Happy 129th Birthday South Dakota

129 years ago the Dakota Territory was split and the two halves gained statehood simultaneously. This quirk means we don't know where we fall in the numerical order of states.

November 2, 1889 was the day the states of North and South Dakota were created and became official members of the United States of America. We in the 605 are residents of either the 39th or 40th state.

The Dakota Territory that we were created from in 1889 only the two Dakotas combined into one hunk of land. In 1861, just as the Civil War was catching fire, the Dakota Territory included most of modern day Montana and most of the northern half of Wyoming as it was split off from the Nebraska Territory. Two years later that extra portion was removed and added to the Idaho Territory. Nebraska became a state in 1867.

Yankton was the original territorial capital from 1861 until it was moved to Bismarck in 1883. When the two states were created Bismarck stayed the capital of North Dakota. Pierre, because of its central location in the state, was made the temporary capital until the final vote was done to make it permanent.