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Lewis and Clark were the first Americans to cross the vast interior of the American continent to reach the Pacific Ocean. Their two-and-one-half-year voyage started up the Missouri River on May 14, 1804.
It is an interesting story of how the two traveled the country to learn of the new purchase.
For more information call 712-224-5242 or visit www.siouxcitylcic.com.
Sergeant Floyd River Museum & Welcome Center
Sergeant Charles Floyd, an engineer soldier who accompanied Lewis and Clark on their epic 1804 expedition to the Pacific Northwest, was the only fatality of the journey.
Floyd was believed to have been the first American soldier to die in the then newly purchased Louisiana Territory.
The museum holds artifacts and history from the early voyages of settlers to the area.
For more information call 712-279-0198 or visit www.sioux-city.org/museum.
Sergeant Floyd Monument
Near present day Sioux City, Iowa, Sgt. Charles Floyd died of a probable burst appendix. Lewis and Clark named the hilltop where he is buried "Floyd's Bluff" and a nearby stream, "Floyd's River."
Honoring Floyd is the monument, which was dedicated May 30, 1901, overlooking the Missouri River. The 100-foot tall memorial was designated as a Registered National Historic Landmark in 1960, the first landmark to receive the honor from the U.S. government.
Betty Strong Encounter Center
The Betty Strong Encounter Center opened in December 2007 as an expansion of the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center.
The center seeks to encounter deeper meanings of the expedition and its transforming impact on the people, land and rivers of the area, using changing exhibits, movies and a year-round calendar of programs and activities for all ages.
For more information call 712-224-5242 or visit www.siouxcitylcic.com.
Roth Fountain
The fountain in its entirety mirrors in its tripartite façade the historical 1915 Exchange Building formerly located in the Sioux City Stockyards area.
The last sale in Sioux City was March 25, 2002--almost six years to the day that I visited the city. I wish I'd have been there a few years earlier so I could have experienced "the smell of money."
The Roth Fountain gives visitors to the city a small taste of what the Stockyards was like and is located at 4th and Virginia in the historic downtown area.
Orpheum Theatre
The Orpheum is a magnificent place, but may not appear that way from the outside. The restored 1927 theatre is in the heart of Sioux City's downtown cultural district.
The historic theatre, its elegant lobby and stylish bar are used for a variety of performances, ranging from jazz quartets to internationally renowned performers.
Thousands have attended performances at the Orpheum since opening night on Sept. 15, 2001. Many famous entertainers have performed at the Sioux City theatre. The theatre is the permanent home of the Sioux City Symphony.
For more information call 712-279-4850 or visit www.orpheumlive.com.
Flight 232 Memorial
On July 19, 1989, Flight 232, en route from Denver to Chicago, became disabled and attempted an emergency landing at the Sioux Gateway Airport. The crash resulted in the loss of 112 lives and 184 survived.
Commemorating the heroic rescue efforts shown by the Sioux City community after the crash, a memorial was built on Sioux City's riverfront. The statue depicts Colonel Dennis Neilson carrying a young child to safety.
'The Spirit of Siouxland' memorial was dedicated on June 5, 1994.
The memorial is beautiful and it is a very moving experience with quotes from the day on plaques leading up to the statue.
Other Attractions
Sioux City is full of places to take the family for a trip back in time or when it is time for a break and a snack.
The city is also home to Palmer Candies, most well known for the BING candy bar. The candy bar was first produced in 1923 and remains a Midwest regional favorite. www.palmercandy.com.
Sue Bee Honey makes its home in the river city, as well. Sioux Honey Association has become a worldwide marketing organization. www.suebee.com.
If ice cream, candy bars or honey aren't your favorite, then maybe you should visit the American Pop Corn Company. It is a family owned company that processes and markets Jolly Time Pop Corn in all 50 states and around the world. For more information visit www.jollytime.com.
For more information on the Sioux City area, visit www.sioux-city.org or www.siouxcitytourism.com.
While in the area, you might want to visit Nebraska or South Dakota, too. They are only a hop, skip and a jump across the river.
Jennifer Bremer can be reached by phone at 515-833-2120 or by e-mail at jbremermaj@hotmail.com. | 
