One hundred years of Terrace Park will be celebrated this week. With a century of heritage, this jewel of Sioux Falls is more than just terraces and quartz paths.

Events have been taking place all year long celebrating the area just east of the Denny Sanford Premier Center including multiple commemorations of the Japanese Gardens. Susie Garry of Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation recalled that the Gardens were once renamed during its history.

“Joseph Maddox is the creator of the Japanese Gardens and that was his love. He developed that because he lived in the park. When World War II came about, the Japanese were not our friends, but the Chinese were. So (for a time) the name was changed to the ‘Chinese Gardens’.”

Plus the Lion’s Den Overlook at Terrace Park is not just a throwaway name. Garry says many people would remember that actual lions were kept there.

“There was a zoo there. Just like there was at Sherman and McKennan. When the park caretakers started they could have whatever they wanted to have in those parks. In the 1960’s that’s when the animals and the lions in particular came there to winter.”

Another interesting facet at Terrace Park according to Garry is the construction of the original pool. It was mainly installed to accommodate the crew at the airbase over 70 years ago.

The weekend celebration for Terrace begins on Thursday with multiple events scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

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