1. In 1942, the United States Army established the Sioux Ordnance Depot near Rapid City, South Dakota. The facility was used to store and distribute ammunition, artillery, and other military equipment during World War II and the Korean War.

2. On April 26, 1971, the Rapid City flood occurred, which killed 238 people and caused millions of dollars in damage to the city. Heavy rainfall over several days caused Rapid Creek to overflow, resulting in one of the deadliest floods in South Dakota history.

3. In 1916, the state legislature authorized the construction of Mount Rushmore, a monument that would eventually feature the faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum was selected to design and oversee the project, which was completed in 1941.

4. In 1881, the town of Pierre was established as the capital of South Dakota. Pierre was named after Pierre Chouteau Jr., a prominent fur trader in the 19th century. Today, Pierre is the second-smallest capital city in the United States.

5. On April 26, 2002, the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation announced that the face of the monument of Crazy Horse, which has been under construction since 1948, had been completed to a height of 87 feet. When finished, the monument will be the largest sculpture in the world, depicting the Oglala Lakota warrior Crazy Horse.