The Mystery of the African Lions in a Sioux Falls Garage

According to the Sioux Falls Police, a Mountain Lion was spotted roaming the greenway in the city's downtown last week. But for longtime residents of Sioux Falls, having a "Big Cat" nearby is actually something they've seen (and heard) before.

Long before the Great Plains Zoo opened its doors on June 30, 1963, Sioux Falls was home to two legendary African Lions that didn't just pass through - they moved in for the winter.

Get our free mobile app

Meet Leo and Lena - Sioux Falls Most Famous "Big Cats"

In the 1950s, the City of Sioux Falls operated a small zoo at Sherman Park, but it wasn't well equipped for the brutal, unforgiving South Dakota winters, especially given that some of its residents hailed from the African savanna.

Leo and Lena, two full-grown African Lions, had already become the city's two most famous residents by that point, so, to keep them from freezing, the city moved the lions to the Phillips Carriage House at Terrace Park. This wasn't just any old garage, though- it was built from local Sioux Quartzite, which featured a potbelly stove that burned all winter long, keeping the lions nice and toasty.

Leo and Lena adapted to the new environment well and even served as an alarm clock of sorts for nearby residents. Locals who lived within earshot reported that nearly every morning, the two lions' roars would wake up the entire neighborhood for a half mile in every direction.

A park assistant named Herb Dohman was the guy in charge of moving the lions. But back then, there wasn't any sort of specialized trailer used like there would be today. Instead, Herb simply loaded the lions in the back of an old Chevy pickup to drive them to the warm confines of the Phillips Carriage House.

Believe it or not, this went on for several years. Each summer, the pair of lions would spend their time at Terrace Park, and every Autumn, Dohman would transport them back to the garage at Phillips Carriage House (earning the building the nickname the "Lions Den Overlook"), with the potbelly stove to keep them warm.

Leo and Lena were eventually moved to the Great Plains Zoo, but their memory lives on in the City of Sioux Falls today.

READ MORE: Mountain Lion Spotted in Downtown Sioux Falls