Is This The Best 'East River' View in South Dakota?

Anyone who's spent time in South Dakota knows that the best views in the state are 'West River'. Whether it's the majestic Black Hills, or taking a peek from the top of the Needles Highway, there are some truly remarkable places to behold in this state.

But 'East River' has its spots too. And one of them is just south of the North Dakota Border.

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The Ncollet Tower in Sisseton

Credit: C-K-H via YouTube

The tower itself stands 75 feet high, and from the very top, you can see the states of North Dakota and Minnesota. You'll just have to climb a measly 90 steps to see it.

As you can see from the photo above, the view from the top is pretty incredible. As state on the Sisseton museum website, there are 96 steps from the bottom to the top. The tower is 80 feet high at the peak. And each floor is 20 feet above the previous floor.

The tower is named after Joseph Nicolas Nicollet, a mapmaker from the country of France, who made a number of explorations through Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota in the 1830s. His maps are considered an important part of the history of the prairie, and at the interpretative center, you can learn about his life and accomplishments.

According to the Sisseton museum website, the tower and interpretative center were built at the same time. Construction began in May of 1991 and was completed a little over a year later, in June of 1992.

A nearly identical tower is located in Galena, Illinois, and was built in the 1980s, but was dismantled recently due to budget concerns.

Visit the Sisseton Museum website for more information on the tower, and take the two-hour drive to see the tower yourself!