 |
Local LouAuthor: Local Lou
A South Dakota local that would like to let you know a little about the history of the Sioux Falls (and surrounding) area by going around and reading historical markers I find, then looking into them a little and presenting them to you with a personal story or two along the way. Get to know Sioux Falls South Dakota with a gal that is interested in history, lets explore new things together! For pictures of historical markers and daily life in South Dakota follow Local Lou on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/localloupodcast/ Language: en Genres: History Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
Listen Now...
Lady Liberty in McKennan Park
Saturday, 4 July, 2026
Lady Liberty in McKennan Park is not just a statue or a historical marker but a story woven from patriotism, pioneer lore, garden‑club determination, and the everyday people who refused to let a symbol of freedom disappear even if a bunch of vandals try to ruin it. We follow the legacy of Charles A. Sells, the pioneer who owned the original wooden carving and claimed it was modeled by Statue of Liberty sculptor Frédéric Bartholdi. We revisit the day in 1943 when twins Thelma and Elma Iverson unveiled the statue before thousands of Sioux Falls residents — a moment rooted in a family whose father, Sherman Iverson, once served as mayor of South Sioux Falls and was honored as Sioux Falls’ Father of the Year.From the Garden Club’s grassroots fundraising campaign to the statue’s removal after vandalism, and finally its triumphant return as a bronze replica in 2002, this episode celebrates how a small neighborhood park became home to a big American symbol.Join us as we connect McKennan Park’s Americana charm to the iconic Statue of Liberty, uncovering how liberty lives not just in national monuments, but in local stories, community action, and the places we gather every day.National Park Service — Joseph Pulitzer & the Pedestal Fundhttps://www.nps.gov/stli/learn/historyculture/joseph-pulitzer.htmNational Park Service — Statue of Liberty History Overviewhttps://www.nps.gov/stli/learn/historyculture/index.htm (nps.gov in Bing)Sioux Falls Parks & Recreation — McKennan Parkhttps://www.siouxfalls.gov/parks/parks/mckennan (siouxfalls.gov in Bing)Siouxland Heritage Museumshttps://www.siouxlandmuseums.com/South Dakota State Archives — Accession Record referencing Charles A. Sellshttps://sdarchives.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/accessions/1009Dakota Conference Papers (Augie) — includes historical context from the erahttps://www.augie.edu/sites/default/files/2008dakconfpapers.pdfAncestry Genealogy Search — Charles A. Sellshttps://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/results?firstName=charles&lastName=sells&page=2
