The rose-quartzite falls of the Big Sioux River gave South Dakota's largest city both its name and its heart. In a state that turned a mountain into a monument, few places carry more weight than this one.

The river drops roughly 100 feet across the falls in the span of a few hundred yards.

What sets it apart

An average of more than 7,000 gallons of water pour over the falls each second. For those who know the region well, it is a quiet point of pride.

A five-story viewing tower and the ruins of an 1800s mill flank the cascades downtown.

Why it matters

Taken together, these threads say something about South Dakota itself — a place where the old and the new sit close together. However you come to it, this is a place that stays with you long after the drive home.