SOUTH DAKOTA

The Badlands National Park in South Dakota has fossils of animals that lived 35 million years ago, including saber-toothed cats, three-toed horses, and a dog-sized camel.

The Black Hills are named after the Lakota words Paha Sapa, which means "hills that are black".

South Dakota has minimal light pollution because it's one of the least populated states in the US, making it a great place for stargazing.

Drilling began on Mount Rushmore in 1927.

The state's nickname is "The Mount Rushmore State".

Wild Bill Hickok was killed in Deadwood in 1876.

There's a rumor that the tradition of spreading sawdust on bar floors started in Deadwood because of the amount of gold dust that fell on the floor.

Pierre was chosen as the capital of South Dakota because of its central location in the state.

South Dakota was once covered by sea and was home to giant pig-like animals, saber-toothed cats, and three-toed horses.
South Dakota has the highest summit east of the Rockies.