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News • South Dakota • United States • 2012-05-22

A Glimpse into South Dakota’s Past

The fabric of American culture runs thick in South Dakota. Many of the qualities that made America great are entwined in South Dakota’s heritage – legends of the Old West, the allure of Native American culture, the determination of ranchers and farmers, the courage of homesteaders – all are honored and appreciated in the beautiful state of South Dakota. South Dakota was also home to monstrous woolly mammoths and the terrifying tyrannosaurus rex who roamed the land long before humans. Today, visitors to South Dakota can visit museums and historic sites that pay homage to those who came before us.

The northeast area of South Dakota was formed by the scouring of glaciers during the ice age and today features a variety of museums that promote the area’s historical past. The history of Fort Sisseton Historical State Park stretches back nearly 130 years to the days of the Dakota Territory. While in operation, the soldiers stationed at the fort ensured safe passage for settlers, surveyors and others into the Dakota Territory. The Dacotah Prairie Museum in Aberdeen lets visitors step back in time to the time when people first settled the Great Plains region. While in the area, stop by the Redlin Art Center in Watertown to learn about one of America’s most revered outdoor artists, Terry Redlin. The Agricultural Heritage Museum in Brookings devotes itself to educating visitors on the heritage upon which South Dakota culture is founded. Located in the small community of De Smet are the Ingalls Homestead and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society which helped inspire Wilder’s famous “Little House on the Prairie” book series.

Visitors to Sioux Falls, South Dakota’s largest city, have the opportunity to visit some of the city’s oldest buildings at Falls Park, also known for providing the city’s namesake. The Old Courthouse Museum is a beautifully restored 1800s quartzite building that features three floors of regional history exhibits, historic murals and rental spaces. The small university town of Vermillion is home to the National Music Museum, which includes more than 15,000 American, European and non-Western instruments from virtually all cultures and historical periods, and the W.H. Over Museum, which focuses on how the regional environment has changed over the years. Located northeast of Vermillion is the bustling community of Mitchell which features the World’s Only Corn Palace, a shrine to South Dakota’s agricultural heritage. Also located in Mitchell are the Dakota Discovery Museum, a journey into the history of the Dakota Territory and the Prehistoric Indian Village Museum and Archeodome, which educates visitors on those who settled the region long before the westward expansion.

The Chamberlain/Oacoma area lies along the roaring Missouri River. Lewis & Clark once traveled these waters during their legendary expedition in the early 1800s. The heart of Sioux territory today features the Akta Lakota Museum and Cultural Center, which offers visitors a living lesson on the Native American way of life – both past and present. Those interested in Native American culture can also visit the Buffalo Interpretive Center, located just south of the Pierre/Fort Pierre area. This unique attraction teaches the story of the buffalo, its importance and significance in the North American Indian cultures of the Great Plains, and its relationship to the people of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe. Visitors to the Pierre/Fort Pierre area can also visit the Casey Tibbs South Dakota

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