SD Facts/Trivia (Mitchell, Pierre, Yankton: home, tenant, high school)

[MJ1986]

Here are some facts about South Dakota, that I found on a website, and I added a few more... Most of us that live here know some of these, but maybe it will be interesting for the others browsing!

• South Dakota is home to the largest naturally heated indoor swimming pool in the world. Evans Plunge, heated from natural mineral springs, is in Hot Springs.

• The Black Hills was one of the sites considered for the permanent home of the United Nations.

• SD has the largest U.S. population of Hutterites, who originally emigrated from Ukraine in 1874, left en masse for Canada in 1918 following persecution over their pacifist religious beliefs, and partially returned in the 1930s.

• The largest and most complete fossil of a Tyrannosaurus Rex ever found was uncovered near Faith in 1990. Named "Sue," the remains are over 90% complete and are currently on display at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.

• The 1990 movie Dances with Wolves, directed by and starring Kevin Costner as Lieutenant John Dunbar, was filmed almost entirely in South Dakota.

• Three US Navy ships have been named USS South Dakota in honor of the state.

• Five of SD's counties lie entirely within Indian reservations. They are: Corson, Dewey, Shannon, Todd, and Ziebach.

• Pierre is the second-smallest (in terms of population) state capital; only Montpelier, Vermont, has fewer people.

Feel free to add anymore interesting facts...

[MJ1986]

Some more I found:

Belle Fourche is the geographical center of the United States of America, designated in 1959 and noted by an official marker and sheepherder's monument called a "Stone Johnnie".
Tom Brokaw of NBC graduated from Yankton High School and the University of South Dakota.
Harney Peak, at 7242 above sea level, is the highest point in the United States east of the Rockies.
Mitchell is the home of the world's only Corn Palace.
The Flaming Fountain on South Dakota State Capitol Lake is fed by an artesian well with natural gas content so high that it can be lit. The fountain glows perpetually as a memorial to all veterans.
The U.S.S. South Dakota was the most decorated battleship during World War II.

[ElkHunter]

Jammie, it's time to bring back the "South Dakota Facts" thread. haha

[Jammie]

I like those and I'm glad you shared them with us. Actually, there were a couple that I didn't know.

[MJ1986]

hehe, jeez a multiple thread.... Shoot me!
Thank you Jammie.

[ElkHunter]

hahahaha It kind of died cause we run out of fun things to question each other with. We bump it up about once a year and it runs for a while till we get tired of it. But it's a lot of fun.

[Chris19]

The facts are very interesting and many make me proud to be a South Dakotan. The state is unique in its special way.