1. On December 29, 1890, the tragedy of the Battle of Wounded Knee occurred. This was a massacre of Lakota Sioux Native Americans by U.S. Army troops, resulting in the deaths of approximately 300 Sioux, including women and children. The incident marked the end of the Indian Wars in the United States.

2. In 1982, the first Yellow Book directory was published in South Dakota on December 29th. This was a directory of local businesses and services, and it quickly became a popular resource for residents and visitors alike.

3. On December 29, 1862, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act into law. This act provided millions of acres of land in the West, including South Dakota, to settlers who agreed to farm and improve the land for at least five years.

4. In 1891, the South Dakota State Penitentiary opened in Sioux Falls on December 29th. The prison served as the state's main correctional facility for over a century, until a new facility was built in 1989.

5. On December 29, 1972, the Rapid City flood occurred. Heavy rains caused massive floods that devastated the city, killing 238 people and causing millions of dollars in damage. To this day, the Rapid City flood remains one of the deadliest natural disasters in South Dakota history.