I grew up near this location and used to frequent this museum with my sister a LOT. There was a wonderful worker there who used to love to let us hang out. Her name was Ruthie Potter. I don't know how long she actually worked there, but we used to love to hear her stories of times gone by. Since our grandmothers had passed before we were born, my sister and I kind of adopted her as our "grandma" but we never told her that. I dedicate this cache placement in her memory.
Everything you need to claim this find is on the outside of the museum. There is no need to go inside unless you want to be awed by an amazing museum in a beautiful residential neighborhood. Please take the time to do so if you so desire. There are a lot of things to see inside and the building itself is pretty cool. The hours are listed in the text below.
Information from siouxlandmuseums.com:
This home was built in 1889 for Thomas and Jenny McMartin. In 1911, Senator Richard Franklin Pettigrew purchased the home for $12,000. It was here that he would help to preserve the story of Sioux Falls and the surrounding region.
Pettigrew first came to Sioux Falls in 1869. He worked tirelessly to build and promote the city. He was responsible for bringing in all five early railroads, developing many businesses for the community, and he served as Dakota’s representative to Congress in Washington D.C. When South Dakota became a state in 1889, Pettigrew was elected to serve as our first full term senator. He would serve two terms in Congress, championing the rights of women, farmers, and the commonworking man.
One of R.F. Pettigrew’s passions was his collecting. He was a world traveler and amateur archaeologist. His holdings led him to build his own museum on the rear of his home that opened to the public in 1925. Artifacts such as stone tools, projectile points, Native American clothing, guns, natural history specimens, and items related to the settlement of Sioux Falls all were included. When he died in 1926, he left his home and museum to the city of Sioux Falls to be maintained as a museum. A further addition would be added to the home in the 1930s by the city, completing Pettigrew’s vision.
Today you can take a guided tour of Senator Pettigrew’s restored home. The home is arranged much the way it would have looked when Pettigrew lived here. Exhibit galleries tell the story of Pettigrew’s works and of a growing city on the prairie. Admission is FREE!
Parking
There is free curbside parking available for buses and cars on both sides of 8th Street and some on Duluth Avenue. Handicap parking and the wheelchair entrance are located on the south side of the museum through the alley.
Hours
Summer (May 1 – September 30)
Monday — Saturday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Winter (October 1 – April 30):
Daily 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Logging requrements: There is a sign at the top of several signs on the street corner (8th and Duluth) that has three words. Please send the three words to the cache owner via the geocaching message system or email. We would also love to see photos of you and/or your geocaching party with any part of the home in the photo.
Virtual Rewards 4.0 - 2024-2025
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between January 17, 2024 and January 17, 2025. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 4.0 on the Geocaching Blog.