South Dakota is the Mount Rushmore State, a land of sweeping Great Plains, dramatic Badlands formations, and the storied Black Hills. From the granite faces of four presidents to the fossil-rich Badlands, the buffalo herds of Custer State Park, and the raucous saloons of Deadwood, South Dakota rewards travelers with authentic American West experiences far from the usual tourist circuits.
Historical timeline
Key moments that shaped South Dakota.
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1
Mammoths roam what is now Hot Springs; site now preserved as the Mammoth Site
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2
Lakota Sioux arrive in the Black Hills, driving out the Cheyenne
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3
Fort Laramie Treaty guarantees the Black Hills to the Lakota Nation 'in perpetuity'
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4
General Custer's illegal expedition confirms gold in the Black Hills — igniting the Black Hills Gold Rush
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5
Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull defeat Custer at Little Bighorn; gold rush continues illegally
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6
South Dakota admitted to the Union as the 40th state
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7
Wounded Knee Massacre — US 7th Cavalry kills 250–300 Lakota men, women, and children
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8
Gutzon Borglum carves Mount Rushmore — four presidents take 14 years to complete
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9
Korczak Ziolkowski begins carving Crazy Horse Memorial
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10
AIM occupation of Wounded Knee — 71-day standoff brought national attention to Native American rights
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11
US Supreme Court rules US violated the 1868 treaty; Lakota Nation refuses $106 million payment — demand return of the Black Hills
Historical sites
Places where South Dakota's past comes alive.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Where: Keystone
Admission: Adult: $10 USD parking (all passengers enter free) | Child: Free
Crazy Horse Memorial
Where: Custer
Admission: Adult: $16 USD per person | Child: Under 6 free
Deadwood Historic District
Where: Deadwood
Admission: Adult: Free to walk; Adams Museum $7 USD; Days of '76 Museum $8 USD | Child: Free under 12
Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
Where: Philip / Badlands area
Admission: Adult: $10 USD for underground launch facility tour | Child: Free under 15
Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center
Where: Chamberlain
Admission: Adult: Free (donations welcome) | Child: Free
Wounded Knee Memorial
Where: Pine Ridge Reservation
Admission: Adult: Free; respectful donations to local guides welcome | Child: Free
Mammoth Site of Hot Springs
Where: Hot Springs
Admission: Adult: $14 USD | Child: $9 USD (4–12 years)
Adams Museum (Deadwood)
Where: Deadwood
Admission: Adult: $7 USD | Child: $4 USD (6–12)
South Dakota State Capitol
Where: Pierre
Admission: Adult: Free | Child: Free
Fort Sisseton Historic State Park
Where: Lake City
Admission: Adult: $8 USD/vehicle | Child: Included