Rowena, South Dakota facts for kids
Rowena (say "roh-WEE'-nuh") is a small place in South Dakota, United States. It's not an official city, but it's a "census-designated place" (CDP). This means the government counts the people living there for the census. In 2020, only 68 people lived in Rowena. You can find Rowena along South Dakota Highway 42.
Rowena is located in Minnehaha County. It's about five miles (or eight kilometers) east of a bigger city called Sioux Falls. Rowena is also close to the borders of both Iowa and Minnesota. It sits at an elevation of 1,437 feet (about 438 meters) above sea level. The ZIP Code for Rowena is 57056.
Tall Towers Near Rowena
Even though Rowena is a small community, it's home to some very tall structures! Two of the tallest buildings in South Dakota are located nearby. These are giant towers used to send out television signals.
One of these towers is the KDLT Tower. It stands an amazing 1,999 feet (or 609.2 meters) tall. That's almost as tall as four Eiffel Towers stacked on top of each other! The other tall tower is the KELO TV Tower, which is just a little bit shorter. These towers help people in the area watch their favorite TV shows.
The History of Rowena
Rowena got its name from a character in a famous book. The book is called Ivanhoe, and the character's name is Rowena.
The community started when the Illinois Central Railroad built its train tracks to this spot. When the railroad reached a new area, it often led to new towns and communities growing up around the train stations. This is how Rowena began.
Famous People from Rowena
Even small places can have famous people! One well-known person who came from Rowena is Mamie Van Doren. She was an actress and a singer.
