South Dakota

Guide Note

Nicknamed the "Mount Rushmore State," South Dakota is located in the Midwestern region of the United States. The state is bisected by the Missouri River, and its southwestern portion is home to Mount Rushmore, a monumental granite sculpture carved into the Black Hills, depicting presidents Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln.

Fast Facts

1. Capital: Pierre
2. Governor: M. Michael Rounds
3. Population: 754,844 (2000)
4. Founded: 1889
5. Time zones: Central & Mountain
6. Major cities: Pierre, Sioux Falls
7. Motto: Under God the People Rule

South Dakota has been inhabited for several thousands of years. In 1743, it was claimed by France as part of greater Louisiana and was sold to the United States in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase. In 1861, the Dakota Territory was established by the U.S. government.

Discovery of gold in the Black Hills led to a massive influx of settlers into lands that had been granted to the Sioux as part of the Great Sioux Reservation. When the Sioux declined the settlers mining rights, a war broke out. The Sioux were eventually defeated and resettled. The increased population in the territory led to it being divided into two states, North and South Dakota. South Dakota officially joined the union on November 2, 1889.

In the early part of the 20th century, South Dakota's economy suffered from severe drought and poor economic conditions. It rebounded in World War II when demand for the states agricultural and industrial products grew. Today, South Dakota has a diversified economy relying on agricultural, tourism and the financial service industry to sustain its population.