Sioux City, Iowa: a city of around 85,000 and located in Northwest Iowa that not many people have heard of. Since going to college five hours from home, I've had plenty of time to think about Sioux City and all its unique qualities. If you've grown up in Sioux City, you know exactly what I'm talking about.
1. You know what a stockyard smells like.
The once bustling pork processing plant, John Morrell, was the smell of Sioux City. When coming into Sioux City from Interstate 29 you saw the high walls of the processing plant, but you smelled it long before you actually saw it. If the wind was blowing just right you could smell it all over the city. Although the plant closed in 2010, there's still a funky smell in the air every so often. Even if you've left town for some time, when you're pulling into the city you can smell an odor and you know you're home.
2. Saturday in the Park is the highlight of your summer.
Every year during the first weekend of July, various artists come to town and perform at Grandview Park in the band shell. Most of the time you don't know many of the artists but being part of such a huge crowd listening to music, enjoying greasy food from food trucks, enjoying carnival rides and trying to survive the summer heat, you know there's no other place you'd want to be.
3. You were spoiled with the local food establishments.
From La Juanita's burritos (ranked nationally for best burrito) and tacos to El Fredo's pizza to the Milwaukee Wiener House's hot dogs to Townhouse's wings, nothing really beats the food in this city. No matter what you're craving you can just about go anywhere and find exactly what you're looking for.
4. People always seem to know each other.
No matter where you are in Sioux City, everybody seems to be talking to each other. Oftentimes you don't even know the person you are conversing with but you soon learn you have some connection, such as their brother once dated your aunt in high school and your father did business with their grandpa. Somehow everyone in this town has some sort of connection. You have to be careful if talking about someone because somehow they might be related.
5. If it takes 10 minutes to get somewhere, you're in a traffic jam.
You know it and I know it, but this is not as big of a town as we think it is. It can take around 20 minutes to simply cross town. But if you're trying to get somewhere that usually takes five minutes and you arrive in 10, you are grumpy because "traffic was so backed up". Not true. Our "heavy" traffic is normal traffic in bigger cities. We have it pretty good, folks. Don't even get us started about the trains.
6. There's only two seasons: winter and construction.
Winter usually sets in around late October and can last up to April. There have even been times where Christmas and Halloween have been cancelled due to snow. After a long, brutal winter you look forward to the promise of spring. But you know what comes with nice weather: construction. As soon as the weather gets nice, construction begins. No matter where you go in this city, they are always working on the roads and you have to take detours or sit in traffic a bit. Oh, and with the nice weather, we can't forget about the potholes.
7. Ranch Dressing.
This is ultimately huge all over Iowa, but I don't know if anyone can eat ranch dressing like us. We eat it with fries, pizza, wings, salads and just about anything. Restaurants in Sioux City usually bring out sides of ranch for your food without you asking. Often when pizza is served, the waitress will immediately ask, "Do I need to bring any sides of ranch?" We love it and outsiders just don't get it.
8. You know how to pronounce "Sioux City" correctly.
You can't even begin to count how many times people say, "Sue-X City" or "Sue-Ox City". And you try to hold back a laugh. This city was named after an Indian tribe and it's simply pronounced "Sue City". But no matter what you tell people, they still don't seem to get it.
9. Ragbrai.
This is the annual biking trip that thousands take part in. People bike across Iowa in the span of a week. Sioux City campaigns annually to be the starting or end point of the biking trip. And when they win the bid, you know it. Thousands of bikers pour into the city and many pitch tents in various yards before waking up early the next morning to take off. Each year you see it you can't help but wonder, "How crazy do they have to be to bike across Iowa?" Contrary to popular belief, Iowa is not flat!
10. It'll always be home.
No matter how much you complain that there's nothing to do and it's such a dead town and you can't wait to leave, each time you return you get a flood of memories, good and bad. As soon as you see (and smell) the city and see the "Welcome to Sioux City" sign that just always seems to have a light out, you know you're home. No matter how far away you go, you know you can return and pick up exactly where you left off. Old friends, classmates and family members will see you and you forget why you left the city for a little bit. No matter how much you try, you'll always have a little soft spot for good old Sioux City Sue!
