Sioux Falls Yesterday: Ballard & Son Monuments

While sitting inside the beautiful building that houses Parker’s Bistro at 208 S. Main, you might look around and wonder about the many things the old building has been through. You can still see ghost writing on the North side of the building. The words are cut off and only says “LLARD & SON”. What was “LLARD & SON”?

After some research, I found that “Ballard & Son” a stone and masonry company used to occupy the building. The business occupied 208 through 210 S. Main and was run by Levi William Ballard, who came to Sioux Falls in 1897 after graduating college to work with his father at Godden & Ballard Marble Shop.

In 1900, Ballard purchased an interested in the firm, and created Ballard & Son. Records show the business names “Ballard Tile & Marble” as well as “Ballard Monument Co.” were also used. The location once employed up to 10 people for making headstones and monuments. The firm was regularly contracted for large monuments such as a mausoleum in Rochester, NY, and the Soldiers Monument in Dell Rapids, SD.

I’m not sure when Ballard & Son closed, but records show the location later became a floral shop before becoming Parker’s Bistro as it stands today.