| South Dakota is a large state with 77,000 | | | | there is the state school, Northern |
| square miles and 750,000 people. It is known | | | | University. Nearby is the Richmond Lake |
| for farming and some of its tourist | | | | Recreational area, with cabins and other |
| atrractions, particularly the Mt. Rushmore | | | | camping facilities. It has over 10 miles of |
| sculptures, in the Black Hills, and its | | | | trails for hikers and bikers, and there is |
| national parks. There is also a large | | | | extensive fishing and wildlife in the area. |
| banking sector in the state, something to | | | | |
| keep in mind when choosing your South Dakota | | | | South Dakota is also known for its National |
| Incorporation. Its largest city is Sioux | | | | Parks and Monuments. In 1978 the Badlands |
| Falls, with 145,000 people, and the capital | | | | National Park was formed, and before that in |
| is Pierre. Other larger cities are Rapid | | | | 1903, the Wind Cave National Park. Wind Cave |
| City and Aberdeen. South Dakota also has | | | | has nearly 120 miles of explored underground |
| casinos at Deadwood and various Indian | | | | passageways. |
| reservations. | | | | |
| | | | Mt. Rushmore is truly a unique American |
| The Missouri River runs through the center of | | | | monument. It shows the faces of four |
| the state. Four dams on the Missouri River | | | | American Presidents, George Washington. |
| have created flood control and hydropower and | | | | Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and |
| recreational opportunities. Overall, South | | | | Abraham Lincoln. It was begun in 1927 by the |
| Dakota is a fairly dry state, with most of | | | | sculptor Gutson Borglum, and took 14-years to |
| the state averaging 25-inches or less. This | | | | complete. The faces are 60 feet high, 500 |
| does create periodic problems with drought. | | | | feet up the mountain side. Mt. Rushmore goes |
| Agricultural production includes beef, wheat, | | | | up 5.725 feet. There is also the Lincoln |
| corn, soybeans, sheep and poultry. | | | | Borglum museum at the site, with exhibits and |
| | | | a film shown. |
| There are no personal or corporate taxes in | | | | |
| the state, which has made the state known as | | | | Badlands National Park has its famous |
| very business friendly. Due to the state?s | | | | moonscape, which is created by eons of |
| corporate policies, such financial giants | | | | erosion. There are also rich deposits of |
| such as Citigroup have moved into the state, | | | | fossils here. Badlands National Park is |
| and are large employers, mainly in Sioux | | | | located in Southwestern South Dakota. |
| City. Other banks active in the state are | | | | |
| Great Western Bank, Bank First, HSBC and | | | | More than 62,000 American Indians live in |
| Wells Fargo. Many of these banks moved into | | | | South Dakota, mostly of the Sioux peoples. |
| South Dakota in 1981 when the usury ceiling | | | | Most of these tribes operate casinos. There |
| on interest rates was raised, and moved their | | | | is the Dakota Sioux Casino, near Watertown, |
| credit card divisions here. Other industries | | | | north of Sioux Falls. It has blackjack, |
| in Sioux City are John Morrell meat packing | | | | slot machines, poker, as well as fine dining |
| plant, and Hutchinson Tech- a manufacturer of | | | | and entertainment. Another casino is in |
| close-tolerance products and precise | | | | Lower Brule, called the Golden Buffalo Casino |
| metal-springs that hold disk drive?s | | | | and Motel. There are slot machines here. It |
| recording heads. Tyco has an electronic | | | | is by the Crow Creek Indian Reservation, |
| power component in Watertown, South Dakota. | | | | southeast of Pierre, the state capital. |
| In Aberdeen, closer to the Canadian border, | | | | |