South Dakota State Guide

South Dakota takes its name from the Dakota natives, one of several tribes that make up the Great Sioux Nation. Located in the north-central U.S., South Dakota is a predominantly rural state, with a population of less than a million spread out over 77,000 square miles. While agriculture dominates the state's economy, tourism also plays a large part. From De Smet (the childhood home of writer Laura Ingalls Wilder) to Deadwood (where "Wild Bill" Hickock met a grisly demise in Nuttal & Mann's Saloon No. 10), South Dakota's Wild West heritage is on ready display. Mount Rushmore, featuring the iconic sculptures of four former U.S. presidents, is located in South Dakota's Black Hills region and draws nearly 2 million visitors each year.