Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Pierre (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: South Dakota State Capitol, South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center, and Dakota. Also, be sure to include Oahe Dam in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Pierre (South Dakota).
Table of Contents
South Dakota State Capitol
Building in Pierre, South Dakota. The South Dakota State Capitol is the state capitol building of the U.S. state of South Dakota. Housing the South Dakota State Legislature, it is located in the state capitol of Pierre at 500 East Capitol Avenue. The building houses the offices of most state officials, including the Governor of South Dakota.[1]
Address: 500 E Capitol Ave, 57501-5007 Pierre
South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center
Archive. The South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre, South Dakota, is the headquarters of the South Dakota State Historical Society. Opened in 1989, the center houses the State Historical Society’s administrative, historic preservation, and research and publishing offices. The Center is also the home of the State Archives and Museum which manages the South Dakota Digital Archives. Through these five programs, the South Dakota State Historical Society preserves and interprets the history and culture of South Dakota and its people.
The Museum of the South Dakota State Historical Society was founded in 1901. The collection has grown to over 30,000 artifacts. The State Archives was created by the State Legislature in 1975, but the origins of the archives collections date back to the creation of the State Historical Society in 1891. The State Archives contains over 12,000 cubic feet of records that document many aspects of South Dakota’s history and heritage.[2]
Address: 900 Governors Dr, 57501-2200 Pierre
Dakota
Swing bridge in South Dakota. The Chicago and North Western Railroad Bridge is a bridge on the National Register of Historic Places in Pierre, South Dakota. The Pennsylvania through truss bridge is 2,200 feet long and has two spans. The bridge's second span is a swing span; the bridge is the only extant swing bridge in South Dakota. The Chicago and North Western Railway built the bridge in 1907. It was the first permanent bridge across the Missouri River in central South Dakota. It was added to the National Register on November 19, 1998.[3]
Oahe Dam
Large dam with a recreational reservoir. The Oahe Dam is a large earthen dam on the Missouri River, just north of Pierre, South Dakota, United States. The dam creates Lake Oahe, the fourth-largest man-made reservoir in the United States. The reservoir stretches 231 miles up the course of the Missouri to Bismarck, North Dakota. The dam's power plant provides electricity for much of the north-central United States. It is named for the Oahe Indian Mission established among the Lakota Sioux in 1874.
The project provides flood control, hydropower generation, irrigation, and navigation benefits. Oahe Dam is one of six Missouri River mainstem dams, the next dam upstream is Garrison Dam, near Riverdale, North Dakota, and the next dam downstream is Big Bend Dam, near Fort Thompson, South Dakota.[4]
Methodist Episcopal Church
Building in Pierre, South Dakota. The Methodist Episcopal Church built in 1910 is an historic Methodist church located at 117 Central Avenue, North in Pierre, South Dakota. The original congregation, which dates from 1880, moved in 1881 from rented halls to its first building on Fort Street. In 1883 it moved to a building on the present Central Avenue site. The present Late Gothic Revival-style building was built in 1910. It was designed by John P. Eisentraut of the Black Hills Company, architects of Deadwood, and built by parishioner F. Turner. It "included space for the first library in Pierre, a gymnasium, and a plunge pool." On May 9, 1997, the 1910 building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It is now the Pierre First United Methodist Church. In February 2012, Reverend Dan Bader was announced as the new Senior Pastor.[5]
Address: 117 N Central Ave, Pierre
St. Charles Hotel
Hotel in Pierre, South Dakota. St. Charles Hotel may signify:
- St. Charles Hotel (Los Angeles), originally called the Bella Union Hotel
- St. Charles Hotel (Pierre, South Dakota)
- Rector Hotel (Seattle, Washington), known as the St. Charles Hotel from 1917 to 1931.
Hilger Block
The Hilger Block is a historic commercial building located at 361 S. Pierre St. in Pierre, South Dakota. J.D. Hilger built the building in 1883 to use as a clothing store. The building was the first brick commercial block in Pierre. The building was designed in the Italianate style and features a bracketed cornice with dentils and moldings, long and narrow windows with ornamental hoods, and a flat parapet along the roofline. As West Pierre became the main business district of Pierre, the Hilger Block became a desirable location for businesses; by 1890, it had twelve tenants, with businesses on the first floor and professional offices on the second.
The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 31, 2006.[7]
Horner-Hyde House
Building in Pierre. The Horner–Hyde House is a historic house located at 100 W. Capitol Ave. in Pierre, South Dakota. Henry Horner started building the house in 1889 and continued adding to it until 1913. The Queen Anne house features shingle siding in its gables, a cross gabled roof, and a bay window on its east side. While living in the house, Horner was a prominent attorney and real estate dealer who served two terms in the South Dakota Senate. After Horner died in 1930, Charles Lee Hyde bought the house. Hyde came from a family of wealthy real estate developers; in addition to managing the family's land, Hyde served in the South Dakota Senate and House of Representatives and helped lead local youth groups.
The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 20, 1988.[8]
Karcher-Sahr House
The Karcher–Sahr House is a historic house located at 222 E. Prospect St. in Pierre, South Dakota. Built in 1910, the house was designed in the Classical Revival style. The house's design features a dentillated cornice with modillions and moldings, two-story Ionic columns supporting a pediment over the front entrance, and a front and side porch. The house's first owner, Henry Karcher, was an early settler and businessman in Pierre who also served as the city's mayor. After his daughter Marguerite married Fred Sahr, the couple lived in the house. Marguerite was a prominent activist for women's suffrage, and her son William was a state legislator.
The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 22, 1977.[9]
South Dakota Governor's Residence
The South Dakota Governor's Residence is the official residence of the governor of South Dakota. The first resident, Governor Mike Rounds, lived in the house after its dedication on August 3, 2005. Its current resident is Governor Kristi Noem.[10]
John E. and Ruth Hipple House
The John E. and Ruth Hipple House is a historic house located at 219 N. Highland in Pierre, South Dakota. Built in 1913, the Prairie School house features a roof with a low pitch and overhanging eaves, a front porch, and a horizontal emphasis throughout its design. The home was originally owned by John E. and Ruth Hipple, both of whom were prominent Pierre citizens. John served as Pierre's mayor from 1924 to 1939 and owned the Capital Journal, while Ruth was an important figure in the local women's suffrage movement.
The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 6, 2001.[11]