History
South Dakotaâs history is filled with rich heritage and colorful characters that include the likes of Lewis and Clark, Sitting Bull, Wild Bill Hickok, Crazy Horse and Laura Ingalls Wilder. The land is the home of several Plains Indian tribes, including the Dakota, Lakota and Nakota-speaking people of the Great Sioux Nation.
By the early 1700s, French fur traders had extended their interests into the Upper Mississippi River basin. French Canadian explorers, Louis Joseph and Francois la Verendrye, were the first known non-Indians in what we call South Dakota. They left a lead plate in 1743 on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River in present day Fort Pierre claiming the region for France. This land was transferred to the United States in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase, and in 1804, American explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark met with the Teton band of the Lakota people in the same vicinity. In 1831, Pierre Chouteau, Jr. founded an American Fur Trading post in the area known as Fort Pierre. Today, the cities of Fort Pierre and Pierre the state capital, take their names from this fort.
The discovery of gold in the Black Hills in 1874 helped fuel a population boom in the last half of the 19th century. The largest find was near the town of present day Lead â a claim that would yield gold for more than 120 years. Deadwood was perhaps the wildest gold camp to spring from the rush â the townâs sordid early days even inspired an HBO television series. Deadwood was home to Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane, both of whom were laid to rest in Mount Moriah Cemetery, along with Sheriff Seth Bullock.
Fighting over the mineral-rich and culturally-sacred land raged between native Sioux tribes and settlers in the late 1800s. The final major conflict during the Plains Indian Wars occurred on December 29, 1890, at the Massacre of Wounded Knee, in southwest South Dakota.
During this time, pioneers and homesteaders were beginning to form South Dakotaâs strong agricultural base, still prevalent in the state economy today. âLittle House on the Prairieâ author Laura Ingalls Wilder documented the pioneer spirit in her beloved books about growing up on the prairie. Four of her six books were written about her familyâs adventures in De Smet. Today, you can tour her childhood homestead and see places that inspired her classic books and a television series.
South Dakota also played a key role in the Cold War. In the 1960s, America began installing Minuteman Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles beneath western prairies. The 44th Missile Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota operated 150 missile silos and 15 launch control facilities in the western part of the state. Two of these sites, the Delta One Launch Control Facility and the Delta Nine Launch Facility, have been preserved as a National Historic Site to provide visitors with a unique Cold War history lesson.
Understand
South Dakota is located in the north central United States. It is bordered by North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming and Montana. The state capitol is Pierre pronounced âpeerâ, which is located almost exactly in the center of the state.
South Dakota is home to Mount Rushmore National Memorial. In 1927, sculptor Gutzon Borglum came to the Black Hills to carve his masterpiece into the side of a granite mountain. Today, visitors from all over the world come to western South Dakota to see the 60-foot faces of four American Presidents.
South Dakota is a popular family vacation destination. In addition to Mount Rushmore National Memorial, other popular stops are Custer State Park, Crazy Horse Memorial, Deadwood, the Worldâs Only Corn Palace, Badlands National Park, Fort Sisseton Historic State Park, Wall Drug and Lewis and Clark Recreation Area. In De Smet, visitors can still tour the childhood homestead of beloved âLittle House on the Prairieâ author Laura Ingalls Wilder. Pierreâs Cultural Heritage Center houses the Museum of the South Dakota State Historical Society, which preserves the history of the State of South Dakota and Dakota Territory.
South Dakota has a rich history going back to the days of the dinosaurs. One of the most complete T. rex skeletons was found in South Dakota and the largest collection of Columbian Wooly Mammoth fossils are still being unearthed at The Mammoth Site in Hot Springs in the southern Black Hills. Visitors to Badlands National Park can learn about what is considered to be one of the richest fossil beds in the country.
South Dakota is home to the Dakota, Lakota and Nakota-speaking people of the Great Sioux Nation. Several museums and cultural centers across the state depict the history and traditions of these people as well as display ancient artifacts and modern artwork. Across the state, visitors can explore the Native American Scenic Byway, attend a traditional powwow and experience Native American culture.
The Black Hills, called âPaha Sapaâ by the Native Americans, is considered sacred ground to many tribes across the country. The Lakota Nation believes all life comes from âPaha Sapa,â and they fought fiercely to protect it during the Indian Wars of the 1800s. One of the most sacred places is Bear Butte in the northern Black Hills. This formation of magma never erupted and looks like a giant sleeping bear. Now a state park, Bear Butte is still used as a place of worship for more than 60 Native American tribes. More than 62,000 Native Americans currently live in South Dakota.
In 1874, an expedition led by General Custer discovered gold for the first time in the Black Hills and incited a gold rush. The largest find was near the town of present day Lead. In 2002, after yielding gold for more than 120 years, the Homestake Gold Mine shut down mining operations, but the location was recently named the proposed site for the National Science Foundationâs Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory DUSEL. Currently, the Sanford Laboratory at Homestake is conducting experiments to demonstrate the feasibility of the site for DUSEL.
Agriculture continues to be the mainstay of South Dakotaâs economy. Eastern South Dakota supports a variety of crops, while cattle and sheep ranching are prevalent on the drier, western plains. South Dakota is a leading producer of honey, oats, rye, sunflowers, spring wheat, soybeans, corn, beef cattle, hogs, buffalo and sheep.
Interstate 90 runs east to west across South Dakota, while Interstate 29 runs north to south near the eastern border. Interstate Information Centers are staffed in the summer months and offer a variety of travel and tourism information. The state has two major airports located in Rapid City in the west and Sioux Falls in the east. Rapid City is on the eastern edge of the Black Hills, approximately 25 miles from Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Sioux Falls is located at the intersection of Interstates 29 and 90. Aberdeen, Pierre and Watertown also have airports with limited service by major carriers.