Pierre, the capital of South Dakota

Territorial capitals

Before statehood, Dakota Territory was governed first from Yankton, in the far southeast, from 1861, and then from Bismarck, from 1883. When the territory was divided in 1889, Bismarck went to North Dakota, and the new state of South Dakota needed a capital of its own.

The capital contests

On October 1, 1889, when voters in the southern half of the territory adopted their constitution, they also chose Pierre as the temporary capital. Its backers argued for its central location and its position on the Missouri River. The first state legislature and officers convened there on October 15, 1889, a few weeks before statehood.

The choice was challenged twice. On November 4, 1890, voters made Pierre the permanent capital over Huron, and on November 8, 1904, they confirmed it again after a hard-fought campaign by Mitchell.

The Capitol

The Legislature authorized a new Capitol in 1905, and it was built from 1905 to 1910 for almost $1 million, to a design by C. E. Bell and M. S. Detwiler of Minneapolis similar to the Montana State Capitol. The cornerstone was laid on June 25, 1908, and the building was dedicated on June 30, 1910. The rotunda floor sits 96 feet below the inner dome, and the copper outer dome rises another 65 feet above that.

The builders saved money where they could. The columns are scagliola, an imitation marble that cost about $100 a column in 1910, compared with about $1,000 for real marble. The House and Senate chambers were given the same decorating budget, so the Senate, with half as many members, ended up the more lavishly finished.

The blue stones

The Capitol has a famous puzzle. Each of the 66 Italian artisans who laid its terrazzo floor is said to have set a single blue stone as a signature. As of 2010 only 55 had been found.

Restoration

From 1977 to 1989 the Capitol was restored to its original appearance, in time for the state’s centennial in 1989.

Visiting

For visitor information, see Travel South Dakota.