South Dakota State Capitol facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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South Dakota State Capitol
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South Dakota State Capitol
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| Location | Bounded by Broadway, Washington, and Capitol Aves., Pierre, South Dakota |
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| Area | 20 acres (8.1 ha) |
| Built | 1910 |
| Built by | O. H. Olson |
| Architect | Bell & Detweiler; Perkins & McWayne |
| Architectural style | Renaissance Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001737 |
| Added to NRHP | September 1, 1976 |
The South Dakota State Capitol is a very important building in Pierre, South Dakota. It's where the state's government works. This beautiful building is home to the South Dakota State Legislature, which is like the state's law-making team. You can also find the offices of many state leaders here, including the Governor of South Dakota. It's a place where big decisions for the state are made every day!
Contents
About the Capitol Building
How the Capitol Was Built
The South Dakota State Capitol was built a long time ago, between 1905 and 1910. The plans for the building were created by a company of architects from Minneapolis called Bell & Detweiler. They designed it to look a bit like the Montana State Capitol building. Building the Capitol cost almost $1 million back then, which was a huge amount of money!
Later, in 1921, there were plans to add a large section to the north side of the building. This new part was called the Capitol Annex. The first ideas for this addition also came from Bell's company. However, those plans didn't happen. A different group of architects, Perkins & McWayne from Sioux Falls, took over. They finished the Annex project in 1932.
Inside the Capitol: Cool Features
The Amazing Floor
When you walk inside the Capitol, you'll notice the floor is made of special terrazzo tiles. People say that 66 Italian artists laid this floor. To leave their mark, each artist supposedly placed a blue stone somewhere in the floor. So far, only 55 of these blue stones have been found. The others might be hidden under walls or carpets now.
Grand Staircase and Special Dresses
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From the first floor, a grand marble staircase leads you up. In front of this staircase, you can see display cases with a unique collection. It's called the First Lady Gown Collection. These are tiny replicas of the dresses worn by each first lady of South Dakota to the state's special inaugural ball. These miniature dresses are worn by dolls, and next to them, you can see pictures of each governor's family and other cool items.
The Rotunda and Its Secrets
When you reach the second floor, the marble staircase opens into a large, round room called the rotunda. The dome above the rotunda is very tall, reaching 96 feet high! The bottom part of the dome looks like ribbons tied together. This design is meant to show that government lasts forever. Look closely, and you might spot a small mistake: the third pillar from the top on the right side of the railing is actually upside down! This happened during construction.
The inside of the dome is decorated with sixteen pictures of the Tree of Life. You can also see acanthus leaves, which represent wisdom. And don't forget the pasque flower, which is South Dakota's state flower, also decorating the dome.
Where Laws Are Made
The third floor of the Capitol is where the state's lawmakers meet. This is where the South Dakota House of Representatives and the South Dakota Senate have their rooms. These groups work together to create and vote on new laws for the state. If you want to watch them in action, the public galleries are located on the fourth floor. From there, you can observe how the legislative process works.
Outside the Capitol: Important Memorials
Honoring Heroes and Leaders
There are four special memorials located around the Capitol building. These memorials help us remember important people and events in South Dakota's history.
- The Fighting Stallions Memorial is a beautiful sculpture. It honors eight South Dakota residents, including Governor George S. Mickelson, who sadly died in an airplane crash on April 19, 1993.
- The Flaming Fountain Memorial is a unique fountain with a flame that burns all the time, powered by natural gas. It was built to honor all the brave South Dakotans who served in the military.
- The Law Enforcement Officer Memorial is a tribute to police officers who have lost their lives while doing their duty to keep everyone safe.
- The World War II Memorial features six bronze figures on a small area in Capitol Lake. Each figure represents one of the military branches where South Dakota residents served during World War II. There are also statues nearby that honor veterans from the Korean War and the Vietnam War.
In addition to these memorials, you can also find statues of all of South Dakota's past governors. These bronze statues are part of the "Trail of Governors" and are placed around the Capitol grounds.
Making the Capitol Shine Again
Before South Dakota's 100th birthday as a state in 1989, the Capitol building went through a huge makeover. This renovation and restoration project took 22 years to complete! It brought much of the building and its decorations back to their original look, including the beautiful tile floor. Just like the original artists, the workers who repaired the floor were given heart-shaped stones to place in the new sections.
More recently, in 2013, work began to restore the stained glass windows throughout the building. This project cost $2.7 million and was finished just in time for South Dakota's 125th Anniversary celebrations on October 1.
See also
In Spanish: Capitolio del Estado de Dakota del Sur para niños
- List of South Dakota state legislatures
- List of state and territorial capitols in the United States
