Pierre South Dakota

I went to the South Dakota State Historical Societies history conference in Pierre this past weekend and got to explore Pierre’s history through historical markers. I found out that... 

In1804 Lewis and Clark’s Corp of Discovery arrived at what would one day be South Dakota’s Capital but at that time was the vast prairie and part of the Louisiana Purchase that they were exploring. They would help spread the word about the abundant wildlife on the prairie...  

The untouched river was full of fury creatures and soon fur trappers would come along and then fur trading posts (then forts, and settlers, and railroads oh my!) Joseph LaFramboise would build a fur trading post in 1817 which would start the next 50 years of the area being one of America’s fur capitals.  

In the 1860s we would become Dakota Territory and in 1889 South Dakota became a state and in 1890 Pierre became the capital of South Dakota. The first capital building was a wooden structure but the building that stands there today opened in 1910. Pierre is the second smallest State Capital City in America population wise with the smallest state capital population going to Montpelier Vermont! 

If you are visiting Pierre and looking for a way to learn more history there is a Trail of Governors that has life sized statues of former governors that you can explore!