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Downtown in Sioux Falls in Minnehaha County, South Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
 

Washington High School

 
 
Washington High School Marker (<i>side one</i>) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 21, 2016
1. Washington High School Marker (side one)
Inscription.
For most of the 119 years between 1873 and 1992, a majority of Sioux Falls children attended one of three successive public schools erected on this site. The first, an unnamed small wood-frame elementary school, was replaced five years later by Central School, a large two story brick structure. In 1879 when 20 pupils enrolled to attend high school there, they became the first students of Sioux Falls High School.

A new high school building was opened in 1908. Named Washington High School (WHS), it was located north of Central School. In 1922 a second WHS unit opened south of Central. After “Old Central” was razed in 1934, a center unit was built to combine the three WHS units. The building was completed as it now stands in 1935.

In 1986 this huge neoclassical structure, built of locally quarried Sioux quartzite, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The original WHS closed in 1992 when a new WHS opened. After extensive renovation, the building reopened June 1, 1999, as the Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science.
 
Erected 2006 by The Minnehaha County Historical Society and the Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: ArchitectureEducationMan-Made Features.
 
Location.
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43° 32.612′ N, 96° 43.712′ W. Marker is in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in Minnehaha County. It is in Downtown. Marker is at the intersection of South Main Avenue and West 12th Street, on the right when traveling south on South Main Avenue. Marker is located beside the sidewalk, near the south entrance to the Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science (formerly Washington High School) building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 301 South Main Avenue, Sioux Falls SD 57104, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The First School House (a few steps from this marker); Official Olympic Flagpole (within shouting distance of this marker); Eliza Tupper Wilkes (within shouting distance of this marker); Lt. Jonas Lien (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Nils A. Boe (about 300 feet away); First Lutheran Church (about 400 feet away); Sculptor H. Daniel Webster (about 400 feet away); Calvary Cathedral (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Sioux Falls.
 
Regarding Washington High School. National Register of Historic Places (1986)
 
Also see . . .  Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science. The Pavilion was a result of a renovation of Washington High School which was eventually moved to the northeast side of the city. The building
Washington High School Marker <br>(<i>side two</i>) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 21, 2016
2. Washington High School Marker
(side two)
is of Neoclassical styling and is architecturally interesting. The building's facade is created from large blocks of Sioux Quartzite, a pinkish quartzite native to the area and seen at the falls of the Big Sioux River. A small portion of the north wing is constructed of black rock which was believed to be black quartzite but is in fact corson diabase, which is hardened liquid magma. (Submitted on October 5, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.) 
 
Washington High School Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 21, 2016
3. Washington High School Marker
Washington Pavilion in background
Washington High School Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 21, 2016
4. Washington High School Marker
Washington Pavilion in background
Washington High School image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 21, 2016
5. Washington High School
Washington High School (<i>dedication / cornerstone; near northeast corner of building</i>) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 21, 2016
6. Washington High School (dedication / cornerstone; near northeast corner of building)
The thing of most value and joy that takes place here is the flow of human interest. It is the spirit of the institution to be human in all of its activities. May the days spent here be filled to overflowing with scholastic attainment, courteous conduct, joy and happiness, so that as the rest of the journey progresses, each life shall abound with gladness and our High School days shall ever remain a happy memory.
Placed by Old Central pupils - June 16, 1935
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on October 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 3, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 394 times since then and 31 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on October 5, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.

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Mar. 28, 2024