Neighborhood Guide
Living Near McKennan Park: Central Sioux Falls Guide
If you love character homes and want to walk to a park, McKennan Park and the surrounding central neighborhoods are some of the most sought-after addresses in Sioux Falls. Here is the local picture.
The basics
The McKennan Park Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. It covers the park, the homes that face it and the planted 21st Street boulevard: 139 homes, nearly nine in ten owner-occupied. About two thirds were built between 1910 and 1929. The district sits in ZIP 57105, just south of downtown, next to the All Saints neighborhood.
Schools
Central Sioux Falls is in the Sioux Falls School District 49-5, the state's largest, with about 23,900 students. Per city attendance maps, McKennan Park homes are assigned to Susan B. Anthony Elementary, Patrick Henry Middle School and Lincoln High School. Augustana University and the University of Sioux Falls are both under a mile from the park. Confirm assignments for any specific address.
Commute
Downtown is about a mile north, so many residents bike or drive five minutes to work. Avera McKennan Hospital sits at the park's northeast corner, and Sanford USD Medical Center is about a mile away, which makes the area popular with health care professionals. Sioux Area Metro buses run along Minnesota Avenue, and the airport is about 3.4 miles away.
Home styles
This is the place for architecture. Around the park you will find Georgian, Tudor and Dutch Colonial Revival, Prairie School and Mediterranean homes, many in stucco, on lots of about 7,000 square feet. The nearby All Saints neighborhood leans toward bungalows, cottages and Craftsman homes. Older homes carry older systems, so budget for roofs, any remaining knob-and-tube wiring and older sewer lines. This is where my architectural engineering background earns its keep: I look past the charm at structure, systems and what updates are worth making.
Parks and lifestyle
McKennan Park itself is about 20 acres, with a 1926 band shell and free concerts on summer Mondays, a free wading pool, eight lit tennis courts, a playground, a winter skating rink and formal gardens. Co-op Natural Foods is about half a mile away, Phillips Avenue restaurants are a short drive north, and Falls Park and the Big Sioux River greenway trail are under two miles away.
Market note
Few homes here come up each year. Federal Housing Finance Agency data for ZIP 57105 shows home prices up about 90% over the ten years from 2015 to 2025. Past performance is not a promise, but steady demand and fixed supply have held values up.
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McKennan Park & Central Sioux Falls FAQ
What schools serve McKennan Park homes?
Sioux Falls School District: Susan B. Anthony Elementary, Patrick Henry Middle and Lincoln High, per city attendance maps.
Are there restrictions on historic district homes?
The National Register listing is an honor, not a rulebook. It places no restrictions on private owners using private money.
How far is McKennan Park from downtown?
About one mile.
How often do homes come up for sale?
Rarely. About 88% of the 139 homes are owner-occupied, so just a handful list each year.
Photo: Missy Kitzman from Sioux Falls, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons