South Dakota State Capitol
Encyclopedia
The South Dakota State Capitol is the state capitol building of the U.S. state of South Dakota
. Housing the South Dakota State Legislature, it is located in the state capital of Pierre
at 500 East Capitol Avenue. The building houses the offices of most state officials, including the Governor of South Dakota
.
in Helena, Montana
. The planning and construction cost was almost $1,000,000.
tile. The floor is said to have been laid by 66 Italian artists. To give these artists a chance to place a mark in the building (without allowing them to actually sign their names to the floor), each is said to have been given a blue stone to place in the floor. Only 55 of these tiles have been found, however. It is thought that the remaining stones may have been placed in locations now covered by walls, doors, or carpeting.
From the first floor, a marble staircase leads upstairs. In front of the staircase, display cases house the First Lady Gown Collection. Miniature replicas have been made of the gown worn by each first lady to the state inaugural ball. These replicas are worn by dolls in the display case. Along with the doll, a picture of each governor's family and other mementos are also displayed.
On the second floor, the marble staircase leads into a rotunda. The dome of the rotunda is 96 feet high. The bottom ring is designed to resemble a string of ribbons joined together, which is meant to symbolize the eternal nature of government. The interior of the dome is decorated with sixteen images of the Tree of Life. The dome also displays acanthus
leaves to represent wisdom and a pasque flower
, which is the state flower.
The third floor houses the state's House of Representatives
and the state's Senate
. The galleries for both, from which the public can observe the legislative process, are located on the fourth floor.
, who died by an airplane crash on April 19, 1993. The Flaming Fountain Memorial is a fountain with a perpetually-burning natural gas flame. It was installed to honor South Dakotan veterans. The Law Enforcement Officer Memorial pays tribute to police officers who have died in the line of duty. Six bronze figures on a peninsula in the Capitol Lake comprise the World War II Memorial; each represents one of the branches of service in which South Dakota residents served during World War II.
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
. Housing the South Dakota State Legislature, it is located in the state capital of Pierre
Pierre, South Dakota
Pierre is the capital of the U.S. state of South Dakota and the county seat of Hughes County. The population was 13,646 at the 2010 census, making it the second least populous state capital after Montpelier, Vermont...
at 500 East Capitol Avenue. The building houses the offices of most state officials, including the Governor of South Dakota
Governor of South Dakota
The Governor of South Dakota is the head of the executive branch of the government of South Dakota. They are elected to a four year term on even years when there is no Presidential election. The current governor is Dennis Daugaard, a Republican elected in 2010....
.
Construction
The building was constructed between 1905 and 1910. The plans for the building were designed by the Minneapolis architectural office of C.E. Bell and M.S. Detwiler, who gave the building similar features to the Montana State CapitolMontana State Capitol
The Montana State Capitol is the state capitol of the U.S. state of Montana. It houses the Montana State Legislature and is located in the state capital of Helena at 1301 East Sixth Avenue. The building was constructed between 1896 and 1902 with wing-annexes added between 1909 and 1912.-History:A...
in Helena, Montana
Helena, Montana
Helena is the capital city of the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County. The 2010 census put the population at 28,180. The local daily newspaper is the Independent Record. The Helena Brewers minor league baseball and Helena Bighorns minor league hockey team call the...
. The planning and construction cost was almost $1,000,000.
Features
The floor in the capitol building is made of terrazzoTerrazzo
Terrazzo is a composite material poured in place or precast, which is used for floor and wall treatments. It consists of marble, quartz, granite, glass or other suitable chips, sprinkled or unsprinkled, and poured with a binder that is cementitious, chemical or a combination of both...
tile. The floor is said to have been laid by 66 Italian artists. To give these artists a chance to place a mark in the building (without allowing them to actually sign their names to the floor), each is said to have been given a blue stone to place in the floor. Only 55 of these tiles have been found, however. It is thought that the remaining stones may have been placed in locations now covered by walls, doors, or carpeting.
On the second floor, the marble staircase leads into a rotunda. The dome of the rotunda is 96 feet high. The bottom ring is designed to resemble a string of ribbons joined together, which is meant to symbolize the eternal nature of government. The interior of the dome is decorated with sixteen images of the Tree of Life. The dome also displays acanthus
Acanthus (genus)
Acanthus is a genus of about 30 species of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae, native to tropical and warm temperate regions, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean Basin and Asia. Common names include Acanthus and Bear's breeches...
leaves to represent wisdom and a pasque flower
Pasque flower
The genus Pulsatilla contains about 33 species of herbaceous perennials native to meadows and prairies of North America, Europe, and Asia. Common names include pasque flower , wind flower, prairie crocus, Easter Flower, and meadow anemone...
, which is the state flower.
The third floor houses the state's House of Representatives
South Dakota House of Representatives
The South Dakota House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Dakota State Legislature. It is made up of 70 members, two from each legislative district...
and the state's Senate
South Dakota Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the South Dakota State Legislature. It is made up of 35 members, one representing each legislative district, and meets at the South Dakota State Capitol in Pierre.-Composition:-Officers:-Members of the 86th Senate:...
. The galleries for both, from which the public can observe the legislative process, are located on the fourth floor.
Outside memorials
Four memorials are on the grounds of the capitol building. The Fighting Stallions Memorial is a sculpture build to honor the eight South Dakota residents, including Governor George S. MickelsonGeorge S. Mickelson
George Speaker Mickelson was an American politician from the U.S. state of South Dakota. Mickelson, a Republican, served as the 28th Governor of South Dakota from January 6, 1987 until his death in a plane crash in 1993. His father, George T. Mickelson, was also a governor of South Dakota,...
, who died by an airplane crash on April 19, 1993. The Flaming Fountain Memorial is a fountain with a perpetually-burning natural gas flame. It was installed to honor South Dakotan veterans. The Law Enforcement Officer Memorial pays tribute to police officers who have died in the line of duty. Six bronze figures on a peninsula in the Capitol Lake comprise the World War II Memorial; each represents one of the branches of service in which South Dakota residents served during World War II.