Dell Rapids Lumber Company

Dell Rapids [then Dell City] was founded in 1871 on the Big Sioux River between Sioux Falls to the south and Flandreau to the north. A wood mill was the first enterprise followed by a flour mill after one year. A hardware store was erected close by but the owner killed himself shortly thereafter. A ferry was used until the first bridge was built in 1878. However, a flood in the spring of 1881 took out this bridge and it was replaced by a stone one. It is believed these bridges plus the first steel bridge were located at the end of Orleans Street. For reasons unknown, the downtown area grew in its present location rather than by the mill where the first store went up. Reasonably at the end of Mill ( www.dellrapids.org )