The city of
Pierre
(pronounced,
PEER is the
capital of
the U.S.
state of
South Dakota
and the
county seat
of Hughes
County. The
population
was 13,876
at the 2000
census,
making it
the second
least
populous
state
capital
after
Montpelier,
Vermont.
Founded in
1880 on the
Missouri
River
opposite
Fort Pierre,
Pierre has
been South
Dakota's
capital
since it
gained
statehood on
November 11,
1889, having
been chosen
for its
location in
the
geographic
center of
the state.
Fort Pierre
itself was
named after
Pierre
Chouteau,
Jr., an
American fur
trader of
French-Canadian
origin. It
is also a
major
statewide
transportation
hub and is
famous for
its memorial
hall.
Pierre is
the
principal
city of the
Pierre
Micropolitan
Statistical
Area, which
includes all
of Hughes
and Stanley
counties.