Sites to See

See three states from atop the 75-foot Nicollet Tower, an observation tower with three floors that provides a breathtaking view of the great valley carved by the glacier some 40,000 years ago. The Interpretive Center next to the tower provides a 12-minute film "Dakota Encounters" about French mapmaker Joseph N. Nicollet's 1830's mapping of the area. Nicollet's map and original artwork by John Wilson are also on display. Located 3.5 miles west of Sisseton, the Interpretive Center is open mid-May through mid-October, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 1 - 4 p.m. on Sunday.

National Register of Historic Places
The Roberts County Courthouse is located at 411 2nd Ave. East in Sisseton. Sitting on top of a hill at 2nd Avenue East, between Maple and Oak streets, this historic building with a "Neo-Classical Revival" design was built in 1902. The structure was listed on the National Register in 1976. The county is governed by five commissioners, elected by district, who meet Tuesdays at 9:00 a.m. at the courthouse. The courthouse is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and is closed on holidays as designated by the county commissioners and the State of South Dakota.

National Register of Historical Places
Stories of Scandinavian immigration are told through a collection of immigrant letters and historical photographs in this authentic 10-bedroom Victorian home built by Norwegian immigrant Andrew Stavig. The century-old house was the setting for the Emmy-award winning documentary "The Stavig Letters" produced by South Dakota Public Broadcasting in 2011. The house is open to visitors from early June through Labor Day weekend. Tours are available during summer hours 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. daily, 1-4 p.m. on Sunday. (closed Tuesday and Wednesday).

"Cloud Horse," the sculpture at the center of the east roundabout on SD Highway 10 was created by Alan Milligan. The family of feral horses appear to be running wild across the Coteau des Prairies, their curved lines echoing the hills, the wind and the waves on our prairie lakes.

In the heart of town, at the intersection of Highway 10 and Veterans Avenue, you will be greeted by the sculpture "Reflections," created by local artist, Nicholas Blaske. The eight-pointed star is a significant symbol in Sisseton's Dakota Indian and Scandinavian cultures. The sculpture's chrome-coated finish reflects the landscape and invites viewers to see themselves as part of the community. The newly developed Midway Green Space will see the addition of a second sculpture created by local artist Inkpa Mani in 2021.

A stroll down Veterans Avenue in the middle of town provides views of two murals – a bright welcoming Sisseton mural on the south wall of the GROW SD building and a unique fence mural near Anderson Park. A "Walking Gallery" includes 10 pieces of art, photos and poetry mounted on building walls over five blocks, on the east and west sides of the street. Along the way Sisseton's signature planters pop with color in every season. Another mural featuring an eagle can be found on Main Avenue, just off of Oak Street. All these works were created by local artists.

Entering Sisseton on Highway 10, you will be greeted by sculptures in the roundabouts on Eighth Avenue East and Eighth Avenue West. Artist Greg Mueller's "Pathway Parabola" in the west roundabout on SD Highway 10 features design elements found in nature such as tree trunks and branches, as well as the nomadic tepee structure. The leaf and fish cut-outs in the panels are illuminated at night creating a constellation effect.

More public art can be found south of Sisseton at Agency Village where you can't miss the "The Drum Building" on the campus of Sisseton Wahpeton College. Looming more than 50-foot high, the Vocational Technical Education Building is an octagon-shaped drum surrounded by fiberglass figures representing four Dakota singers, the basis for the building's official name "Song to the Great Spirit." Traditional Dakota design elements are part of the architecture of the college's auditorium and library as well as the nearby Tribal Headquarters and Tiospa Zina Tribal School.

Also located south of Sisseton in Agency Village is the mural "Place Where We Keep the Book" on the side of the library on the Sisseton Wahpeton College campus. The mural was finished in June 2012. Elders Orsen Bernard, Olivia Eastman, Wayne Eastman, Delbert Pumpkinseed and David Seaboy provided cultural input so Dakota values would be permanently expressed in the mural carved into the brick.

Continue south of Agency Village to the intersection of BIA 700 and Roberts County #5 to see a majestic buffalo sculpture grazing on the prairie reflecting the merger of two cultures.  Local artists Tonya Holter, Steve Finnesand and Shane Braaten brought "Sacrifice" to life by upcycling old farm equipment and scrap iron gathered from pastures and tree shelters.  Although the property is privately owned, visitors are welcome to stop and enjoy a closer look at the sculpture.

Sacrifice serves as a memorial for Nova Nelson and Sherri Mussetter from the families of Truman Nelson and Gordon Mussetter. It was placed in Roberts County, where these two-woman cared for and provided for their families and where they lived their entire lives.

The distinctive "Song to the Great Spirit" building at Sisseton Wahpeton College honors the traditions and past of the Dakota people, while also functioning as an academic building. It is built in the shape of four drummers sitting around a drum, and can be seen from Interstate 29. Other buildings on the SWC campus with unique architectural features include the SWC Library and the SWC Auditorium.

The Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation was organized under a constitution approved by its members and the Department of the Interior in 1966. The reservation is one of three open reservations in South Dakota.

In 2013 the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate opened its $31 million administration building. The unique structure is provides a central hub fro the tribe's administrative offices to assist tribal members with their social, educational and housing needs. at the center of the structure, a multi-use area includes numerous cultural displays for public viewing.

Members of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate are governed by a Tribal Council made up of representatives elected from each of the tribe's seven districts, and an Executive Committee which includes the Tribal Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Secretary, all elected by the tribal membership at large.

The Tribal Administration Building is located at 12554 BIA HWY 711 in Agency Village (seven miles south of Sisseton). The unique structure was completed in 2013. The Main Phone for the Administration Building is (605) 698-3911 or TOLL FREE (833) 698-3911.

Other sites of interest in the Old Agency area include:

• The historic Goodwill Presbyterian Church and Cemetery (1870)
• The historic St. Mary's Episcopal Church and Cemetery (1880)
• The SWO Pow-Wow and Rodeo Grounds
• Chief Gabriel Renville's brick house ruins (2 miles southeast of Agency Village)
• Chief Gabriel Renville's grave on a bluff (2.5 miles southeast of Agency Village)

National Registry of Natural Landmarks
Also the site of the Mound Builders Burial Ground, located 11 miles east of Sisseton on SD Hwy. 10. A channel cut by the Ancient River Warren during the Ice Age, containing the Hudson Bay-Gulf of Mexico divide, with a lake on each side as evidence of the irregularities in Ice Age sedimentation.

The Northern Divide, separate from the Great Divide, runs through the northeast corner of South Dakota, near Sisseton. It runs back and forth across the border between South Dakota and Minnesota. It divides water drainage flowing north into the Hudson Bay or south into the Mississippi River basin. A metal marker 4.5 miles east of Sisseton on SD Hwy. 10 designates one of the locations.

National Registry of Natural Landmarks
This area in northern Roberts County is a glaciated finger outlet of the world's largest Pleistocene glacial lake, and a completely undisturbed wetland complex which includes potholes, streams, shallow open water, lakes, and marsh.

National Registry of Natural Landmarks
Located 10 miles northwest of Sisseton, this area displays many facets of natural history, including the glacial story of the River Warren, pothole lakes on the upland of Coteau, grasslands and prairie, and ravines where eastern deciduous forests grow. It also includes the eastern face of the escarpment of the Coteau des Prairies.

The Abbey of the Hills Inn & Retreat Center is located near Marvin, SD (east of Summit). The Abbey is a non-profit retreat and event center that hosts retreats and interactive experiences that reflect the peace sustained by Benedictine monks for more that 60 years at the former monastery known as Blue Cloud Abbey. If you like to write, hike, pray or play -- regardless of your faith -- there is a unique experience waiting for you at The Abbey.

Blue Dog Lake's State Fish Hatchery is South Dakota's only facility for producing both cool and warm water fish. As the largest fish hatchery in the state, it covers 53 acres of water and produces 70 million fish a year. Located on the northeast side of the lake, the hatchery offers a visitor center and aquarium, informative displays and two hiking trails for tourists. The hatchery is open to visitors year round, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

The International Vinegar Museum opened in 1999 and is located at 500 Main Street in Roslyn, SD. It features displays of vinegar from all over the world and products, including paper, made from vinegar. The museum is open June through August on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Tours are available that include taste testing of various vinegars. Roslyn also hosts an annual Vinegar Festival in June each year.

National Register of Historic Places
The Sam Brown Log Cabin was originally built in 1863 near Fort Wadsworth, which is now known as Fort Sisseton. In 1866 Major Joseph Brown purchased the house and moved it just north of Ben's Service on Browns Valley, MN. Each piece was numbered, taken down, transported, and re-erected in its same form. In 1871 it was again dismanteled and moved to its present location. In 1986, Sam Brown's Memorial Park was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today the cabin is open as a museum from Memorial Day to Lavor Day (weekends only) 1 -6 p.m. or by special request.

Waubay National Wildlife Refuge, located in northeaster Sonuth Dakota (8 miles north of Waubay), was established 1935 as a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife. The Refuge includes 4,650 acres of lakes, marshes, grasslands, and woodlands which support diverse and abundant wildlife and where 245 species of birds have been observed. The Headquarters Visitor Center includes displays and exhibits that focus on the wildlife and history of the Refuge and is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (closed holidays).

Resting atop the rolling prairie south of Rosholt, SD, With the Wind Vineyard & Winery marries the panorama of the peaceful sunsets with each of their handcrafted wines. The winery's tasting room is open Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sunday 1 - 6 p.m. (closed during the month of January).