Revealed: South Dakota Spirit
Here's the whole twist...
There are so many sites to see in South Dakota! With all the places to explore, including wildlife and outdoor activities, as well as museums, sculptures, caves, and fossils. Wow! No wonder many things have gone amiss.
Were you able to find the 60 differences between the puzzle you assembled and the box image?
South Dakota Revealed:
Refer to box art below for location of each of these changes.
- Moon changes color
- Stars appear in the night sky
- Wording on the flag changes to “The Mount Rushmore State” -- the official nickname
- Bighorn sheep joins the scene...
- so does a herd of cattle...
- and a barn with a colorful double rainbow
- Three ring-necked pheasants join the scene...
- and an elk...
- plus a fawn
- Two more arrows hit the target (just missing the geographic center of the nation)
- Miner finds gold; good reason to smile
- Two more bikers arrive at Sturgis
- These two fish are different colors
- Canoe changes color
- as does the kayak and the person’s vest
- Slogan changes to The Sunshine State
- Color of the letters change, and 3D shadow is added
- Cowgirl is now holding the United States flag at the rodeo
- People are riding in this covered wagon...
- and this covered wagon too!
- Bee pollinators are now flying around the sunflowers
- Leaping deer joins the scene (covering the Continental Divide marker)
- Wizard of Oz characters change places
- Different hunting dog appears
- Sunflowers are added behind the hunters
- I-90 sign is added
- Harney Peak name changes to Black Elk Peak
- Rattlesnake joins the scene
- Bear joins the scene
- Giant Jackalope pops up (site of chainsaw carving gallery in Wall, South Dakota)
- SUE the T-rex comes alive...
- and the skeleton dinosaur appears here (you can see Skeleton Man walking Skeleton Dinosaur in Murdo, South Dakota, along I-90)
- Another rattlesnake slithers into the scene
- Faulkton Elevator Murals join the scene (located in Faulkton, South Dakota)
- Prairie dress patterns swap (De Smet, South Dakota, home of the Ingalls family)
- Jack the Jackrabbit (mascot for the South Dakota State University) has a football
- Old Faithful Geyser erupts in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
- Craving of Crazy Horse Memorial appears
- Mammoth sculpture marking The Mammoth Site in Hot Springs changes to pink color
- Badlands sign now includes reference to “National Park”
- Another missile is shown (at the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site)
- Dinosaur sculpture marking the Dinosaur Park in Rapid City changes to blue color
- Fire truck flips (fire trucks appear along I-90 to promote Firehouse Brewing in Rapid City)
- Corn character has a big smile
- World’s Only Corn Palace in Mitchell is now labelled “Corn Palace”
- Two butterflies escape the Butterfly House & Aquarium in Sioux Falls
- Another “Wall Drug” road sign appears along I-90
- Another sculpture is shown along the Sioux Falls Sculpture walk
- A big bison joins the scene...
- and the little bison changes direction
- Calamity Jane moves to the location of Annie Oakley...
- Annie Oakley moves to the Calamity Jane location
- Time zone clocks change times and labels MST and CST are added
- Sacagawea’s baby is peeking out of the papoose
- Frontiersman grew a beard
- Check out all the prairie dogs that came out of hiding
- Charlie Coyote (mascot for University of South Dakota) expression changes...
- Charlie has a new South Dakota patch on shirt
- Lettering on the flag changes
- Another Jackalope races into the scene
Need a Hint? Click Here.
Source: travelsouthdakota.com, sdsos.gov, Britannica.com, statista.com, custerresorts.com
In what year did South Dakota become a state? 1889; it was the 40th state to join the Union.
How did the state get its name?
Named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux Native American tribes. Dakota is a Native American Sioux word that means roughly “friendly” or “allies.” The Dakota Territory was divided into the states of North and South Dakota. Nine Native American tribes reside in SD, 7 with reservation boundaries and 2 without.
What are 3 nicknames for the state?
The Mount Rushmore State (current official nickname). Other nicknames include Sunshine State, Coyote State, Artesian State, Blizzard State, The Land of Plenty, and The Land of Infinite Variety.
What is the state slogan? Great Faces. Great Places.
Which river cuts through the central portion of South Dakota?
Missouri River divides the eastern and western portions of the state. It runs through Pierre, Chamberlain, and Sioux City.
Name the state animal, bird, flower, tree, gemstone, fish, and sport.
Animal: Coyote
Bird: Chinese ring-necked pheasant
Flower: American Pasque flower (also called the May Day flower grows wild throughout the state)
Tree: Black Hills Spruce
Gemstone: Fairburn Agate
Fish: Walleye
Sport: Rodeo became the official sport in 2003
Where is the highest point in the US east of the Rocky Mountains?
Black Elk Peak (formerly Harney Peak) in the Black Hills (7,242 feet) is the highest point in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains.
Which city in South Dakota has the highest population? Sioux Falls with an estimated population of 204,000. The capital city of SD is Pierre, which is the second-smallest state capital (Montpelier, Vermont is the smallest capital city).
Name the National Park Service sites in South Dakota (hint: six of them!).
- Badlands National Park – 244,000 acres; stunning views, mixed-grass prairies, one of the world’s richest fossil beds; and home to bison, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, black-footed ferrets and more
- Mount Rushmore National Memorial – 60-foot-tall sculpture of four heads of US presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln
- Jewel Cave National Monument - one of the longest caves in the world
- The Lewis & Clark National Historic Trails - spans 16 states according to the National Park Service and is about 4,900 miles long; features many scenic views of the Missouri River; at the Lewis and Clark Welcome Center in Chamberlain, SD stands the Dignity of Earth & Sky 50-foot-tall statue that honors the cultures of Lakota and Dakota people.
- Minuteman Missile National Historic Site – provides insight into the Cold War history with sites for Launch Control Facility and a missile silo complex.
- Wind Cave National Park – known for an unusual cave formation, called boxwork, that resembles honeycombs; above ground there are scenic views of wildlife.
How many tourists visit South Dakota each year?
In 2022, there were 14.4 million visitors – spending $4.7 billion and accounting for 11% of all state sales tax collections (according to the SD Dept of Tourism).
What is the name of the world’s largest mountain carving in the Black Hills?Crazy Horse Memorial. Crazy Horse was a Lakota war leader in the 19th century that fought US settlers to preserve Native American territory and way of life.
Where was SUE the T. rex found? Where is it now?
Found in 1990 on SD Cheyenne River Sioux reservation, SUE is among the largest known skeletons of T. rex. The Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History purchased SUE for $8,362,500 in 1997.
Which presidents are on Mount Rushmore?
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln
Who was shot while playing poker in Deadwood, South Dakota?
James “Wild Bill” Hickock, known as Wild Bill was a famous lawman that was shot while gambling in Deadwood, SD. His shooter, Jack McCall was able to get away with shooting him by claiming Hickock had murdered his brother.
Wild Bill was also a soldier, scout, cattle rustler, gunslinger, gambler, showman and actor; involved in many famous gunfights; and is buried at Mount Moriah Cemetery in Deadwood, SD.
Where is the Land of Oz in South Dakota?
Wylie Park in Aberdeen, SD. You can follow the yellow brick road to Storybook Land & the Land of Oz.
Where is the Geographic Center of the Nation Monument?
Belle Fourche, South Dakota. The actual center of the nation is located on private property, but Belle Fourche was the closest town to the actual site and the monument was placed there.
Which 3 states produce the most sunflowers based on weight?
North Dakota (over 1.1 million pounds)
South Dakota (over 800,000 pounds)
Minnesota (about 130,000 pounds)
Source: statista.com based on sunflower production in 2023
Who is the largest employer in South Dakota?
Sanford Health, headquartered in Sioux Falls, SD.
Which annual motorcycle rally is held in South Dakota and where?
Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is held every August in Sturgis, SD.
Where are all the Wall Drug signs in South Dakota?
Hundreds of signs appear along Interstate 90 in SD. At their peak in the 1960s, Wall Drug had over 3,000 highway signs (according to roadsideamerica.com)!
The first sign said, “Free Ice Water!”
Why are there firetrucks along I90?
Old firetrucks appear in the fields along the road to promote the Firehouse Brewing Co – SD’s oldest brewery in Rapid City.
How did the Badlands get its name?
Lakota people called this area “mako sica,” which translates to “bad lands.” French fur trappers called the area “bad lands to travel across” – probably based on the Lakota translation. The Badlands is very difficult to travel across. When it rains, wet clay becomes slick and sticky. Canyons and buttes make it hard to navigate. Cold winters and hot, dry summers with few water sources (normally muddy and unsafe to drink) contribute to the tough conditions.
Which president used a location in South Dakota as a summer White House? Where?
The State Game Lodge at Custer Park was the summer White House for President Calvin Coolidge in 1927.
What is unique about the tunnels on Iron Mountain Road?
The 3 tunnels “frame” Mount Rushmore. As you look through the tunnel you can see Mount Rushmore in the background.
Name the 3 scenic drives in Custer State Park.
Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road (both park of the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway), along with Wildlife Loop Road.
What might you dig for in Hot Springs, South Dakota?
The Mammoth Site contains the largest concentration of Columbian and Wooly mammoth bones discovered intact in the world.
Still need more help to finish the puzzle? Prefer to view the actual puzzle image? Click here to see the complete reveal.
What did you think of the jigsaw puzzle?
Please let us know by writing a review.