Pierre, South Dakota Pierre, South Dakota Pierre (; Lakota: "čhúŋkaške", "fort") is the state capital of the U.S. state of South Dakota, and the county seat of Hughes County. The population was 13,646 at the 2010 census, making it the second-least populous state capital in the United States after Montpelier, Vermont, and the eighth-most populous city in South Dakota. Founded in 1880 on the east bank of the Missouri River opposite Fort Pierre, Pierre has been the state capital since South Dakota gained statehood on November 2, 1889. It was challenged by Huron for the capital and won because of its location in
South Dakota Highway 168 maintained by SDDOT. In 2012, the traffic on the highway was measured in average annual daily traffic. The route had an average of 165 vehicles. The designation is not a part of the National Highway System, a system of highways important to the nation's defense, economy, and mobility. The Unofficial South Dakota Highways Page South Dakota Highway 168 South Dakota Highway 168 (SD 168) is a state highway in Butte County in the U.S. state of South Dakota. It runs from U.S. Route 85 (US 85) to SD 79. The highway is maintained by the South Dakota Department of Transportation