According to growtheology, South Dakota is the state with some of the most important attractions in America. National parks, memories of the wild west and traditions provide all the ingredients for an unforgettable vacation!
South Dakota is one of the states of the United States. The capital is Pierre. The state’s nickname is the “Mount Rushmore State”.
History
The area that is now called South Dakota was originally populated by Indian tribes such as the Dakota, Lakota, Nakota and Cheyenne. The first three are related and grouped together as the Sioux. The Cheyenne lived (among other places) in the far west of present-day South Dakota. Lakota means “friend”. The Sioux originally lived further east, but moved into present-day South Dakota in the early eighteenth century. In 1679, the French explorer Daniel Greysolon du Lhut sent some scouts west from Lake Mille Lacs ( current Minnesota). They may have reached present-day South Dakota.
In 1763, France had to cede the area to Spain. South Dakota was formally part of New Spain, and Spain developed a policy for the northern area that focused on better trade relations with the local Indian tribes and an exploration of the area that looked for a waterway connection between the Missouri and the Pacific Ocean.
Large numbers of settlers came to South Dakota, especially after the construction of a railroad to Yankton. In addition, gold was discovered in the Black Hills in 1874 during a military expedition led by George Armstrong Custer. The Blacks Hills were located in western South Dakota, territory that was part of the larger Great Sioux Reservation granted to the Sioux by the Treaty of Fort Laramie (1868). The Sioux did not grant any mining rights or land to the settlers. However, the United States could not prevent white settlers from entering the reservation, after which the Great Sioux War broke out in 1876 after mounting tension, in which the Sioux were defeated.
In 1889, preparations were made to recognize North and South Dakota as a United States state. They chose to split the area into a northern and a southern part because the white settlements were also separate in the north and south.
North Dakota and South Dakota formally became the 39th and 40th states of the United States on November 2, 1889. Pierre, at the time the third largest city in the state after Sioux Falls and Yankton, became the state capital due to its more central location in the state (Sioux Falls and Yankton are both in the southeast). On December 29, 1890, a massacre took place near the town of Wounded Knee.
Geography
The state of South Dakota, like North Dakota, is part of the Great Plains region. South Dakota borders North Dakota to the north, Montana and Wyoming to the west, Minnesota and Iowa to the east, and Nebraska to the south. river is the Missouri. Most of the state is fairly flat, but to the west are the Black Hills and the Badlands. The highest point is Harney Peak (2207m). In the Black Hills is the world famous Mount Rushmore monument. The Badlands are rich in fossils.
Badland National Park
Badlands National Park is located near the Black Hills in South Dakota. The national park covers more than 97 thousand hectares with real “Badlands”. Deep canyons, rugged rock formations and a variety of colors and prairies that are more than 75 million years old. Millions of years in which the water caused erosion and damming with the wind and the sun gave this landscape a unique appearance.
Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore is perhaps the most famous site in South Dakota. The four American presidents are carved into the rock: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.
Crazy Horse
The Crazy Horse Memorial is a monument currently being carved into the granite of the Black Hills in honor of the 19th century Lakota leader Crazy Horse. When completed it will depict Crazy horse riding a Galloping horse . The statue will be 195 meters long and 172 meters high.
Custer State Park
Custer State Park is located near Rapid City and is known for its huge herd of bison. With 1300 bison, this herd is one of the largest herds in the United States. Once a year, the so-called Buffalo Roundup is done, in which about 1300 bison are caught by cowboys on horseback. They are captured to check their health. The Buffalo Roundup is a one-day festival for visitors, but actually lasts a whole week. It’s quite a spectacle!
Deadwood
Deadwood is one of South Dakota’s most historic sites. The legendary ‘Wild Bill’ Hickok is buried here. With its rugged past, the city offers various activities and attractions that will take you back to the gold miners and gunfighters.
