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A short history of the South Dakota State flag |
The state seal which now appears on the obverse (front) of the flag was on the reverse (back) until 1963. From 1909 the obverse had been a large golden sun with lettering around it as on the current version, and the seal appeared on the reverse in blue stitching. Commonsense and economics eventually led to thier being combined, and on march 11, 1963 legislation saw the seal being placed within the sun symbol, with the same design on both sides of the flag. The flag of 1909 had been designed by Senator Ernest May together with Mr. Doane Robinson who had followed his father as Secretary of the State Historical Society. The band which carries the lettering around the state seal can be either white, or sky-blue to match the 1963 legislation. The seal itself is yet another allegorical picture, and mainly depicts the agricultural nature of the state. The state motto appears on a scroll at the top of the seal, and the date at the foot of the surrounding band is that of statehood, which was achieved on the same date as neighboring North Dakota. The flag was adopted on march 8, 1909. |
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A short history of South Dakota (The Sunshine State * The Coyote State) |
South Dakota part of Dakota Territory from 1861, and became a state on November 2, 1889. This was the same day as North Dakota. It had been part of French Louisiana. South Dakota was settled from 1857 and onward, as part of Missouri Territory, especially after the Homestead Act of 1863, and the gold strike of 1874. |
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Area of South Dakota |
77,116 sq. miles |
Capital
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Pierre |
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Major Products |
Gold, silver, oats, rye, sunflower seed, processed food |
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State Motto |
Under God the people rule |
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