Historically interesting places
Geographic center of the United States
The geographic center of the United States is located in South Dakota on a private property along Old Hwy 85 outside the city of Belle Fourche in western South Dakota. Those who take this little excursion will be able to reward themselves with extraordinary pictures of the street sign that indicates the geographic center of the USA. Walking there is permitted by the ranch owner, but a bit cumbersome because you have to maneuver through a cow pasture with its fences.
- Abbreviationfinder.org: Find common acronyms associated with South Dakota. Also see top 10 cities by population in South Dakota.
- Allcitycodes: Lists of all area codes of South Dakota. Also includes state overview and counties by area code in South Dakota.
Lewis and Clark Trail
The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail is a long-distance hiking trail and is reminiscent of the expedition of 1804. The trail is part of the National Trails System of the United States of America, but not in its entirety as a hiking trail. The long-distance hiking trail is around 6,000 km long. The trail begins in Wood River Illinois and continues to the mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon. The trail that traces the historical route of the explorers Lewis and Clark runs through the states of Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana,Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
Fort Sisseton Historic State Park near Aberdeen
The Fort Sisseton Historic State Park comprises 14 original structures from the former fort of 1864. The Fort Sisseton Historic State Park, which is named after the Sisseton tribe, covers an area of approximately 140,000 m²
and is a popular family day out.
Mammoth Site at Hot Springs
The Mammoth Site near the city of Hot Springs consists of a museum and the actual excavation site. In 1974 bony remains of mammoths were found here in karst dolines.
The excavations and research have not yet been completed.
Minuteman Missile National Historic Site at Wall
The Minuteman Missile National Historic Site near the city of Wall preserves the memory of the Cold War and the nuclear arms race of the United States and USSR. The complex includes a launch silo for the three-stage Minuteman ICBM and the actual rocket, which fortunately is no longer equipped with a nuclear warhead.
Special buildings and structures
State Capitol in Pierre
The State Capitol of the state of South Dakota in the capital Pierre was built from 1905 to 1910 and represents a mix of several architectural styles. The seat of the legislature and the governor is characterized by its structural features. For example, the building has an extremely artistically designed terrazzo floor. The rotunda of the State Capitol is made of black copper and has a height of approx. 30 m.
| Contact | 500 E Capitol Ave Pierre, South Dakota 57501 |
Corn Palace in Mitchell
The Corn Palace in the city of Mitchell is a very peculiar building. The Corn Palace was built in 1892. Today’s Corn Palace is the third building and was built from 1919 to 1921. The Corn Palace served and serves the population as a gathering place and place for performances of various kinds. The specialty in the interior of the Corn Palace are the works of art and wall painting made of corn. 13 different types of corn are used, each with a different color. The artworks change annually. The Corn Palace is also used for trade fairs, dance performances and basketball. The Corn Palace is affectionately referred to as the “Taj Mahal of Agriculture”. Incidentally, admission is free and that is used by around 500,000 visitors every year.
| Contact | 604 North Main Street Mitchell, South Dakota 57301 www.cornpalace.com |
Wall drug in wall
The Wall Drug in the city of Wall, actually Wall Drug Store, is a mixture of shopping mile, drug store, souvenir shops, restaurants and other shops. Despite this very unique mix, the Wall Drug is one of the most popular tourist attractions in South Dakota. The beginning of the business goes back to 1931. In the beginning, economic success was a long way off, but with the offer of free ice water, the tourists who were on their way to Mount Rushmore came. So the business grew little by little to this day. Outside of the actual shop is the 24 m high dinosaur replica, which is now as well known as the shop itself. Those who walk along Interstate Highway 90 through South Dakota from west to east
| Contact | 510 Main Street Wall, South Dakota 57790 www.walldrug.com |
Old Courthouse in Sioux Falls
The Old Courthouse in the city of Sioux Falls was built from 1889 to 1893. It was built from quartzite. The 16 large murals by the Norwegian born Ole Running are also interesting. The Old Courthouse was used until 1962 when it became too small to cope with the tasks. In 1974 the Old Courthouse became the Old Courthouse Museum, which nowadays offers exhibitions from local history to the Vietnam War. Entry is free.
| Contact | 200 West 6th Street Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57104 |
Qwest Tower in Sioux Falls
The Qwest Tower in the city of Sioux Falls with a height of 53 m and its 11 floors is the tallest building in the state and “dominates” the “skyline” of the city. The building is owned by the telecommunications company CenturyLink.
| Contact | 125 S Dakota Ave Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57104 |
Sculpture Walk in Sioux Falls
The Sculpture Walk in the city of Sioux Falls is a cluster of 55 sculptures in the city center that can be “walked” and viewed on one route. You can also choose your favorite sculpture online later.
| Contact | 200 West 6th Street Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57104 www.sculpturewalksiouxfalls.com |
1UpTravel.com – Maps of South Dakota
Browse a collection of state, city, and national park maps of this US state. Check out the maps of Sturgis city and Wind Cave National Park.
Website: http://www.1uptravel.com/worldmaps/south-dakota.html
South Dakota – National Geographic Map Machine
Locate where Mt. Rushmore is on the shaded-relief map. Also features a brief profile of the economy.
Website: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/maps/atlas/usstates/ssodak
South Dakota – University of Texas Library
Flip through maps of the state and its points of interest, including the Badlands and Wind Cave National Park.
Website: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/Libs/PCL/Map_collection/south_dako
South Dakota – US Census Bureau Map
Explore a state map that’s divided into counties, and learn about congressional districts and state data centers.
Website: http://www.census.gov/datamap/www/46.html
