On August 25, 1862, Sioux Falls was a six-year-old, successful small community in a growing western territory. When two local settlers were killed that day as part of the Dakota War of 1862, the community of Sioux Falls was quickly evacuated and the abandoned townsite was razed. The community would remain uninhabited by settlers for seven years.
We have to wonder where they started when they returned. What parts of the old city were rebuilt and what was left in the past? How did they set a vision for the new Sioux Falls? What were their hopes for the future?
One hundred and fifty years later, we will gather at TEDxSiouxFalls. We believe this anniversary is an opportunity to revisit our vision for the community and region. If we were to start over, what would we rebuild? How would we create a collective vision for the community? What would our hopes for the future be?