Minnehaha

Formed April 5, 1862 (7^th county)

Minnehaha County (197,209), Sioux Falls (192,700)

The Modern High-rise building was erected in 1996.  It is on North Dakota Avenue between 5^th and 6^th streets.  South Dakota State Highway 115 is one block west.  Elizabeth Squyer designed the courthouse.  The building was expanded in 2009.  A Lady Justice statue guards the building front.  There have been 1892 and 1963 facilities earlier.  The 1963 courthouse serves as the County Administration Building.  The outstanding 1892 courthouse is across the street.  The county was organized on April 5, 1862 as an original county (7^th county.)  Sioux Falls has always been the county seat.  The county name is Native American for “laughing water.”  Sioux Falls is named for the falls on the Sioux River.  Minnehaha County is the birthplace of 3 South Dakota governors, Joseph J. Foss, Nils A. Boe, and Dennis M. Daugaard. 

Minnehaha County government consists of a sheriff and 5 Commissioners.  Ten Circuit Court Judges and Three Magistrate Court Judges serve Minnehaha and Lincoln counties.  Minnehaha County is on the southeast border with both Minnesota and Iowa.  Pierre, South Dakota is northwest and Rapid City, South Dakota is west of the county.  The county center is 12.4 miles Northwest of Sioux Falls nearer Crooks.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Moody County and Minnesota and Iowa and Lincoln, Turner, McCook, and Lake counties. 

The area of the county is 809 square miles.  It is 40 out of 66 in the state.  It ranks 1 out of 66 in population in the state.  It has a density of 243.8 persons per square mile making it 1 out of 66 in the state.  Minnehaha County has 91.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 29 passes north to south in the county from Moody County to Lincoln County.  Interstate Highway 90 enters from the east, Minnesota, and exits to the west, McCook County.  The county is a rectangle.  Sioux Falls dominates the southeast quarter of the county and extends into Lincoln County.  Sioux Falls is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 97.7% of the county population.  The county is pronounced MIN-NEE-HA-HA.  The county seat is pronounced SOO FALLZ.  This county is in the Sioux Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.