1. South Dakotans Know Side Really Does Matter
In a state with so few people, you might think there wouldn’t be enough ammunition to fuel a regional rivalry. Guess again. People east of the Missouri River are stereotyped as the big city folks, and those west of the river are cast as the rugged, nature-loving sort. And, until you can prove otherwise, you will be stereotyped as one of the above based on where you reside relative to the river.
2. People In South Dakota Always Brake For Bison
If you drive through South Dakota enough times, you will eventually be held up by bison that think they own the road. They’re right, of course; the road belongs to them, so you’ll just have to sit tight and wait until they feel like letting you through.
3. To South Dakotans, Eastern South Dakota Is Like A Different Country
Siouxland is the term coined for the region along the Sioux River that includes eastern South Dakota, northeastern Nebraska, northwestern Iowa and southwest Minnesota. This contributes to the sense of disconnectedness between the East River and West River communities because the people of Sioux Falls would rather associate with their “urbanized” neighbors in the Midwestern states as opposed to the West River side that borders the two U.S. states with the lowest population density, Montana and Wyoming.
4. South Dakotans Love Steak More Than Almost Anything
South Dakota is cattle country. You will eat meat here, and you will like it. It’s simply how things are done. And if there are any vegetarians in the Mount Rushmore State, you can bet they live east of the river.
5. People In South Dakota Laugh When Other States Close Their Schools
When you live in a state that is accustomed to being pounded by the elements, it takes a special sort of weather catastrophe for classes to get canceled. In fact, the weather would essentially have to hit some perverse version of the 40/40 club – 40 inches of snow AND 40 degrees below zero – in order for students to enjoy a day off.
6. Everyone In South Dakota Is A Miami Heat Fan
Source: Instagram
The fandom for the Miami Heat in South Dakota has nothing to do with the signing of roundball icon Lebron James years ago. Sioux Falls’ longtime minor league basketball club, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, has been the affiliate franchise of the Miami Heat since 2009, which gives their fans a perfectly legitimate reason to cheer for a NBA team that’s nearly 2,000 miles away. In the meantime, the Skyforce changed both their colors and logos to look exactly like the Heat, so the gear of the two teams is now practically interchangeable.
7. No One In South Dakota Actually Ever Gets Stuck In Traffic
If you’re used to the constant honking of horns and revving of engines, you may find the South Dakota roads eerily quiet. During long stretches of driving, you’ll be able to count more cattle than you can cars. Honestly, it can be more than a little unsettling.
8. South Dakotans Know The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Is The Biggest Deal Ever
The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally defies all logic as it somehow attracts about half a million people every year to a town of around 6,000.
9. And Deadwood Is The Other Biggest Thing
Yes, Deadwood, South Dakota is the same town that the eponymous, Emmy-winning HBO series was based on, but there’s no need to add it to your list of must-see locations in South Dakota. The population of Deadwood peaked around 4,000 in the 1940s before plummeting to roughly 1,200 residents. So, if you go there as a tourist, don’t expect it to be a very lively locale.
10. No One In South Dakota Ever Needs To Lock Their Doors
Your nearest neighbor in a South Dakota town may live several miles away, so there isn’t much of a security issue to worry about. For that reason, locking your door here isn’t really a necessity. Besides, there’s a very good reason for folks to be wary about wandering into someone’s house unannounced. It’s because…
11. People In South Dakota Basically Pay No Taxes
South Dakota has no state income tax whatsoever, which means you’ll get to keep a larger percentage of your paycheck than you would in most other states.
12. Because They Never Worry About The Government Getting Up In Their Business
Standing in stark contrast to state legislatures that meet for roughly nine months of the year, South Dakota’s government is truly a part-time institution. Unless an emergency presents itself, South Dakota’s legislature meets for only 30 days each year, which means none of its members can give up their day jobs once they get elected.
13. Everyone In South Dakotans Knows Mt. Rushmore Is Awesome
Two million people come to visit Mt. Rushmore every year, which is more than double the population of the state. Why else would people visit the Mt. Rushmore State? And it’s not like South Dakota doesn’t go out of its way to basically tell you this is the only reason to come here (even if it’s not true).
14. Don't Worry, The Scenery Only Sounds Dark And Evil
Places like the Badlands and the Black Elk Wilderness sound pretty ominous, but there are few places on earth more transcendently beautiful. The same goes for the Black Hills National Forest (home of the amazing Needles natural landmark). So don’t let the names scare you off, because they’re all worth the effort to see.
15. South Dakotans Knows How To Drive Long Before 16
With plenty of open space, little chance of getting into an accident, and forgiving police officers that grew up with the same level of freedom, South Dakota’s kids are taught to function behind the wheel from an early age.
16. Everyone In South Dakota Knows Everyone Else
Almost 30 percent of South Dakota’s population lives in Sioux Falls, which means the remaining 70 percent is spread out over a ton of much smaller cities and towns. The benefit of this is that everyone in a town is usually no more than two degrees of separation from anyone else, either through friendship or marriage. This can make finding someone to date outside of your social circle very difficult.
17. People In South Dakota Love Their Second Amendment
In South Dakota, more than half the adults are registered gun owners, which means the half that doesn’t probably has easy access to the gun of a friend or relative when push comes to shove.
18. So It's No Surprise They're Proud To Live In A Red State
South Dakota is Republican stronghold, period. With so few taxes being extracted and little interest in growing the government, there’s no demand for the big government policies associated with the Democrats, and that doesn’t look like something that’s going to be changing any time soon. At present, only five of the 35 seats in the South Dakota Senate are held by Democrats, along with 19 of the 70 seats in the State House.
19. South Dakotans Can Gamble Pretty Much Anywhere
Okay, maybe you can’t order poker chips with your Big Mac, but aside from major fast food restaurants, don’t be surprised if the opportunity to gamble presents itself just about everywhere else.
20. People In South Dakota Celebrate Their State Animal By Hunting It
South Dakota may be the only state that goes out of its way to encourage you to hunt its official state animal. Coyote season lasts year round, and extends throughout the entire state, meaning that if you find a coyote anywhere, you have free reign.
21. Yes, They Know: The Crazy Horse Memorial Is Still Being Built
The Crazy Horse Memorial has been under construction since 1948, and it is nowhere near completion. Honestly, it will look pretty sweet when it’s done, provided the detonation of dynamite goes well and the rocks fall exactly where they’re supposed to. Still, don’t hold your breath on seeing it completed in your lifetime. Right now, more than sixty years after the project started, they’ve only finished Crazy Horse’s face, and they still need to complete both his body and the horse.
What have you had to explain to out-of-towners about South Dakota? Tell us in the comments below!
