The "Coyote State" was first explored by Les Verendryes from 1742 to 1743 and Lewis and Clark passed through the area in 1804 and 1806. Fort Pierre became the first white settlement in 1817 and in 1874 gold was discovered on the Sioux Reservation. Initially the U.S. tried to stop settlers from arriving, but could not control the influx of people. Custer was defeated by the Sioux and they relinquished the area in 1877. After that, the "Great Dakota Boom" began. The Indians rose up again and were defeated at Wounded Knee, where scores of Indian families were massacred. South Dakota became the 40th state on November 2, 1889. @
