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 71 South Dakota Highway 71 South Dakota Highway 71 (SD 71) is a state highway in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of South Dakota. It travels from the Nebraska state line, where it continues as N-2/N-71, through the Black Hills National Forest, to U.S. Route 18 Bypass (US 18 Byp.) in Hot Springs. The road was originally a part of SD 87. It became SD 71 in 1962. SD 71's southern terminus is at the Nebraska border in Black Hills National Forest where it has the same number. In the forest, the route meets the terminus of South Dakota