The best places to go are where the locals go and we have a not your average, ordinary visitor's guide.

Here's a list of over 100 things to do and places to go in Sioux Falls.

Click HERE for a list of all the places we mention and links to each one. Print it out or save it to your phone and use it as a reference when you're visiting. See you soon!

Filed Under: Germany, Sioux Falls, Sister Cities

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