This is the larger crossing over the Missouri River that joins Fort Pierre with Pierre, it carries…read moreUS-14 and State Route 34. It is a simple enough bridge - two lanes in each direction with a pedestrian lane. This is a new bridge, only completed in 2022 and replaces and older bridge. The new bridge has the same name. Nearby is a plaque that explains the life and death of this hero. It reads, "John Charles Waldron was born in Ft. Pierre, SD, on August 21, 1900 and was the youngest of five children born to Charles W. and Jan E. (Van Metre) Waldron, she a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. Waldron attended grade school in Fort Pierre and in 1919 finished high school in Rapid City, SD. He graduated from the US Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD in 1924 and completed Naval flight training in Pensacola, FL in 1926." "In August 1941, Lt. Cmdr. Waldron assumed command of Torpedo Squadron 8, a flight of 15 Douglas TBD Devastator torpedo bombers, based in the Pacific Ocean on the aircraft carrier USS Hornet. Waldron was known for tireless training and meticulous attention to detail in preparing his men for battle." "On June 4, 1942, at the Battle of Midway, Torpedo Squadron 8 under his command was ordered to locate and attack a huge Japanese fleet of destroyers, battleships, and aircraft carriers near Midway Island. Without fighter cover and knowing that his squadron would not have sufficient fuel to return to the USS Hornet, L. Cmdr. Waldron led the 30 men and 15 airplanes of Torpedo Squadron 8 in a ferocious attach against an overwhelming Japanese Force. Twenty-nine Americans, including Lt. Cmdr. Waldron, were killed, and all of the squadron's airplanes were lost in this valiant attack, which is said to have been the turning point of World War II in the Pacific Theater." "Lieutenant Commander John C. Waldron and the men of Torpedo Squadron 8 knew that they would probably not survive this attack against the Japanese and they made a conscious decision to give their lives for their country so that others might live and fight on." "Lieutenant Commander John C. Waldron was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross, Purple Heart, and Presidential Unit Citation for "bravery and dedication to country and duty."" [Review 17841 overall - 44 in South Dakota - 1362 of 2022.]

Beautiful building. I was there early on a Saturday morning, so there were no guided tours, I did…read morethe self tour, the security guard for me that I was the only one in the building. The solitude was also excellent. During renovations to the rotunda, but I have been here before. I got my passport stamped at the station. Just passed the security checkpoint. The grounds are also lovely.

Worth the stop if you're in Pierre! The South Dakota Capitol is small but elegant, with marble…read moredetails and a nice walking path around the grounds. Easy to see everything in under an hour.

On the way out of Mount Rushmore and heading down towards Keystone, you'll find this historical…read moremarker installed by the State of South Dakota and in memory of the man who carved the start of the famous Mount Rushmore National Monument. And if you frame it right, you can get a picture of the monument with the historical marker, which reads: "His birthplace was Idaho. California first taught him art. Then France, who first gave him fame. England welcomed him. America called him home. His genius for the exquisite as for the colossal gave permanence on canvas, in bronze, in marble, to moods of beauty or passion, to figures of legend and history. Nations, cities, colleges paid him tribute. As a patriot he stripped corruption bare. As a statesman he toiled for equality in the rights of man. At last he carved a mountain for a monument. He made the monument chant: 'Remember! These giant souls set America free and kept her free. Hold fast your sacred heritage, Americans! Remember! Remember!' The first actual carving was begun in 1927. The Washington head was dedicated in 1931, representing the founding of our government; the Jefferson in 1936 for the man who made our first great expansion west with the Louisiana Purchase; Lincoln in 1937 for his preservation of the Union; the final head, Roosevelt, in 1939, for the completion of the Panama Canal. Borglum said, 'I want somewhere in America a memory of the great things we accomplished as a nation, placed so high it won't pay to pull it down for lesser purposes.' The project was nearly completed in 1941 when Borglum died. Mount Rushmore was completed by his son Lincoln with the final drilling done October 31, 1941." There are spots on both sides of the highway where you can stop, but watch the traffic if you decide to cross! UPDATE: This is Yelp hamsters at work. This was originally the Gutzon Borglum Historical Marker in Keystone, SD. So let's move it to Pierre, Yelp?

The SD Cultural Heritage Center is a wonderful facility. The museum exhibits are interesting. The…read morecurrent exhibit deals with the minuteman missiles which formed such an interesting part of state history. The museum has additional activities for the kids. The online presence of the CHC is also excellent. I particularly like the old pictures and postcards which have been scanned and placed online. Wonderful!

Along US-14, this marker points out an invisible line. The 100th Meridian, although an imaginary…read moreline on the surface of the earth, has long symbolized the end of the east and the beginning of the west. Major John Wesley Powell, an early western explorer and the second director of the United States Geological Survey, recognized the 100th Meridian as the natural demarcation line between the humid east and the arid west. "Historically that meridian is significant. For two generations the Insurance Companies and other worldwide lending agencies would not, as a matter of agreed policy, lend a shiny dime west of this line. There reason was that some geographer had labeled it the EAST EDGE of the Great American Desert. Neither the geographer nor the Insurance Companies had been west of 100°. Today, more that a quarter of America's new animal wealth alone, is produced from that misnamed desert. This unrealistic, geographically limited loan policy, forced South Dakota into the farm loan business. Our Rural Credit Business cost us plenty and was a splendid illustration of why a State should not be in the loaning business. But South Dakota has paid all its debts in full. The 100th Meridian is just another bad memory. Historically however, the 100° Meridian was a most important one in Western economy." The road does not have any extra space to pull over so use caution. [Review 17845 overall - 47 in South Dakota - 1366 of 2022.]

The Lewis and Clark Memorial Bridge carries Interstate 90 across the Missouri River and connects…read morethe towns of Chamberlain and Oacoma. There is a second bridge just upriver - the Chamberlain Bridge carries Interstate 90 (Business) over the river. Apparently, every state along the Missouri River has its Lewis and Clark Bridge. Construction on the bridge began in 1967 and cost $8 million. It was dedicated on July 7, 1974, and was opened to traffic in August. It has a 3500 causeway and the bridge itself is 2031 feet. While it does a fine job of transporting vehicles over the river, it has no decorative features. An overlook on the bluff above the river is at the Chamberlain Rest Area https://www.yelp.com/biz/chamberlain-rest-stop-chamberlain?hrid=h5FEDPayndvEiFt8Czwmrg. [Review 17151 overall - 32 in South Dakota - 668 of 2022.]

What a wonderfully curated museum-it was somber, but celebrated the Lakota. I had never seen the…read morebuffalo hide boxes and the tipi exhibit was very informative. The craftsmanship of the children's toys, the story of the people was informative. My teens who didn't want to get out of the car loved it. It highlighted how resilient and adaptable they are-when their lives change so drastically when the buffalo were killed and more recently when the kids were sent to American schools and still today. Highly recommend stopping at the rest stop out of town for Destiny. Powerful!

Beautiful museum with tons of information. We could have spent much more time here than we had…read moretime for. No cost to get in but donations accepted. The quilts were some of the most beautiful I have ever seen. Would love to go back sometime. So much more to learn. The people who worked there went over and above to show us things we might not have otherwise seen and very friendly. June 26, 2025