What’s the Story Behind this Abandoned Building Outside Sioux Falls?

Spend any amount of time on South Dakota's rural roads and you'll likely spot a number of old, abandoned buildings. In fact, there's a Facebook Group dedicated to discussing each and every one of them that is spotted.

With that being said, some of these buildings have a longer story to tell than others, and this tiny structure found just outside of Sioux Falls has quite the history.

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Welcome to Walkins Schoolhouse

Located on 478th Avenue, a few miles north of Sioux Falls is the tiny Walkins School. According to the South Dakota State Historical Society, it was first erected in March of 1924 and was active all the way until 1958. That's nearly 35 years of Minnehaha children passing through its small classroom.

As the years went on and Sioux Falls and its surrounding suburbs began to grow exponentially, one-room schoolhouses like this one were gradually phased out, in favor of larger schools that could accommodate more children from a larger area. But these small schools are steeped in rural, South Dakota history and should not be so easily forgotten.

The Walkins Schoolhouse still stands today and can be found on 478th Avenue, just north of Sioux Falls. And if you look close enough, a few of the old bookshelves still remain.

Schoolhouses like this one are a great reminder of just how much history lies in rural South Dakota, for those willing to look.

You can find more information on the Walkins Schoolhouse, along with many others, in the South Dakota State Historical Archives.

Story Sources: Abandoned South Dakota Facebook Group, South Dakota History Website Archives