US and South Dakota Flags on Our Flagpole

South Dakota – The Mount Rushmore State

Topographic and Transportation Map of South Dakota
Topographic and Transportation Map of South Dakota

South Dakota contains two National Scenic Byways.  The Peter Norbeck National Scenic Byway is in the Black Hills, while the Native American Scenic Byway runs along the Missouri River in the north-central part of the state.  Other scenic byways include the Badlands Loop Scenic Byway, the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway, and the Wildlife Loop Road Scenic Byway.

South Dakota is one of the two contiguous US states, Wyoming being the other, lacking Amtrak service.

South Dakota’s largest commercial airports in terms of passenger traffic are the Sioux Falls Regional Airport and Rapid City Regional Airport.

Rapid City Airport
Rapid City Airport

Several other cities in the state also have commercial air service: Aberdeen Regional Airport, Pierre Regional Airport, and Watertown Regional Airport.  Airline services to the later two destinations are subsidized by the Essential Air Service program.

Flag of South Dakota:

On the flag of the state of South Dakota the sun represents the common weather in South Dakota.  Representing the state of South Dakota is a field of sky blue charged with a version of the state seal in the center, surrounded by gold triangles representing the sun’s rays, surrounded in turn by inscriptions in gold sans-serif capitals of “SOUTH DAKOTA” on top and “THE MOUNT RUSHMORE STATE” on the bottom.

South Dakota Flag 1992 to Present
South Dakota Flag 1992 to Present

The inscription on the bottom was “the sunshine state” before it was changed in 1992.

Flag of South Dakota 1963 to 1992
Flag of South Dakota 1963 to 1992

The first flag of South Dakota was largely similar to the flag of today.

South Dakota Flag from 1909 to 1963
South Dakota Flag from 1909 to 1963

State Nickname:

The official nickname of South Dakota is “Mount Rushmore State” so designated in 1992.  The nickname appears on South Dakota’s state flag.

South Dakota Quarter
South Dakota Quarter

Mount Rushmore itself is featured on the U.S. Mint’s bicentennial commemorative quarter for South Dakota.

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