South Dakota

 

Mount Rushmore, Keystone, South Dakota (Sfmontyo, Wikimedia Commons)

Let’s Visit South Dakota

Highlights

Let’s learn more about some fascinating places worth seeing in South Dakota.

  1. Mount Rushmore National Memorial (Keystone): One of the most iconic landmarks in the United States, Mount Rushmore features the massive carved faces of four U.S. presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. It symbolizes the nation’s history and democracy.
  2. Badlands National Park (Interior): Known for its dramatic landscapes, the Badlands offer rugged rock formations, steep canyons, and towering spires. The park is also famous for its fossil beds and striking contrasts between eroded buttes and vibrant prairies.
  3. Custer State Park (Custer): This sprawling park is renowned for its wildlife, including herds of bison, elk, and deer. The scenic drives, such as Needles Highway, offer breathtaking views of towering granite formations and clear mountain lakes.
  4. Crazy Horse Memorial (Custer): Still under construction, the Crazy Horse Memorial will be the largest mountain carving in the world once completed. It honors the Lakota leader Crazy Horse and stands as a symbol of Native American heritage and pride.
  5. Wind Cave National Park (Hot Springs): Famous for its intricate and unique boxwork formations, Wind Cave is one of the longest and most complex cave systems in the world. The park also features a prairie landscape with roaming bison and elk.
  6. Deadwood (Deadwood): This historic town is known for its Wild West history, once home to famous figures like Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. Today, it’s a popular tourist spot for its preserved old-time saloons, casinos, and reenactments of gunfights.
  7. Jewel Cave National Monument (Custer): As the third-longest cave in the world, Jewel Cave is renowned for its stunning calcite crystals, known as “jewels.” Visitors can explore the cave’s intricate passages and marvel at its natural formations.
  8. Mammoth Site (Hot Springs): An active paleontological dig site, the Mammoth Site contains the remains of over 60 mammoths. Visitors can tour the indoor excavation and learn about these ancient creatures through fossils and exhibits.
  9. Spearfish Canyon (Spearfish): Famous for its scenic beauty, Spearfish Canyon offers towering limestone cliffs, waterfalls, and lush forested areas. It’s a popular destination for hiking, fishing, and photography, particularly during the fall when the foliage turns vibrant colors.
  10. The Corn Palace (Mitchell): A quirky and unique attraction, the Corn Palace is a building decorated entirely with corn murals that change each year. It celebrates South Dakota’s agricultural heritage and is a popular stop for those interested in unusual roadside attractions.

Intriguing mysteries and weird facts

Discover these little-known facts about South Dakota.

  1. South Dakota is home to the world’s largest motorcycle rally: Every August, the small town of Sturgis hosts the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, attracting hundreds of thousands of bikers from all over the world. It’s a wild event filled with concerts, races, and biker culture.
  2. Mount Rushmore was supposed to have full bodies: Originally, Mount Rushmore was designed to show the entire upper bodies of the presidents, but lack of funding led to just the heads being completed. Imagine how much bigger it would have been!
  3. There’s a ghost town buried beneath a lake: The town of Oacoma was submerged when the Oahe Dam was built, creating Lake Oahe. Today, its remains lie underwater, and it’s considered a ghost town beneath the lake’s surface.
  4. The world’s largest fossil bed is in South Dakota: The Mammoth Site in Hot Springs is the largest concentration of mammoth fossils in the world, and it’s still an active dig site where paleontologists continue to uncover ancient bones.
  5. South Dakota is a UFO hotspot: In the town of Belle Fourche, UFO sightings have been reported frequently over the years, with locals and visitors spotting mysterious lights and flying objects in the night sky.
  6. South Dakota has no state income tax: Unlike most states, South Dakota does not impose a state income tax.
  7. The Crazy Horse Memorial has been under construction for over 70 years: The Crazy Horse Memorial, which will be the largest mountain carving in the world, has been under construction since 1948 and is still not finished. It’s expected to take many more decades to complete.
  8. You can see petrified wood forests in South Dakota: The Petrified Wood Park in Lemmon features trees that have turned into stone over millions of years. It’s one of the largest collections of petrified wood in the world.
  9. Wind Cave has some of the rarest cave formations on Earth: Wind Cave is known for its rare boxwork formations, which are only found in a few places in the world. These thin, honeycomb-like structures make it one of the most unique caves on the planet.
  10. A giant concrete prairie dog stands guard in South Dakota: In the town of Philip, you’ll find a 12-foot-tall concrete prairie dog standing by the roadside. This quirky landmark has been a favorite for travelers looking for a fun photo op.

Notable People

Here are 10 famous men and women from South Dakota.

Famous Men

  1. Sitting Bull (1831–1890): Born in the Dakota Territory, Sitting Bull was a Hunkpapa Lakota leader who is famous for his role in resisting U.S. government policies and for his victory at the Battle of Little Bighorn. He remains a symbol of Native American resistance.
  2. Tom Brokaw (1940–): Born in Webster, South Dakota, Tom Brokaw is a well-known journalist and former anchor of NBC’s Nightly News. He is celebrated for his coverage of major historical events and for his book The Greatest Generation.
  3. George McGovern (1922–2012): Born in Avon, South Dakota, George McGovern was a U.S. senator and the Democratic candidate for president in 1972. He is known for his opposition to the Vietnam War and his work on hunger issues.
  4. Al Neuharth (1924–2013): Born in Eureka, South Dakota, Al Neuharth was the founder of USA Today, one of the most widely circulated newspapers in the U.S. He was a pioneer in modern journalism and media.
  5. Adam Vinatieri (1972–): Born in Yankton, South Dakota, Adam Vinatieri is a former NFL kicker known for his clutch performances in Super Bowls. He is considered one of the greatest placekickers in football history.

Famous Women

  1. Cheryl Ladd (1951–): Born in Huron, South Dakota, Cheryl Ladd is an actress and singer best known for her role as Kris Munroe on the television show Charlie’s Angels. She became a cultural icon in the 1970s.
  2. January Jones (1978–): Born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, January Jones is an actress known for her role as Betty Draper on the TV series Mad Men. Her performance earned her critical acclaim and several award nominations.
  3. Gladys Pyle (1890–1989): Born in Huron, South Dakota, Gladys Pyle was the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate without having previously been appointed. She served as a trailblazer for women in politics.
  4. Mamie Van Doren (1931–): Born in Rowena, South Dakota, Mamie Van Doren is an actress, model, and singer, often recognized for her roles in 1950s and 1960s films. She became a sex symbol and appeared in several classic films of that era.
  5. Leola Hall (1881–1930): Born in South Dakota, Leola Hall became one of the first women architects in California. She played an important role in early 20th-century architecture, designing homes and buildings in the Berkeley area.

Date of Ratification of the Articles of Confederation/
Admission to the Union

November 2, 1889 (40th)

State Capital and Government

South Dakota State Capitol Building in Pierre (WeaponizingArchitecture ,Wikimedia CCA 4.0)

Area and Total Population

Area: 75,811 square miles Total Population: 853,000

Major cities and their population

City Population
Sioux Falls 206,000
Rapid City 79,000
Aberdeen 28,000
Brookings 24,000
Watertown 23,000
Yankton 16,000
Pierre 14,000

Education

Educational Resources

Twinkl. South Dakota

Fairs and festivals

Flag

Geography

Location

South Dakota (Tubs, Wikimedia CCA 3.0)

Glimpses Into History

Breathtaking Landscapes

Check out these amazing landscapes and wildlife of South Dakota.

National Landmarks and Historic Sites

National Monuments

  1. Jewel Cave National Monument (National Park Service)

National and State Parks

Sports

 NCAA (National Collegiate Athletics Association) Division I Teams

State Motto

“Under God, the People Rule”

State Nickname

  • The Mount Rushmore State

State Symbols

Seal

License Plate

State Animal

Coyote (VJAnderson ,Wikimedia CCA 4.0)

State Bird

South Dakota ringed necked pheasant (Lukasz Lukasik, Wikimedia CCA 3.0)

State Flower

Pasque flower (Stan Shebs, Wikimedia CCA 3.0)

Tourism: Enjoy some incredible vacations

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Weather

More Resources For The Best Things To Do

Pierre

Rapid City

Sioux Falls