Events

Sioux City Railroad Museum Garden Walk
Sioux City Railroad Museum, 3400 Sioux River Rd, Sioux City, IA, 51109
La Vone and Dotty welcome you to the native plantings at the Sioux City Railroad Museum. We are in our sixth year, so we still have some sleeping, creeping & leaping going on!
This 31-acre site was previously an industrial area of the Milwaukee Road "Shops" where steam and later diesel engines, and train cars were maintained and repaired from 1920-1965.
The Siouxland Historical Railroad Association attained the site in 1995 (which had been a junkyard for 15-20 years) and began the lengthy process of restoring historic buildings and developing educational displays. It is now on the National Register of Historic Places, earning the honor in 2016.
Our seven gardens are named for buildings on site such as Engineer's Tool Shed or Car Shops Garden, or a feature of significance such as the Wig Wag Garden or the Grand Scale Train Platform. They each contain a large variety of native plants for partial shade, shade, partial sun, full sun.
Hosts La Vone Sopher & Dotty Zales, who designed and installed the gardens, will be available to answer your questions. Light refreshments will be served.

Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center Garden Walk
Saturday, August 29, 2026, 10:00 am to Noon (Central Time) 4500 Sioux River Rd., Sioux City, IA 51109
The Nature Center turned 30 in 2025, and the gardens have undergone many changes over the years. New native plants were added in 2021 with the help of Loess Hills Wild Ones (LHWO) and Sioux City Garden Club grants and many volunteers. It has been exciting to see the transformation of our three-tiered gardens over time. The nature center and LHWO volunteers assisted with the planning, planting, and maintenance of our garden beds.
The rear of the Nature Center houses a water feature and native plants. This area has been under repair for a few years, and the staff will share future plans for the renovation of this popular area. Take time to stroll our trails and visit our indoor exhibits while you are here!
Host: Kari Sandage, Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center