1. In 1889, South Dakota was admitted to the Union as the 40th state. The state was originally part of the Dakota Territory before being split into North and South Dakota.

2. In 1891, the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology was founded, located in Rapid City. It is a public university known for its programs in engineering and technology.

3. In 1922, South Dakota native Harvey Dunn’s painting "The Prairie is My Garden" was featured on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post. Dunn was a renowned artist known for his depictions of rural life in South Dakota.

4. In 1947, the University of South Dakota football team defeated Boston University in the first ever National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) playoff game. The USD Coyotes would go on to lose to Loyola Marymount in the championship game.

5. In 2017, the Keystone XL pipeline leaked 210,000 gallons of oil near Amherst, South Dakota. The pipeline has been subject to controversy and legal battles over its potential environmental impacts.