Welcome to Pierre, SD

As you descend into the Missouri River valley going west on U.S. Highway 14, a city creeps over the bluffs.   You have entered Pierre, South Dakota’s state capitol city. 

Nestled a few miles south of the Lake Oahe reservoir, Pierre is a refreshing change from the urban clutter of its eastern counterpart St. Paul, Minnesota.   It even tops its northern counterpart of Bismarck, North Dakota in this regard; in all of Pierre the only “high rise” to be seen is the dome of the South Dakota state capitol building.   South Dakotans keep their state capitol modest, but there are an awful lot of businesses along the main drag that touts they have “casinos.”   There is even a car wash there that claims to have one!   But Pierre is not the Las Vegas of the Northern Plains by any means; most of these “casinos” are a few slot machines shoehorned into businesses.  Their predominance across the Missouri from what once was the Great Sioux Reservation reeks of sad irony.  South Dakota’s Lakota tribe has so far been unable to tap the casino trade like the Ojibwe tribe has in Minnesota.

Pierre is also chock-full of history.   Lewis and Clark passed by the future state capitol while traveling up the west bank of the Missouri.   The bridge which carries U.S. 14 across the river is named after Commander John C. Waldron, the native of neighboring Fort Pierre who led Torpedo Squadron 8 on its flight to glory at the battle of Midway.   And there is a Jim dandy museum dedicated to the South Dakota National Guard full of interesting displays of artifacts and equipment.   They even have an A-7 Corsair II jet parked out front!   It is being studied by yours truly in the photo above.   Finally, there is the historic state capitol building; its dome is just visible in the left background of the picture.  

There are a number of lodgings available.   I stayed at the Best Western Ramkota Pierre.   Apart from it having no on-site restaurant, it wasn’t half-bad, especially the pool and hot tub.   There are a number of places to eat, both local and chain (fast food and other) available to choose from along with several other hostelry’s.   All in all, Pierre is well worth a visit.   For more information, consult their Chamber of Commerce website.

Photo of Richard H. by Ed H.