South Dakota /ˌsaʊθ dəˈkoʊtə/ is a
state located in the Midwestern region of
the United States. It is named after the Lakota
and Dakota Sioux Native American tribes. South
Dakota is the 17th most extensive, but the
5th least populous and the 5th least densely
populated of the 50 United States. Once the
southern portion of the Dakota Territory,
South Dakota became a state on November 2,
1889, simultaneously with North Dakota. Pierre
is the state capital and Sioux Falls, with
a population of about 159,000, is South Dakota's
largest city.
South Dakota is bordered by the states of
North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming,
and Montana. The state is bisected by the
Missouri River, dividing South Dakota into
two geographically and socially distinct halves,
known to residents as "East River" and "West
River". Eastern South Dakota is home to most
of the state's population, and fertile soil
in this area is used to grow a variety of
crops. West of the Missouri, ranching is the
predominant agricultural activity, and the
economy is more dependent on tourism and defense
spending. The Black Hills, a group of low
pine-covered mountains, are located in the
southwest part of the state. The Black Hills
are sacred to the Sioux. Mount Rushmore, a
major tourist destination, is located there.
Other attractions in the southwest include
Badlands and Wind Cave national parks, Custer
State Park, the Crazy Horse Memorial, and
historic Deadwood. South Dakota experiences
a temperate continental climate, with four
distinct seasons and precipitation ranging
from moderate in the east to semi-arid in
the west. The ecology of the state features
species typical of a North American grassland
biome.
Humans have inhabited the area for several
millennia, with the Sioux becoming dominant
by the early 19th century. In the late 19th
century, European-American settlement intensified
after a gold rush in the Black Hills and the
construction of railroads from the east. Encroaching
miners and settlers caused conflict that triggered
a number of Indian wars, ending with the Wounded
Knee Massacre in 1890. Key events in the 20th
century included the Dust Bowl and Great Depression,
increased federal spending during the 1940s
and 50s for agriculture and defense, and an
industrialization of agriculture which has
much reduced family farming.
While several Democratic senators have represented
South Dakota for multiple terms at the federal
level, the state government is largely dominated
by the Republican Party, whose nominees have
carried South Dakota in each of the most recent
12 presidential elections. Historically dominated
by an agricultural economy and a rural lifestyle,
South Dakota has recently sought to diversify
its economy in areas, including biomedical
research and alternative energy fuels, to
attract and retain residents. South Dakota's
history and rural character still strongly
influence the culture of the state.
Geography
South Dakota is situated in the north-central
United States, and is considered a part of
the Midwest by the U.S. Census Bureau; it
is also part of the Great Plains region. The
culture, economy, and geography of western
South Dakota have more in common with the
West than the Midwest. South Dakota has a
total land area of 77,121 square miles, making
the state the 17th largest in the Union.
Harney Peak, with an elevation of 7,242 ft,
is the state's highest point, while the shoreline
of Big Stone Lake is the lowest, with an elevation
of 966 ft. South Dakota is bordered to the
north by North Dakota; to the south by Nebraska;
to the east by Iowa and Minnesota; and to
the west by Wyoming and Montana. The geographical
center of the U.S. is 17 miles west of Castle
Rock in Butte County. The North American continental
pole of inaccessibility is located between
Allen and Kyle, 1,024 mi from the nearest
coastline.
The Missouri River is the largest and longest
river in the state. Other major South Dakota
rivers include the Cheyenne, James, Big Sioux,
and White Rivers. Eastern South Dakota has
many natural lakes, mostly created by periods
of glaciation. Additionally, dams on the Missouri
River create four large reservoirs: Lake Oahe,
Lake Sharpe, Lake Francis Case, and Lewis
and Clark Lake.
Regions and geology
South Dakota can generally be divided into
three regions: eastern South Dakota, western
South Dakota, and the Black Hills. The Missouri
River serves as a boundary in terms of geographic,
social, and political differences between
eastern and western South Dakota, and the
geography of the Black Hills differs from
its surroundings to such an extent that it
can be considered separate from the rest of
western South Dakota. South Dakotans also
at times combine the Black Hills with the
rest of western South Dakota, and refer to
the two resulting regions, divided by the
Missouri, as West River and East River.
Eastern South Dakota generally features higher
precipitation and lower topography than the
western part of the state. Smaller geographic
regions of this area include the Coteau des
Prairies, the Dissected Till Plains, and the
James River Valley. The Coteau des Prairies
is a plateau bordered on the east by the Minnesota
River Valley and on the west by the James
River Basin. Further to the west, the James
River Basin is mostly low, flat, highly eroded
land, following the flow of the James River
through South Dakota from north to south.
The Dissected Till Plains, an area of rolling
hills and fertile soil that covers much of
Iowa and Nebraska, also extends into the southeastern
corner of South Dakota. Layers deposited during
the Pleistocene epoch, starting around two
million years ago, cover most of eastern South
Dakota. These are the youngest rock and sediment
layers in the state, and are the product of
several successive periods of glaciation which
deposited a large amount of rocks and soil,
known as till, over the area.
The Great Plains cover most of the western
two-thirds of South Dakota. West of the Missouri
River the landscape becomes more arid and
rugged, consisting of rolling hills, plains,
ravines, and steep flat-topped hills called
buttes. In the south, east of the Black Hills,
lie the South Dakota Badlands. Erosion from
the Black Hills, marine skeletons which fell
to the bottom of a large shallow sea that
once covered the area and volcanic material
all contribute to the geology of this area.
The Black Hills are in the southwestern part
of South Dakota and extend into Wyoming. This
range of low mountains covers 6,000 sq mi
with peaks that rise from 2,000 to 4,000 feet
above their bases. The Black Hills are the
location of Harney Peak, the highest point
in South Dakota and also the highest point
in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains.
Two billion-year-old Precambrian formations,
the oldest rocks in the state, form the central
core of the Black Hills. Formations from the
Paleozoic Era form the outer ring of the Black
Hills; these were created between roughly
540 and 250 million years ago. This area
features rocks such as limestone which were
deposited here when the area formed the shoreline
of an ancient inland sea.
Ecology
Much of South Dakota is dominated by a temperate
grasslands biome. Although grasses and crops
cover most of this region, deciduous trees
such as cottonwoods, elms, and willows are
common near rivers and in shelter belts. Mammals
in this area include bison, deer, pronghorn,
coyotes, and prairie dogs. The state bird,
the ring-necked pheasant, has adapted well
to the area after being introduced from China,
and growing populations of bald eagles are
spread throughout the state, especially near
the Missouri River. Rivers and lakes of the
grasslands support populations of walleye,
carp, pike, bass, and other species. The Missouri
River also contains the pre-historic paddlefish.
Due to a higher elevation and level of precipitation,
the Black Hills ecology differs significantly
from that of the plains. The mountains are
thickly blanketed by various types of pines,
including ponderosa and lodgepole pines, as
well as spruces. Black Hills mammals include
deer, elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goats,
pine marten, and mountain lions, while the
streams and lakes contain several species
of trout.
Climate
South Dakota has a continental climate with
four distinct seasons, ranging from cold,
dry winters to hot and semi-humid summers.
During the summers, the average high temperature
throughout the state is often close to 90 °F,
although it cools to near 60 °F at night.
It is not unusual for South Dakota to have
severe hot, dry spells in the summer with
the temperature climbing above 100 °F several
times a year. Winters are cold with January
high temperatures averaging below freezing
and low temperatures averaging below 10 °F
in most of the state. The highest recorded
temperature is 120 °F at Usta on July 15,
2006 and the lowest recorded temperature is
−58 °F at McIntosh on February 17, 1936.
Average annual precipitation in South Dakota
ranges from semi-arid conditions in the northwestern
part of the state to semi-humid around the
southeast portion of the state, although a
small area centered on Lead in the Black Hills
has the highest precipitation at nearly 30
inches per year.
South Dakota summers bring frequent, sometimes
severe, thunderstorms with high winds, thunder,
and hail. The eastern part of the state is
often considered part of Tornado Alley, and
South Dakota experiences an average of 30
tornadoes each year. Severe weather in the
form of blizzards and ice storms occurs often
during winter.
National Parks and Monuments
South Dakota contains several sites that are
administered by the National Park Service.
Two national parks have been established in
South Dakota, both located in the southwestern
part of the state. Wind Cave National Park,
established in 1903 in the Black Hills, contains
an extensive cave network as well as a large
herd of bison. Badlands National Park was
created in 1978. The park features an eroded,
brightly colored landscape surrounded by semi-arid
grasslands. Mount Rushmore National Memorial
in the Black Hills was established in 1925.
The sculpture of four U.S. Presidents was
carved into the mountainside by sculptor Gutzon
Borglum.
Other areas managed by the National Park Service
include Jewel Cave National Monument near
Custer, the Lewis and Clark National Historic
Trail, the Minuteman Missile National Historic
Site, which features a decommissioned nuclear
missile silo and a separate missile control
area located several miles away, and the Missouri
National Recreational River. The Crazy Horse
Memorial is a large mountainside sculpture
near Mt. Rushmore that is being constructed
with private funds.
History
Humans have lived in what is today South Dakota
for at least several thousand years. The first
inhabitants were Paleoindian hunter-gatherers,
and disappeared from the area around 5000
BC. Between 500 AD and 800 AD, a semi-nomadic
people known as the Mound Builders lived in
central and eastern South Dakota. In the 14th
century, the Crow Creek Massacre occurred,
in which several hundred men, women, and children
were killed near the Missouri River.
By 1500, the Arikara had settled in much of
the Missouri River valley. European contact
with the area began in 1743, when the LaVerendrye
brothers explored the region. The LaVerendrye
group buried a plate near the site of modern
day Pierre, claiming the region for France
as part of greater Louisiana. By the early
19th century, the Sioux had largely replaced
the Arikara as the dominant group in the area.
In 1803, the United States purchased the Louisiana
Territory, an area that included most of South
Dakota, from Napoleon Bonaparte, and President
Thomas Jefferson organized a group commonly
referred to as the "Lewis and Clark Expedition"
to explore the newly acquired region. In 1817,
an American fur trading post was set up at
present-day Fort Pierre, beginning continuous
American settlement of the area. In 1855,
the U.S. Army bought Fort Pierre but abandoned
it in 1857 in favor of Fort Randall to the
south. Settlement by Americans and Europeans
was by this time increasing rapidly, and in
1858 the Yankton Sioux signed the 1858 Treaty,
ceding most of present-day eastern South Dakota
to the United States.
Land speculators founded two of eastern South
Dakota's largest present-day cities: Sioux
Falls in 1856 and Yankton in 1859. In 1861,
the Dakota Territory was established by the
United States government. Settlement of the
area, mostly by people from the eastern United
States as well as western and northern Europe,
increased rapidly, especially after the completion
of an eastern railway link to Yankton in 1873.
In 1874, gold was discovered in the Black
Hills during a military expedition led by
George A. Custer and miners and explorers
began illegally entering land promised to
the Lakota. Custer's expedition took place
despite the fact that the US had granted the
entire western half of present-day South Dakota
to the Sioux in 1868 by the Treaty of Laramie
as part of the Great Sioux Reservation. The
Sioux declined to grant mining rights or land
in the Black Hills, and war broke out after
the U.S. failed to stop white miners and settlers
from entering the region. Eventually the US
defeated the Sioux and broke up the Great
Sioux Reservation into five reservations,
settling the Lakota in those areas.
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. Harrison had the
papers shuffled to obscure which one was signed
first and the order went unrecorded.
On December 29, 1890, the Wounded Knee Massacre
occurred on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
Commonly cited as the last major armed conflict
between the United States and the Lakota Sioux
Nation, the massacre resulted in the deaths
of at least 146 Sioux, many of them women
and children. 31 U.S. soldiers were also killed
in the conflict.
During the 1930s, several economic and climatic
conditions combined with disastrous results
for South Dakota. A lack of rainfall, extremely
high temperatures and inappropriate cultivation
techniques produced what was known as the
Dust Bowl in South Dakota and several other
plains states. Fertile topsoil was blown away
in massive dust storms, and several harvests
were completely ruined. The experiences of
the Dust Bowl, coupled with local bank foreclosures
and the general economic effects of the Great
Depression, resulted in many South Dakotans
leaving the state. The population of South
Dakota declined by more than 7% between 1930
and 1940.
Economic stability returned with the U.S.
entry into World War II in 1941, when demand
for the state's agricultural and industrial
products grew as the nation mobilized for
war. In 1944, the Pick–Sloan Plan was passed
as part of the Flood Control Act of 1944 by
the U.S. Congress, resulting in the construction
of six large dams on the Missouri River, four
of which are at least partially located in
South Dakota. Flood control, hydroelectricity,
and recreational opportunities such as boating
and fishing are provided by the dams and their
reservoirs.
In recent decades, South Dakota has been transformed
from a state dominated by agriculture to one
with a more diversified economy. The tourism
industry has grown considerably since the
completion of the interstate system in the
1960s, with the Black Hills becoming more
important as a destination. The financial
service industry began to grow in the state
as well, with Citibank moving its credit card
operations from New York to Sioux Falls in
1981, a move that has since been followed
by several other financial companies. South
Dakota was the first state to eliminate caps
on interest rates.
In 2007, the site of the recently closed Homestake
gold mine near Lead was chosen as the location
of a new underground research facility, the
Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory.
Despite a growing state population and recent
economic development, many rural areas have
been struggling over the past 50 years with
locally declining populations and the emigration
of educated young adults to larger South Dakota
cities, such as Rapid City or Sioux Falls,
or to other states. Mechanization and consolidation
of agriculture has contributed greatly to
the declining number of smaller family farms
and the resulting economic and demographic
challenges facing rural towns.
Demographics
Population
The United States Census Bureau estimates
that the population of South Dakota was 844,877
on July 1, 2013, a 3.8% increase since the
2010 United States Census.
Of the people residing in South Dakota, 65.7%
were born in South Dakota, 31.4% were born
in another US state, 0.6% were born in Puerto
Rico, U.S. Island areas, or born abroad to
American parent(s), and 2.3% were born in
another country.
According to the United States Census Bureau,
as of 2012, South Dakota has an estimated
population of 833,354, an increase of 19,174,
or 2.4%, since the year 2010. 7.3% of South
Dakota's population was reported as under
5, 24% under 18, and 14.3% were 65 or older.
Females made up approximately 50.2% of the
population. As of the 2000 census, South Dakota
ranked fifth-lowest in the nation in both
population and population density.
The center of population of South Dakota is
located in Buffalo County, in the unincorporated
county seat of Gann Valley.
Race and ethnicity
According to the 2010 Census, the racial composition
of the population was:
84.7% White
8.5% American Indian and Alaska Native
1.2% Black or African American
0.9% Asian American
0.1% from some other race
1.8% of two or more races
Ethnically, 2.7% of South Dakota's population
was of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin.
As of 2011, 25.4% of South Dakota's population
younger than age 1 were minorities.
The five largest ancestry groups in South
Dakota are German, Norwegian, Irish, Native
American, and English. German Americans are
the largest ancestry group in most parts of
the state, especially in East River, although
there are also large Scandinavian-descended
populations in some counties. South Dakota
has the nation's largest population of Hutterites,
a communal Anabaptist group which emigrated
from Europe in 1874.
American Indians, largely Lakota, Dakota,
and Nakota are predominant in several counties
and comprise 20 per cent of the population
in West River. There are seven large Indian
reservations in the state, but this area is
diminished from the Great Sioux Reservation
of West River, which the US government had
once allocated to the Sioux. South Dakota
has the third-highest proportion of Native
Americans of any state, behind Alaska and
New Mexico.
Five of the state's counties are wholly within
Indian reservations. Living standards on many
South Dakota reservations are often far below
the national average; Ziebach County ranked
as the poorest county in the nation in 2009.
The unemployment rate in Fort Thompson, on
the Crow Creek Reservation, is 70%, and 21%
of households lack plumbing or basic kitchen
appliances. A 1995 study by the U.S. Census
Bureau found that 58% of homes on the Pine
Ridge Indian Reservation did not have a telephone.
English is specified by law as the "common
language" of the state. As of the 2000 census,
1.90% of the population aged 5 or older speak
German at home, while 1.51% speak Lakota or
Dakota, and 1.43% Spanish.
Languages
As of 2010, 93.46% of South Dakota residents
aged 5 and older spoke English as their primary
language. 6.54% of the population spoke a
language other than English. 2.06% of the
population spoke Spanish, 1.39% spoke Dakota,
and 1.37% spoke German. Other languages spoken
included Vietnamese, Chinese, and Russian.
Growth and rural flight
South Dakota, in common with other Great Plains
states, has been experiencing a falling population
in many rural areas over the last several
decades, a phenomenon known as "rural flight"
as family farming has decreased. This trend
has continued in recent years, with 30 of
South Dakota's counties losing population
between the 1990 and the 2000 census. During
that time, nine counties experienced a population
loss of greater than 10%, with Harding County,
in the northwest corner of the state, losing
nearly 19% of its population. Low birth rates
and a lack of younger immigration has caused
the median age of many of these counties to
increase. In 24 counties, at least 20% of
the population is over the age of 65, compared
with a national rate of 12.8%.
The effect of rural flight has not been spread
evenly through South Dakota, however. Although
most rural counties and small towns have lost
population, the Sioux Falls area, the larger
counties along Interstate 29, the Black Hills,
and many Indian reservations have all gained
population. Lincoln County near Sioux Falls
is the ninth-fastest growing county in the
United States. The growth in these areas has
compensated for losses in the rest of the
state, and South Dakota's total population
continues to increase steadily, albeit at
a slower rate than the national average.
Religion
The largest denominations by number of adherents
in 2010 were the Roman Catholic Church with
148,883 members; the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America with 112,649 members; and
the United Methodist Church with 36,020 members.
The results of a 2001 survey, in which South
Dakotans were asked to identify their religion,
include:
Protestant
Lutheran
Methodist
Baptist
Presbyterian
Other Protestant
Non-denominational Christian
Roman Catholic
Not religious
Other religions
Refused to answer
Economy
The current-dollar gross state product of
South Dakota was US$39.8 billion as of 2010,
the fifth smallest total state output in the
US. The per capita personal income was $38,865
in 2010, ranked 25th in the U.S., and 12.5%
of the population was below the poverty line
in 2008. CNBC's list of "Top States for Business
for 2010" has recognized South Dakota as the
seventh best state in the nation. In July
2011, the state's unemployment rate was 4.7%.
The service industry is the largest economic
contributor in South Dakota. This sector includes
the retail, finance, and health care industries.
Citibank, which was the largest bank holding
company in the United States at one time,
established national banking operations in
South Dakota in 1981 to take advantage of
favorable banking regulations. Government
spending is another important segment of the
state's economy, providing over ten percent
of the gross state product. Ellsworth Air
Force Base, near Rapid City, is the second-largest
single employer in the state.
Agriculture has historically been a key component
of the South Dakota economy. Although other
industries have expanded rapidly in recent
decades, agricultural production is still
very important to the state's economy, especially
in rural areas. The five most valuable agricultural
products in South Dakota are cattle, corn,
soybeans, wheat, and hogs. Agriculture-related
industries such as meat packing and ethanol
production also have a considerable economic
impact on the state. South Dakota is the sixth
leading ethanol-producing state in the nation.
Another important sector in South Dakota's
economy is tourism. Many travel to view the
attractions of the state, particularly those
in the Black Hills region, such as historic
Deadwood, Mount Rushmore, and the nearby state
and national parks. One of the largest tourist
events in the state is the annual Sturgis
Motorcycle Rally. The five-day event drew
over 450,000 attendants in 2006; significant
considering the state has a population of
only 790,000. In 2006, tourism provided an
estimated 33,000 jobs in the state and contributed
over two billion dollars to the economy of
South Dakota.
Transportation
South Dakota has 83,609 miles of highways,
roads, and streets, along with 679 miles
of interstate highways. Two major interstates
pass through South Dakota: Interstate 90,
which runs east and west through the southern
half of the state; and Interstate 29, running
north and south in the eastern portion of
the state. The I-29 corridor features generally
higher rates of population and economic growth
than areas in eastern South Dakota that are
further from the interstate.
Also located in the state are the shorter
interstates 190, a spur into central Rapid
City, and 229, a loop around eastern and southern
Sioux Falls. Several major U.S. highways pass
through the state. U.S. routes 12, 14, 16,
18, and 212 travel east and west, while U.S.
routes 81, 83, 85 and 281 run north and south.
South Dakota and Montana are the only states
sharing a land border which is not traversed
by a paved road.
South Dakota contains two National Scenic
Byways. The Peter Norbeck National Scenic
Byway is located in the Black Hills, while
the Native American Scenic Byway runs along
the Missouri River in the north-central part
of the state. Other scenic byways include
the Badlands Loop Scenic Byway, the Spearfish
Canyon Scenic Byway, and the Wildlife Loop
Road Scenic Byway.
Railroads have played an important role in
South Dakota transportation since the mid-19th
century. Some 4,420 miles of railroad track
were built in South Dakota during the late
19th century and early 20th century, but only
1,839 miles are active. BNSF Railway is currently
the largest railroad in South Dakota; the
Dakota, Minnesota, and Eastern Railroad is
the state's other major carrier. Rail transportation
in the state is confined only to freight,
however, as South Dakota is one of the few
states without any Amtrak service.
South Dakota's largest commercial airports
in terms of passenger traffic are the Sioux
Falls Regional Airport and Rapid City Regional
Airport. Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines,
and Allegiant Airlines, as well as commuter
airlines using the brand affiliation with
major airlines serve the two largest airports.
Several other cities in the state also have
commercial air service, some of which is subsidized
by the Essential Air Service program.
Government and politics
Government
Like that of other U.S. states, the structure
of the government of South Dakota follows
the same separation of powers as the federal
government, with executive, legislative, and
judicial branches. The structure of the state
government is laid out in the Constitution
of South Dakota, the highest law in the state.
The constitution may be amended either by
a majority vote of both houses of the legislature,
or by voter initiative.
The Governor of South Dakota occupies the
executive branch of the state government.
The current governor is Dennis Daugaard, a
Republican from Garretson. The state constitution
gives the governor the power to either sign
into law or veto bills passed by the state
legislature, to serve as commander-in-chief
of the South Dakota National Guard, to appoint
a cabinet, and to commute criminal sentences
or to pardon those convicted of crimes. The
governor serves for a four-year term, and
may not serve more than two consecutive terms.
The state legislature is made up of two bodies,
the Senate, which has 35 members, and the
House of Representatives, with 70 members.
South Dakota is divided into 35 legislative
districts, with voters electing two representatives
and one senator per district. The legislature
meets for an annual session which begins on
the second Tuesday in January and lasts for
30 days; it also meets if a special session
is called by the governor.
The judicial branch is made up of several
levels. The state supreme court, with four
justices and a chief justice, is the highest
court in the state. Below the supreme court
are the circuit courts; 38 circuit judges
serve in seven judicial circuits in the state.
Below the circuit courts are the magistrate
courts, which deal with more minor criminal
and civil actions.
State taxes
As of 2005, South Dakota has the lowest per
capita total state tax rate in the United
States. The state does not levy personal or
corporate income taxes, inheritance taxes,
or taxes on intangible personal property.
The state sales tax rate is 4 percent. Various
localities have local levies so that in some
areas the rate is 6 percent. The state sales
tax does not apply to sales to Indians on
Indian reservations, but many reservations
have a compact with the state. Businesses
on the reservation collect the tax and the
state refunds to the Indian Tribes the percentage
of sales tax collections relating to the ratio
of Indian population to total population in
the county or area affected. Ad valorem property
taxes are local taxes and are a large source
of funding for school systems, counties, municipalities
and other local government units. The South
Dakota Special Tax Division regulates some
taxes including cigarette and alcohol-related
taxes.
Federal representation
South Dakota is represented at the federal
level by Senator Tim Johnson, Senator John
Thune, and Representative Kristi Noem. Johnson
is a Democrat and Thune and Noem are Republicans.
South Dakota is one of seven states with only
one seat in the US House of Representatives.
American Indians have been becoming more active
in state and county electoral politics. In
the 2002 election, American Indian voting
carried Tim Johnson as the Democratic candidate
by a narrow margin.
In United States presidential elections, South
Dakota is allotted three of 538 votes in the
Electoral College. As in all other states
except Maine and neighboring Nebraska, South
Dakota's electoral votes are granted in a
winner-take-all system.
Politics
South Dakota politics are generally dominated
by the Republican Party. Since statehood,
Republicans have carried the state's electoral
votes in all but five presidential elections:
1896, 1912, 1932, 1936 and 1964. Only Alaska
has been carried fewer times by Democrat presidential
candidates. Not even George McGovern, the
Democratic nominee in 1972 as well as a native
South Dakotan, was able to carry the state.
Additionally, a Democrat has not won the governorship
since 1974. As of 2006, Republicans hold a
10% voter registration advantage over Democrats
and hold majorities in both the state House
of Representatives and Senate.
Despite the state's general Republican and
conservative leanings, Democrats have found
success in various state-wide elections, most
notably in those involving South Dakota's
congressional representatives in Washington.
In 2002, increasing political participation
by Native Americans helped organize support
for Democratic Senator Tim Johnson, who won
re-election by 532 votes. Until his electoral
defeat in 2004, Senator Tom Daschle was the
Senate minority leader.
In 2010, Republican Dennis Daugaard defeated
Democrat Scott Heidepriem for governor, and
Republican Kristi Noem defeated incumbent
Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin for
South Dakota's at-large seat in the US House
of Representatives. In 2012, Noem retained
her seat with 57% of the vote and the state
voted for Republican nominee Mitt Romney over
Democratic President Barack Obama by a margin
of 18%. Contemporary political issues in South
Dakota include the costs and benefits of the
state lottery, South Dakota's relatively low
rankings in education spending, and recent
legislative and electoral attempts to ban
abortion in the state.
Culture
Much of South Dakota's culture reflects the
state's American Indian, rural, Western, and
European roots. A number of annual events
celebrating the state's ethnic and historical
heritage take place around the state, such
as Days of '76 in Deadwood, Czech Days in
Tabor, and the annual St. Patrick's Day and
Cinco de Mayo festivities in Sioux Falls.
Many pow wows are held yearly throughout the
state, and Custer State Park's Buffalo Roundup,
in which volunteers on horseback gather the
park's herd of around 1,500 bison, is a popular
annual event.
Laura Ingalls Wilder, whose semi-autobiographical
books center around her experiences as a child
and young adult on the frontier, is one of
South Dakota's best-known writers. She used
her experiences growing up on a homestead
near De Smet as the basis for four of her
novels: By the Shores of Silver Lake, The
Long Winter, Little Town on the Prairie, These
Happy Golden Years, and The First Four Years.
Wilder's daughter, Rose Wilder Lane, a well-known
writer in her own right, was born near De
Smet in 1886. Another literary figure from
the state is Black Elk, whose narration of
the Indian Wars and Ghost Dance movement and
thoughts on Native American religion forms
the basis of the book Black Elk Speaks. The
award-winning children's book author and illustrator
Paul Goble has been based in the Black Hills
since 1977.
South Dakota has also produced several notable
artists. Harvey Dunn grew up on a homestead
near Manchester in the late 19th century.
While most of his career was spent as an illustrator,
Dunn's most famous works, showing various
scenes of frontier life, were completed near
the end of his career. Oscar Howe was born
on the Crow Creek Indian Reservation and won
fame for his watercolor paintings. Howe was
one of the first Native American painters
to produce works heavily influenced by abstraction,
as opposed to ones relying on traditional
styles. Terry Redlin, originally from Watertown,
is an accomplished painter of rural and wildlife
scenes. Many of Redlin's works are on display
at the Redlin Art Center in Watertown.
Cities and towns
Sioux Falls is the largest city in South Dakota,
with a 2010 population of 153,888, and a metropolitan
area population of 238,122. The city, founded
in 1856, is located in the southeast corner
of the state. Retail, finance, and healthcare
have assumed greater importance in Sioux Falls,
where the economy was originally centered
on agri-business and quarrying.
Rapid City, with a 2010 population of 67,956,
and a metropolitan area population of 124,766,
is the second-largest city in the state. It
is located on the eastern edge of the Black
Hills, and was founded in 1876. Rapid City's
economy is largely based on tourism and defense
spending, because of the close proximity of
many tourist attractions in the Black Hills
and Ellsworth Air Force Base.
The next eight largest cities in the state,
in order of descending 2010 population, are
Aberdeen, Brookings, Watertown, Mitchell,
Yankton, Pierre, Huron, and Vermillion. Pierre
is the state capital, and Brookings and Vermillion
are the locations of the state's two largest
universities. Of the ten largest cities in
the state, only Rapid City is located west
of the Missouri River.
Media
South Dakota's first newspaper, the Dakota
Democrat, began publishing in Yankton in 1858.
Today, the largest newspaper in the state
is the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, with a Sunday
circulation of 63,701 and a weekday circulation
of 44,334. The Rapid City Journal, with a
Sunday circulation of 32,638 and a weekday
circulation of 27,827, is South Dakota's second
largest newspaper. The next four largest newspapers
in the state are the Aberdeen American News,
the Watertown Public Opinion, the Huron Plainsman,
and the Brookings Register. In 1981, Tim Giago
founded the Lakota Times as a newspaper for
the local American Indian community on the
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The newspaper,
now published in New York and known as Indian
Country Today, is currently available in every
state in the country. The Sioux City Journal
also covers parts of South Dakota.
There are currently nine television stations
broadcasting in South Dakota; South Dakota
Public Television broadcasts from a number
of locations around the state, while the other
stations broadcast from either Sioux Falls
or Rapid City. The two largest television
media markets in South Dakota are Sioux Falls-Mitchell,
with a viewership of 246,020, and Rapid City,
with a viewership of 91,070. The two markets
rank as 114th and 177th largest in the United
States, respectively. The first television
station in the state, KELO-TV, began airing
in Sioux Falls in 1953. Among KELO's early
programs was Captain 11, an afternoon children's
program. Captain 11 ran from 1955 until 1996,
making it the longest continuously running
children's television program in the nation.
A number of South Dakotans are famous for
their work in the fields of television and
publishing. Former NBC Nightly News anchor
and author Tom Brokaw is from Webster and
Yankton, USA Today founder Al Neuharth was
from Eureka and Alpena, gameshow host Bob
Barker spent much of his childhood in Mission,
and entertainment news hosts Pat O'Brien and
Mary Hart are both from Sioux Falls.
Education
As of 2006, South Dakota has a total primary
and secondary school enrollment of 136,872,
with 120,278 of these students being educated
in the public school system. There are 703
public schools in 168 school districts, giving
South Dakota the highest number of schools
per capita in the United States. The current
high school graduation rate is 89.9%, and
the average ACT score is 21.8, slightly above
the national average of 21.1. 89.8% of the
adult population has earned at least a high
school diploma, and 25.8% has earned a bachelor's
degree or higher. South Dakota's 2008 average
public school teacher salary of $36,674, compared
to a national average of $52,308, was the
lowest in the nation.
The South Dakota Board of Regents, whose members
are appointed by the governor, controls the
six public universities in the state. South
Dakota State University, in Brookings, is
the largest university in the state, with
an enrollment of 12,376. The University of
South Dakota, in Vermillion, is the state's
oldest university, and has South Dakota's
only law school and medical school. South
Dakota also has several private universities,
the largest of which is Augustana College
in Sioux Falls.
Sports and recreation
Organized sports
Because of its low population, South Dakota
does not host any major league professional
sports franchises. The state does have a number
of minor league teams, all of which play in
either Sioux Falls or Rapid City. Sioux Falls
is currently home to four teams: the Sioux
Falls Canaries, the Sioux Falls Skyforce,
the Sioux Falls Stampede, and the Sioux Falls
Storm. The Canaries play at Sioux Falls Stadium,
while the others play at the Sioux Falls Arena.
Rapid City has a hockey team named the Rapid
City Rush. The Rush began their inaugural
season in 2008 at the Rushmore Plaza Civic
Center.
Universities in South Dakota host a variety
of sports programs. For many years, South
Dakota was one of the only states in the country
without a NCAA Division I football or basketball
team. However, several years ago SDSU decided
to move their teams from Division II to Division
I, a move that has since been followed by
the University of South Dakota. Other universities
in the state compete at the NCAA's Division
II or III levels, or in the NAIA.
Famous South Dakota athletes include Billy
Mills, Mike Miller, Mark Ellis, Becky Hammon,
Brock Lesnar, Chad Greenway, and Adam Vinatieri.
Mills is from the town of Pine Ridge and competed
at the 1964 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo,
becoming the only American to win a gold medal
in the 10,000-meter event. Mike Miller of
Mitchell played at the University of Florida,
leading them to the 2000 NCAA Championship
game his sophomore year and won the 2001 NBA
rookie of the year award. Mark Ellis of Rapid
City played for the University of Florida
and is currently a second baseman for the
Los Angeles Dodgers. Becky Hammon of Rapid
City plays for the WNBA's San Antonio Silver
Stars. Lesner, of Webster, is a former heavy-weight
champion in the UFC and WWE. Vinatieri is
an NFL placekicker who grew up in Rapid City
and attended SDSU.
Recreation
Fishing and hunting are both popular outdoor
activities in South Dakota. Fishing contributes
over $170 million to South Dakota's economy,
and hunting contributes over $190 million.
In 2007, over 275,000 hunting licences and
175,000 fishing licences were sold in the
state; around half of the hunting licences
and over two-thirds of the fishing licences
were purchased by South Dakotans. Popular
species of game include pheasants, white-tailed
deer, mule deer, and turkeys, as well as waterfowl
such as Canada geese, snow geese, and mallards.
Targets of anglers include walleye in the
eastern glacial lakes and Missouri River reservoirs,
Chinook salmon in Lake Oahe, and trout in
the Black Hills.
Other sports, such as cycling and running,
are also popular in the state. In 1991, the
state opened the George S. Mickelson Trail,
a 109-mile rail trail in the Black Hills.
Besides being used by cyclists, the trail
is also the site of a portion of the annual
Mount Rushmore marathon; the marathon's entire
course is at an elevation of over 4,000 feet.
Other events in the state include the Tour
de Kota, a 478-mile, six-day cycling event
that covers much of eastern and central South
Dakota, and the annual Sturgis Motorcycle
Rally, which draws hundreds of thousands of
participants from around the United States.
State symbols
Some of South Dakota's official state symbols
include:
State bird: Ring-necked Pheasant
State flower: American Pasque flower
State tree: Black Hills Spruce
State nicknames: Mount Rushmore State, Coyote
state & Sunshine state
State motto: "Under God, the people rule"
State slogan: "Great Faces. Great Places."
State mineral: Rose quartz
State insect: Honey bee – Apis mellifera
L.
State animal: Coyote
State fish: Walleye
State gemstone: Fairburn agate
State song: "Hail, South Dakota!"
See also
Outline of South Dakota – organized list
of topics about
Index of South Dakota-related articles
References
Notes
Bibliography
Hasselstrom, Linda M.. Roadside History of
South Dakota. Missoula, MT: Mountain Press
Publishing Company. ISBN 0-87842-262-5. 
Schell, Herbert S.. History of South Dakota.
Pierre, SD: South Dakota State Historical
Society Press. ISBN 0-9715171-3-4. 
Thompson, Harry F.. A New South Dakota History.
Sioux Falls, SD: Center for Western Studies
– Augustana College. ISBN 978-0-931170-00-3. 
Further reading
Lauck, Jon K. Prairie Republic: The Political
Culture of Dakota Territory, 1879–1889 281
pages
Wishart, David J. ed. Encyclopedia of the
Great Plains, University of Nebraska Press,
2004, ISBN 0-8032-4787-7. complete text online;
900 pages of scholarly articles
External links
Official website of State of South Dakota
South Dakota Department of Tourism
South Dakota State Databases – Annotated
list of searchable databases produced by South
Dakota state agencies and compiled by the
Government Documents Roundtable of the American
Library Association.
Energy Profile for South Dakota
USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific
resources of South Dakota
U.S. Census Bureau
South Dakota State Facts from USDA
South Dakota State Historical Society Press
Books and journals published by the State
Historical Society
South Dakota at DMOZ
Geographic data related to South Dakota at
OpenStreetMap
Dakota Pathways – 20 episodes about the
history of South Dakota
