What South Dakota is known for

South Dakota has two nicknames, "The Mount Rushmore State" and "The Coyote State." South Dakota is found on the northern side of The United States. Centrally located, it is south of North Dakota, hence the name. It also shares borders with Montana and Wyoming in the west, Nebraska to the south, and Minnesota and Iowa to the east. The Missouri River flows from the north to the south side of the state, running through central South Dakota before flowing more to the east. The name Dakota derives from the Sioux language and translates to mean "allies."[6]

One of the most well-known monuments in South Dakota is Mount Rushmore, which is found in the southeastern part of the state by a city called Keystone. Mount Rushmore is a massive carving of former presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln, in that order from left to right. The process of carving these stone memorials of the former president's faces into the side of the mountain began in 1927, but after some time, the process was halted. Several decades went by until it was finished in 1991. The original design for the monument was by a man named Gutzon. Visitors are able to see the memorial from the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center, or they can take a walk along the Presidential Trail, which is a 0.6-mile trail that takes visitors closer to the monument for a better view.[12] 

There are several other state and national parks that can be found in the same general area as the Mount Rushmore National Monument. Custer State Park is known as being the largest wildlife park in the state. Named after a cavalry commander named Colonel Custer, the prairies are home to one of the largest herds of free-roaming bison in the world. It is also common for donkeys to approach cars asking for food. These donkeys are usually referred to as "begging burros." Badlands National Park is best known for its erosion-shaped formation of hills and pinnacles made of sand and clay. Many people who visit Badlands National Park tend to come for the hiking trails and views. The visitor center known as Ben Reifel Visitor Center is a source of information and maps for those who wish to spend time at the park. Both of these national parks can be found in the Black Hills Mountain Range, along with four other national parks, including Mount Rushmore National Monument and Wind Cave National Park.[12] 

There are over 884,000 people living in South Dakota, and the most populated city is Sioux Falls.[9] Sioux Falls is named after the waterfalls in Falls Park. At Falls Park, one can hike or bike trails that travel around various areas of the city. A mill built in the 19th-century called Queen Bee Mill still has some remains on the east side of the river where guests can explore. Sioux Falls also offers several attractions like the Sertoma Butterfly House and Aquarium. At the Sertoma Butterfly House and Aquarium, visitors can spend time in the butterfly conservatory and learn about the insects, and they can spend time at the Marine Cove, where they can see various kinds of fish and even pet sharks and stingrays. They have species of fish and butterflies from places such as Australia, Asia, Latin America, and Africa.[13]

Geography

South Dakota's climate is a temperate continental type. This means that summers are usually warm with a moderate level of humidity, and winters are mostly dry and cold. The month of July, which is typically the hottest month of the year for the state, tends to see an average high temperature of 80 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, about 26.7 to 32.2 degrees Celsius. In some cases, in the semi-arid and western portions of the region, there can be plenty of days that reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit, 37.8 degrees Celsius, or more. Winters are usually freezing, especially in the coldest month of the year, January. The average highs are most often below freezing, and the lows can drop to about 10 degrees Fahrenheit, which is -12.2 degrees Celsius.[11]

A moderate amount of rainfall occurs, mostly happening in the late spring and early summer. The average precipitation over the course of a year is 20 inches or 508 millimeters. However, the mountain ranges, primarily found in the eastern part of South Dakota, see significantly higher amounts of rain and snowfall, with more than 100 inches, 2,540 millimeters, each year. The plains and lower elevations, like the Black Hills, see 25-30 inches of precipitation, 635-762 millimeters, on a yearly basis.[11]

The best time to visit South Dakota is supposedly late spring to autumn. While the summer is often described as a peak time for the tourist season, the spring and fall are usually best due to the fact that there are fewer crowds, and visitors are able to dodge the heat of the summer and the cold of the winter.[11]

South Dakota lies in both the American Midwest as well as the Great Plains region. Therefore, many of the plants and animals are acclimated to uneven badlands and grassland prairies. Near the riverbeds and other sources of water, willows, elms, and cottonwood trees are common. Flowers and smaller plants like marsh marigold, amphibious bistort, and mare's tail are all found in or near water sources as well. Meanwhile, located in the grasslands and prairies of South Dakota, one can find plants such as foxtail barley, prairie smoke, western ironweed, and more. The Mexican hat plant is one flower that grows in the more arid parts of the state, most noted for its tall central disk and the petals that hang around the bottom of it like the brim of a hat.[8]

There are many different wild animals that can be found inhabiting the prairies, hills, and streams of South Dakota. Some large species that can be found in various places of the state include white-tailed deer, mule deer, bighorn sheep, elk, coyote, and more. In the prairies, one can find various squirrels, rabbits, and animals from the weasel family, such as the black-footed ferret and badgers. Beavers, muskrats, river otters, and waterfowl live in and around the rivers and streams across the state. There are a number of raptor species of birds in the state, including owls, falcons, eagles, and hawks. In the higher elevations, animals like mountain goats and mountain lions live where it is colder, and there is much more snow.[7]

History

The region of what is now known as South Dakota has had inhabitants as far back as 10,000 years ago. The early peoples that lived in the area hunted bison as well as other large animals. Groups that settled in the surrounding territory included tribes like the Mandan and the Arikara. These early natives managed to establish an extensive network of trading that encompassed the entire region and beyond. It wasn't until the early 1700s that the Sioux people began to dominate the area.[5]

The first Europeans to visit the territory were two French men by the names of Louis-Joseph and François Verendrye. They sailed from France and traversed the area in 1743, searching for a new route to the Pacific. As part of the Louisiana Purchase, The United States of America acquired the region in 1803. Soon after the French sold it to The U.S., Lewis and Clark explored it in 1804 and continued to explore it until 1806. It wasn't until 1817 that the first permanent settlement, called Fort Pierre, was established within its boundaries.[6] 

The Sioux people and the U.S. government began to have conflict in 1854 that went on until 1890. Battles and wars broke out over the years that eventually ended with what is known as the Battle of Wounded Knee. The Battle of Wounded Knee resulted in the deaths of more than 200 Sioux men, women, and children when U.S. troops attacked a group of Sioux people in a failed attempt to subdue them. The battle began when a rifle from one of the Sioux's Braves was fired. It is believed to have possibly come from a brave who was not only deaf but also had a new, potentially faulty, rifle. When the shot fired, one of the U.S. troopers fell, and the battle ensued. Due to the much better technology in weaponry, the U.S. troops quickly turned the tide, chasing the Sioux away. Those that had fled were chased down and either killed or captured. On December 28th, 1890, the Sioux people surrendered to the troops.[5] 

During the conflict between the Sioux people and The United States, a gold rush occurred. In the early 1870s, the Black Hills, a location that was owned by the Sioux, was found to have gold, which led to a massive influx of settlers. The eastern side of what is known as North Dakota and South Dakota went from 80,000 to 325,000 over the course of about ten years, starting in 1878 and ending in 1887. This caused even more issues between the Native Americans and the European settlers until the climax of the wars, which was the Battle of Wounded Knee.[5] 

While there is no longer a gold rush occurring within the state's boundaries, there are still a number of successful companies that are headquartered in South Dakota. Sanford Health, which works in the healthcare industry and other health services, and has one of the largest numbers of employees among businesses in the state, with 28,000 total. Tied for second for the most employees are Good Shepherd Retirement and The Good Samaritan Society, which both have upwards of 19,000 employees total.[10]