Yankton Live Cam

The City's park system, a division of the Department of Parks and Recreation, consists of over 170 acres of parkland in ten different locations and along Marne Creek cared for by seven full-time employees and 12 seasonal employees. In addition, responsibilities for the care of the 38 acres of play areas at the Summit Activities Center is shared with the Yankton School District. The size of Yankton's parks range from 1.25 acres at Crockett Park to 50 acres along Marne Creek. In addition to park care, the division is responsible for annual tree planting. Yankton is designated as a Tree City, USA, by the National Arbor Day Foundation. The planting and care of flower beds in medians, parks, and right-of-way, and the planning and development of new park areas are examples of our many responsibilities.

The development of our City’s parks is an annual responsibility. Whether it be renovation to existing facilities or new developments, there is always progress being made. In 1998, tennis courts at Memorial Park were resurfaced, irrigation was installed on the new Highway 81 medians, the pedestrian path was extended into Morgen Park, shelters were relocated at Sertoma Park and Riverside Park, a new lighting system was installed at the Riverside Park softball field, and the island at Westside Park was completely rebuilt complete with an attractive retaining wall. Rentals of the Dakota Territorial Capitol Replica and picnic shelters in all the parks continue to be popular choices for weddings, reunions and special get-togethers.

Yankton's parks offer everything for enjoyment. Picnic shelters, open spaces, trees, playgrounds, swimming pool, trails, tennis and basketball courts, sand volleyball courts, ball fields, are just some of the facilities providing for a better quality of life.

The Yankton Municipal Cemetery was given to the City in 1972 and is a perpetual care cemetery. One third of the burial rights cost goes directly to the perpetual care fund, maintenance costs for the cemetery are paid for with interest earned by the perpetual care fund. In addition, revenues produced form openings and closings are also important. The cemetery operation assists the public with choosing burial locations, provides a well-maintained setting for interments, and keeps all cemetery records current. The cemetery also has a capital improvement plan for upkeep and new projects. In 1998, the continuation of the paving project resulted in another section of concrete roads be completed. Eventually, it is the City’s intent to install hard surfacing over all the main drives through the cemetery. Tree and shrub plantings are also ongoing projects.

The Dakota Territorial Capitol Replica, an exact reproduction of the first capitol building and located in Riverside Park, houses history from when Yankton served as the first capital of the state. The first legislative session conducted in 1862 established how the Dakota Territory would be governed and was held for days and into the early mornings as men argued their stand and women brought in meals. Yankton remained the capital of the state until 1883. The capital then moved to Pierre. The Replica was constructed in 1988 by the Yankton Sertoma Club. The City of Yankton's Park and Recreation Department directs the activities and tours of the building.

A free, color-coded map, offers a tour of historic treasures; homes and structures that are stately reminders of an elegant, bygone era. This walking and auto tour brochure is available at the Chamber office and takes our visitors through the historic district, which includes homes built during the colorful steamboat era of the 1870s and 80s and beyond. Within the blocks of the tour at 509 Pine Street is the Cramer Kenyon Heritage Home and Dorothy Jencks Memorial Garden. The home, built in 1886, is an example of original, elegant Queen Anne architecture; the garden is an array of beautiful flowers and shrubs with places to sit and enjoy the setting. The home is open for tours from Memorial Day to Labor Day from 1-5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

Our Dakota Territorial Museum at 610 Summit houses rare memorabilia from the early settlers and into the modern era. The museum is open for tours from Memorial Day to Labor Day from 1-5 p.m. Wednesday through Monday. Both the Museum and Cramer Kenyon Heritage Home will schedule appointments for tours during the off-season.

The historic downtown shopping area, which includes Third Street as its main street, provides visitors with a wide variety of shops containing merchandise of all types and for all tastes. Also, to enhance your shopping experience, the Yankton Mall, located at 21st and Broadway, offers 35-plus stores for shopping pleasure. If you are interested in antique browsing, call the Chamber or stop in and we can give you a listing of our antique shops.

Before you leave downtown, drive over and back, or at least take a look at our Meridian Bridge at Second and Walnut Streets. Once a toll bridge, it was built by Yankton businesspersons in 1924 and then donated to the city. The bridge is one of only two of its kind still used today.

Stroll through the Bede Art Gallery, Bishop Marty Chapel and Peace Museum located on the grounds of Mount Marty College at 1105 West 8th Street. Built in 1936, the college is administered by the Sisters of the Order of St. Benedict. These entities are very restful to visitors.

The Yankton School District and the City of Yankton equally built the Summit Activities Center, 1808 Summit. The Center is a part of Yankton Senior High School. The facility houses a state-of-the-art theater, which seats 1,000 people, an Olympic-sized heated swimming pool, 6 full-sized basketball courts, a walking track, tennis court and weight room. The SAC is used for all high school activities, the city's indoor recreation programs, as well as other public venues, such as live shows, concerts, business expositions, tournaments, etc.

Yankton has eight city parks offering a full range of outdoor recreational opportunities for all ages including Little League baseball, Junior League football, adult baseball and softball, soccer, tennis, ice skating, snow sledding and other seasonal activities. On other occasions, people can watch the bald eagles on a winter's day at the Water Works Park on the Missouri River, a summer water skier on the river at Riverside Park, or at various other times, a young deer wandering through the city's Morgen Park, as well as walk or run on the trails and sidewalks within the parks.

The City offers a full schedule of summer fun activities for school-aged children, including swimming lessons, arts-in-the-park, gymnastics, basketball, golf, dance, tennis, track, and a variety of programs at the Community Library.

The City of Yankton's Park and Recreation Department administers a full schedule of adult activities including basketball leagues for men and women, volleyball for men, women and couples, softball for women, men and couples, and women, men and couples golf leagues at the Fox Run Municipal Golf Course. The indoor activities are in gymnasiums located throughout the city.

The Lewis & Clark Theatre Company is the oldest summer community theatre company in South Dakota. The organization is in its 36th season. In 1994, the Lewis & Clark Lakeside Theatre merged with the Dakota Theatre to offer year-round entertainment. The Company presents a full schedule of summer theatre productions at the Lakeside Theatre on Lewis & Clark Lake and, during the fall, winter and spring, entertainment is offered in the refurbished art deco Dakota Theatre.

Yankton joins Norfolk, Nebraska, and Mitchell, South Dakota, to offer its members a full slate of concert productions from symphonies to piano and vocalist performances to illusionists. Through a reciprocal agreement, members can attend any of the featured concerts in any one of the three cities.

Experience Yankton's breathtaking Missouri River scenery, the area's widest variety of outdoor watersports and recreation opportunities. Building on a rich historic past, Yankton offers a vacation experience you won't soon forget. Go-carts, golfing, nature trails, music, art and historic homes are just a few of your choices. From the numerous lake-area attractions to festivals that bring history and culture to life, Yankton offers something for everyone.