Personal Challenge 2018 - Week 40

This is the 40th week of my personal 50-week States of the Union Challenge. Each week I research one of the 50 United States (in the order they attained statehood). I share tidbits of information about the state here on my blog and I create a card that is inspired by something about that state.

This week's state (the 40th one to attain statehood) is...

South Dakota

Date of Statehood: November 2, 1889

Located in the Midwest region of the United States, South Dakota is bordered by six other states; Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Montana and Wyoming. 

With a total area of 77,116 square miles South Dakota is the 17th largest state in the United States.

If you’re a loner, consider taking up residency in South Dakota. It’s the fifth least populous and the fifth least densely populated of all 50 states. 

Pierre, South Dakota is the only combination of state and capital in the U.S. that doesn’t share any letters.

Badlands National Park is home to a unique bed of fossil evidence dating back 35 million years, including a three-toed horse, a saber-toothed cat and a dog-sized camel. It contains hundreds of thousands of acres of untouched wilderness that contain hiking and biking trails so that visitors can enjoy the surroundings and check out the visually striking hills and valleys, along with grass prairie.

Sioux Falls, South Dakota was once known as the “Divorce Capital of the Nation." During the early 20^th century, most states required at least one year of residency and grounds of adultery for a married couple to legally split up. In contrast, Sioux Falls had a residency requirement of only three to six months, and allowed individuals to divorce on six grounds. Thanks to these conditions, more than 6000 divorces were granted from 1889 until the laws were overhauled in 1909. (About two-third of those splits involved people who weren’t from South Dakota.) Recently, Sioux Falls paid homage to this dubious distinction by erecting a historical marker downtown.

South Dakota has more miles of shoreline than the state of Florida.

South Dakota’s most famous landmark is Mount Rushmore National Memorial, a larger-than-life sculpture that was carved into the side of a granite mountain in the Black Hills between 1927 and 1941. Constructed to attract tourists to the remote area, it features the faces of four U.S. presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Although each awe-inspiring head is 60 feet high, the entire project took only 14 years and less than $1 million to complete. It was called Mountain of Rock before the faces of our presidents were carved into the side of it.

In the southwestern part of the state are the Black Hills. This is a range of low mountains that covers approximately 6,000 square miles. Located in the Black Hills is the state's highest point, Harney Peak, which has an elevation of 7,242 feet.

Located just outside of Custer, South Dakota, lies Jewel Cave, the third longest cave in the world. With over 175 miles (282 kilometers) of passages, the walls of the cave sparkle with calcite crystals. Originally discovered in 1900, scientists are continually finding more cave space each year.

One of the largest herds of free roaming bison in the world can be found at Custer State Park in South Dakota. There are approximately 1,500 bison in the park and they roam freely with other wildlife on over 70,000 acres of land.

Located in the town of Lead, South Dakota is the Homestake Mine. The mine, which began operating in 1877 and closed in 2002, was the largest and deepest gold mine in the Western Hemisphere.

The small ranch town of Belle Fourche, South Dakota bills itself as the geographic center of North America. Although city officials celebrated the distinction by building a giant stone compass landmark, the true center actually sits about 20 miles north of the town, and is marked with a humble red-tipped fence post. 

Interestingly, I actually lived in Belle Fourche for a short time when I was in the 6th grade. That is the year I attended 4 schools - I started the year in Cheyenne Wyoming. Then we moved to Wall South Dakota. From there we moved to Enning South Dakota, a very VERY small town that had a one-room school. I finished the school year in Belle Fourche and we moved to North Dakota almost immediately after school was out.

Each year, the tiny farming town of Clark, South Dakota throws a giant party to celebrate its chief crop: the humble potato. Potato Day features a Best Decorated Potato Contest, a Potato Dish Cooking Contest, and a Mashed Potato Wrestling Contest in which adults grapple in a huge tub of pureed spuds. 

Prairie Rattlesnakes, which range from 35 - 45 inches long (89 - 114 cm) are the only poisonous snakes found in South Dakota.

Located inside of Custer State Park, Needles Highway, a scenic drive through the Black Hills, contains so many twists and turns that it is closed during the winter months.

If you’re into corny roadside attractions, check out the world’s only Corn Palace, in Mitchell, South Dakota. Built in the Moorish Revival style, the fanciful multi-purpose community venue is covered in murals that were created from thousands of bushes of local corn, grain, and grasses. 

Clark, South Dakota is home to the world famous Mashed Potato Wrestling Contest.

Wild Bill Hickok was killed in Deadwood, South Dakota in 1876 and is buried in a cemetery there.

I also discovered some interesting laws in South Dakota...

It is illegal to fall asleep in a cheese factory.

It is also illegal there for casinos to hang a sign saying “Casino.”

Hunters cannot legally use spotlights, except to hunt raccoons.

Horses aren't allowed into fountains unless they are wearing pants.

It is illegal to show any movies that include police officers being struck, beaten, or treated offensively.

Attempting to convince a pacifist to abandon his beliefs by threatening to arm wrestle him is against the law.

All hotels are required to have two twin beds and the beds must always be two feet apart.

In Huron South Dakota it is against the law to cause static.

I decided to go with this bit of South Dakota information for my card's inspiration... South Dakota is one of three states in the U.S. that have made rodeo their official state sport. The other two are Texas and Wyoming. 

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

SUPPLIES USED

Stamp: Sugar Nellie Giddy Up stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Recollections 110# White and SU Chocolate Chip and Marina Mist CS and AMuse Studio Gingham DP

Embellishments: American Crafts Ribbon and Foof-a-La Button