Dakota Capitols – South

Having come South from Bismarck on route 83 to Pierre

We mostly just visited the capitol in Pierre (note, it is pronounced “peer”…who knew?), as we had a pretty relaxing time here. We actually stayed across the Missouri in Fort Pierre, up on the hill, in a campsite overlooking downtown Fort Pierre, the Missouri River, and Pierre. It was nice just hanging out. We even ate outside, not something we do often.

Interestingly, Fort Pierre is in Mountain Time and Pierre is in Central Time. (The time zone split for much of South Dakota is the Missouri River.) We heard that most people in Fort Pierre live as if in Central Time. However, the bars in town benefit from actually being in Mountain Time, as they can stay open an hour later than in Pierre.

Afternoon touring 1 new State Capitol:

• South Dakota State Capitol in Pierre (#42), where, with the help of a very good pamphlet, we spent more time taking a Self Tour, than we often do on a tour guide led tour! We then walked around the Capitol Lake and a bit around town, finding many of the 32 statues of South Dakota Governors Statues on the Governors Trail. Fascinating.

An afternoon exploring Fort Pierre

We did take time Tuesday afternoon to:

• visit the Casey Tibbs Rodeo Museum, less than a mile down the hill from our campground.
• walk around downtown Fort Pierre and to the park which preserves the place where, on the Missouri River, Lewis and Clark first met with the Sioux Nation in September 1804.
• Drive a few miles north to visit the Oahe Dam, a large earthen dam on the Missouri River, which creates Lake Oahe, and whose power plant provides electricity for much of the north-central United States. Lake Oahe is the fourth-largest man-made reservoir in the United States, stretching 231 miles up the course of the Missouri to Bismarck, ND.

Continuing south on route 83 today, then east on I-90 to Sioux Falls

For more pictures (later), see Adventure Album: X-Country East

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