Siouxland's most patriotic attraction is under construction, with new features
added every time I check! Here's what to expect at Siouxland Freedom Park if
you visit in July 2020:
What is Siouxland Freedom Park?
Siouxland Freedom Park is a place to honor and remember veterans and celebrate
the freedoms they fought to ensure for all Americans. My Grandad fought in
WWII and my Grandpa fought in the Korean War, and I love that there is a place
here in Siouxland to reflect on their bravery! Here's a quick peek from a
recent visit:
Where is Siouxland Freedom Park?
Siouxland Freedom Park is on the Nebraska side of the Missouri river front, at
1801 Veterans Drive, South Sioux City, Nebraska. There is parking near the Memorial Wall & Interpretive Center, and by the John Douangdara Dog Park
The Memorial Wall
the wall is beautiful at sunset!
The highlight of Siouxland Freedom Park is the Memorial Wall. The park
features the only half scale exact replica of the
Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. On the wall, you'll find the names of more than 58,272 Americans who
lost their lives in the Vietnam War. The wall is lit at night. A Korean War Memorial is also planned for
the future.
John Douangdara Dog Park
The dog park at Siouxland Freedom Park is named after South Sioux Citian John
Douangdara, an elite dog handler for the Navy SEALS who lost his life in
Aghanistan when the helicopter he was in was shot down in 2011. You can read
more about Douangdara and his heroism here.
Interpretive Center
The Siouxland Freedom Park Interpretive Center is currently under
construction, and is scheduled to be open to the public by fall of 2020. When
completed, the center will have educational and memorial displays about
American veterans and the conflicts they served in, as well as interactive
displays where visiting veterans can record some of their memories. The center
will also be open to community programs. The building looks great so far, and
you can peek through the glass doors to see the interior. While currently
empty, it looks like a space with lots of potential, and I can't wait to see how it turns out!
Freedom Rock
Later in 2020, Siouxland Freedom Park will be home to one of artist Ray Bubba
Sorensen II's famous
Freedom Rocks,
just east of the interpretive center.
Ready to be painted!
Events at Freedom Park
Freedom Park is already becoming well known for their events, especially fireworks at Fourth of July and a Remebrance Run on Memorial Day weekend. They also host events for veteran's groups, and will likely host even more commemorative, education, and other community events once the interpretive center is completed!
Across the street from the interpretive center, there are 3 covered picnic
table areas and a large playground! I can definitely see it being a
great space for a family picnic, but also for field trips for students
studying America's involvement in foreign wars of the 20th century. The play
structure was very large with 7 slides, so it could definitely accommodate a
crowd! I'd love to see them add a toddler play structure in the future though,
as the slides were all pretty high up. All of my kids had a great time, but it
was definitely best for my 10 year old!
In spring 2020 we saw over 20,000 cases of COVID-19 in Iowa, more than 15,000 in Nebraska, and more than 5000 cases in South Dakota, many of those right here in Siouxland.
For medical information on COVID-19, please visit the CDC's coronavirus page or Mayo Clinic coronavirus page
Wow, a lot has changed since I first posted this! When I first started this post, the nearest outbreak of COVID-19 was one family in Omaha! Now, we have seen nearly everything in our tri-state area closed to try to flatten the curve, and the number of cases skyrocketed higher than many people thought possible, yet mercifully lower than many of the projection models. I did a major update on this post in June 2020 and a small update in July 2020, and it will now reflect what is re-opening in our area! I will try to keep it up to date, so check back for updates, but I do not run any of these organizations, and I encourage you to seek out their individual websites and social media to confirm closings that af…
What is the Siouxland Family Scavenger Hunt?
The Siouxland Family Scavenger Hunt is a photo scavenger hunt that will take you all over Sioux City! This Sunday, May 24th, is National Scavenger Hunt Day, so get out and get hunting!
The 2020 Siouxland Family Scavenger Hunt is also a great way to get out of the house in a social-distancing-friendly way, and to enjoy some fresh air and the sights of Sioux City with your family while you're at it! And there are fun prizes!
In this post, you'll find all the rules and info on the prizes. Around 8am in the morning on May 24, I will post here the official list of all the places to hunt for!
Welcome to my new Midwest authors & illustrators series on my blog! Seasonally, I'll highlight books from Midwest authors and illustrators that your family might enjoy, both new books and books you might have missed or forgotten. Some of the books featured are books I've received free from publishers or authors for review purposes, and links may be affiliate links.
Fall in the Midwest wouldn't be complete without some time spent curling up on the couch to read a great book, and I'm excited to share some wonderful books with you from Midwest authors that you'll want to check out. This edition features authors from Wisconsin, Nebraska, Michigan, and Iowa, including Sioux City's own Cory Kruse, with books for every age group about apples, horses, pumpkin patches, friendship, love, death, bravery, and freedom. I hope it inspires you to find a great fall read!
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