Pierre

South Dakota State Capitol

Pierre, city, seat (1880) of Hughes county and capital of South Dakota, U.S. It lies on the eastern bank of the Missouri River, in the geographic centre of the state.

Arikara and, later, Sioux Indians were early inhabitants of the area, which was visited by the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1804. The first permanent settlement was a fur-trading post built in 1817 on the western side of the river. Pierre was founded in 1880 as the western terminus of the Chicago and North Western Railway and named for Pierre Chouteau, Jr., a fur trader and entrepreneur. Growth was spurred by its position as a railhead for the mining industry and as a trade centre for a large area, including prosperous farming and cattle country. In 1889, when South Dakota became a state, Pierre was named the temporary capital; in elections in 1890 and 1904, it was chosen the permanent capital.

The capitol building (1905–10) is on a 115-acre (47-hectare) tract that includes the governor’s mansion (1937), the Flaming Fountain (veterans’ memorial), several other memorials, the Cultural Heritage Center (1989; headquarters for the South Dakota State Historical Society), and a 5-acre (2-hectare) artesian-fed lake. Oahe Dam (1948–62)—a power, irrigation, recreation, and flood-control project 5 miles (8 km) north of Pierre—has impounded the 231-mile (372-km) Lake Oahe along the Missouri River between Pierre and Bismarck, North Dakota. Fort Pierre, across the river, was the fur-trade capital of the Northwest from 1832 to 1855; a monument there marks the place where Louis-Joseph and François Vérendrye buried a lead plate in 1743 (found in 1913) claiming the region for France. Other attractions in Pierre include the South Dakota Discovery Center and Aquarium and the South Dakota National Guard Museum. Fishing is popular in the area. Pierre is located on the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. Lower Brule and Crow Creek Sioux reservations are southeast of the city; the Cheyenne River Sioux reservation is northwest. Fort Pierre National Grassland is to the south. Farm Island, West Bend, Okobojo Point, and Cow Creek recreation areas are also nearby.

Government and services are the basis of Pierre’s economy, and the city is a regional trade centre. Outdoor recreation opportunities contribute to the tourism industry. Area agriculture includes cattle, hogs, wheat, corn (maize), sunflowers, oats, soybeans, and sorghum. Inc. 1883. Pop. (2000) 13,876; (2010) 13,646.