The Cataract

The Cataract. . In 1871 W. H. Corson built a hotel on this corner and named it Cataract House. It was an imposing two-story frame structure with fourteen bedchambers and two parlors. Corson proudly advertised his hotel as having "commodious rooms with clean beds and no bugs," and that "attentive waiters served 'surloin' steak and good coffee". Stabling for horses was also available. At an earlier time this location served as part of the campgrounds of Company A of the Dakota Cavalry., The Cataract became the social center of Sioux Falls, a small, isolated town on the frontier. Arriving stagecoaches left their passengers at the front door. Real estate speculators eyed new faces and pounced on prospective buyers. Mail was left at the hotel where it was picked up by townspeople eager for news from the outside world. The Cataract even hosted Sioux Falls' first great ball on New Year's Eve, 1872., Henry Corson joined his brother in the hotel venture, and in 1880 the Corsons hired renowned architect Wallace Dow to design a bigger and better hotel. The old Cataract House was moved out onto the street where business went on as usual while the new Cataract took shape on the original lot. The second Cataract, built of brick, was three stories tall with an impressive tower on the front giving it a four-story appearance. By December 1882 the new hotel with 100 rooms, hot and cold water, steam heat, gas and electric lights and every modern convenience was ready for occupancy. The room rates were $2.00 and $2.50 per day., The new Cataract became the leading hotel, not only in Dakota Territory but also in a wide region around. Located on the most prominent intersection in Sioux Falls, it was considered the "center of trade," a fact reflected in nearby real estate prices. The Cataract, the unofficial capital of Dakota Territory, was where the action was, politically and socially. Many a political deal was made here. With Dakota's lenient divorce laws, the Cataract became a place of choice for divorce seekers of Eastern society to wait out their residency requirements during the "gay '90s". This corner also was the starting point for the numbering of addresses in Sioux Falls., On June 30, 1900, the second Cataract was destroyed by a fire that was started by fireworks in a neighboring store. A new 160-room Cataract, designed by Joseph Schwarz, rose from the ashes and opened in 1901. After 71 years of serving the public, it also met its demise. The wrecking ball and urban renewal turned the third Cataract into just a memory., The three Cataracts provided solace and a home away from home atmosphere for over 100 years, 1871-1972.