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

Great Northern

 
 
Great Northern Marker image. Click for full size.
April 1, 2022
1. Great Northern Marker
Inscription. The Great Northern Railway (GNR), once one of the premier railroad systems in the nation, was the dream of entrepreneur James J. Hill. Beginning in 1878 with a small bankrupt St. Paul railroad, Hill developed a huge rail network that he named the "Great Northern." It included the northernmost transcontinental rail line to the Pacific Ocean.

City officials enticed the GNR to Sioux Falls in 1888 by guaranteeing $77,000 for the purchase of depot grounds and right-of-way. After the new GNR Wilmar-to-Sioux Falls extension arrived, the town could boast that it was served by five major railroad lines.

In 1893 the GNR added track mileage from Sioux Falls by absorbing two R. F. Pettigrew-inspired short lines; the tiny 7-mile intercity South Sioux Falls Rapid Transit lines and the 58-mile Sioux Falls, Yankton & South Western Railroad. Added in 1916 was the South Dakota Central, a 103-mile pike linking Sioux Falls and Watertown.

The Great Northern merged with two other railroads in 1970 to become the Burlington Northern & Santa Fe.
 
Erected 2003 by the Minnehaha County Historical Society and the Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1878.
 
Location.
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43° 32.911′ N, 96° 43.241′ W. Marker is in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in Minnehaha County. It is in Downtown. Marker is on East 8th Street west of North Weber Avenue, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 503 E 8th St, Sioux Falls SD 57103, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Illinois Central Depot (approx. 0.2 miles away); Yesterday (approx. 0.2 miles away); Urban Renewal (approx. 0.2 miles away); Recreation (approx. 0.2 miles away); Early Sioux Falls (approx. 0.2 miles away); Flooding (approx. 0.2 miles away); Quarries (approx. 0.2 miles away); Railroads (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Sioux Falls.
 
Great Northern Marker image. Click for full size.
March 26, 2022
2. Great Northern Marker
Great Northern Marker, from the east image. Click for full size.
March 26, 2022
3. Great Northern Marker, from the east
Great Northern Marker, from the west image. Click for full size.
March 26, 2022
4. Great Northern Marker, from the west
Great Northern Marker and BSNF Sioux Falls Terminal, formerly a GNR Depot image. Click for full size.
March 26, 2022
5. Great Northern Marker and BSNF Sioux Falls Terminal, formerly a GNR Depot
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 2, 2022. This page has been viewed 98 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on April 2, 2022.

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Mar. 28, 2024