Information and history of the state of South Dakota

The U.S. acquired the region as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, and it was explored by Lewis and Clark in 1804–1806. Fort Pierre, the first permanent settlement, was established in 1817.

Settlement of South Dakota did not begin in earnest until the arrival of the railroad in 1873 and the discovery of gold in the Black Hills in 1874.

A growing population caused Dakota Territory to be divided in half and President Benjamin Harrison signed proclamations formally admitting both South Dakota and North Dakota to the union on November 2, 1889.

Some South Dakota Symbols

1. State Bird	2. State Dessert	3. State Flower	4. State Fish	5. State Insect
6. State Tree	7. State Bread	8. State Soil	9. State Stone	10. State Animal

1. Chinese Ring-Necked Pheasant - South Dakota designated the Chinese ring-necked pheasant as state bird in 1943.
2. Kuchen - Kuchen was designated the official state dessert of South Dakota in 2000. Kuchen is the German word for "cake" and is used to describe a variety of different types of sweet desserts and pastries.
3. Pasque Flower - The pasque flower was designated the official state flower of South Dakota in 1903.
4. Walleye - South Dakota designated the walleye as the official state fish in 1982.
5. Honeybee - South Dakota, a leader in honey production, designated the honeybee as official state insect in 1978.
6. Black Hills Spruce - South Dakota designated the Black Hills white spruce as the official state tree in 1947.
7. Fry Bread - South Dakota designated fry bread as the official state bread in 2005. Also known as "squaw bread" in some areas, fry bread is a native American food.
8. Houdek - Houdek loam was designated as a South Dakota state symbol by the 1990 legislature.
9. Rose Quartz - Rose quartz was designated the state mineral stone of South Dakota in 1966.
10. Coyote - The coyote was adopted as South Dakota's state animal in 1949.

Did you know?

• Sculptor Gutzon Borglum began drilling into the 6,200-foot Mount Rushmore in 1927. Creation of the Shrine to Democracy took 14 years and cost a mere $1 million, though it's now deemed priceless.
• Belle Fourche is the geographical center of the United States of America, designated in 1959 and noted by an official marker and sheepherder's monument called a "Stone Johnnie".
• Clark is the Potato Capital of South Dakota. Clark is home to the world famous Mashed Potato Wrestling contest.
• Jewel Cave is the third-longest cave in the world. More than 120 miles of passages have been surveyed. Calcite crystals that glitter when illuminated give the cave its name.
• The Crazy Horse mountain carving now in progress will be the world's largest sculpture. It is the focal point of an educational and cultural memorial to and for the North American Indian.
• Mitchell is the home of the world's only Corn Palace.