Historic Sioux Falls Landmark Celebrates 30 Years of Preservation and Community

The All Saints building at 18th and Phillips has been a cherished part of Sioux Falls’ history for more than 140 years, from its beginnings as an all-girls school in the 1880s to the vibrant senior living community it is today.

The All Saints School opened on September 17, 1885, as a pet project of Episcopalian Bishop William Hobart Hare. Hare saw the need for a private boarding school for the daughters of missionaries and other young women in the area.

It was considered one of the region's most significant educational institutions of its time, emphasizing academic learning, discipline, service, and spiritual and community life.

Designed by renowned architect Wallace L. Dow, the school's main building is a striking example of Prairie Gothic architecture. The three-story stone structure featured a distinctive bell tower and a cupola, where Bishop Hare was known to observe the cityscape.

Students gathered daily for worship in the chapel, which served as the spiritual and ceremonial center of campus life. Today the chapel still serves as a spiritual gathering place. The space features the only Tiffany stained-glass windows in South Dakota; they depict biblical figures intended to inspire moral strength, compassion, and guidance.

For nearly 50 years, the Peabody sisters led the school, educating as many as 88 girls annually. Boys were admitted as day students starting in the 1920s.

After WWII, financial struggles led to the school’s shift to a private elementary and nursery school in 1951, which operated until closing in 1986.

When the Episcopal Diocese sold the property in 1993 to Touchmark, a leader in the senior housing industry, it stipulated that the new owner preserve the school’s historical significance. Touchmark has honored that request, displaying original uniforms and other artifacts, carefully polishing hardwood floors and woodwork, burnishing ornate doorknobs, and retaining the chapel’s original organ and stained-glass windows.

In June 1996, the original school building was repurposed into a retirement community. The main building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and remains a central part of the All Saints Historic District.

Honoring the property’s past while giving it new purpose

As Touchmark at All Saints celebrates its 30-year anniversary , it’s an ideal time to celebrate how historic preservation and modern community life coexist.

Touchmark will host an Open House on June 10, 2026, from 4:30 pm to 6 p.m. Enjoy a special evening featuring live music by the Dakota String Quartet, passed hors d’oeuvres, and specialty drinks. Guests can stroll down Memory Lane, a curated collection of photographs and memorabilia highlighting the property's rich history, and hear from Touchmark CEO Marcus Breuer and residents about the property’s deep connections — past and present — to Sioux Falls.

Touchmark at All Saints is a full-service senior living community that is home to 240 residents. RSVP by June 6 for the Open House by calling 605-335-1117.