Located in the United State’s Midwestern region, South Dakota brings to mind two things: snow and farming and just as the snow will continue to fall, South Dakota will remain a farming state. With 98% of farms being family owned, agriculture is a way of life there. Here are ten more interesting facts about South Dakota.

Fact 1: South Dakota means ‘œfriends’ or ‘œallies’ in Sioux.

Fact 2: The French, who were looking for a route to the Pacific coast, first explored the region.

Fact 3: Some famous people from South Dakota are Tom Brokaw, the newscaster; Vice President Hubert Humphrey; Sitting Bull; and football player Norm Van Brocklin.

Fact 4: Mt. Rushmore National Park is located in South Dakota and attracts 3 million visitors every year. They come to see the gigantic faces of four former US Presidents carved into the Black Hills; George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.

Fact 5: Also located in the Black Hills is the Jewel Cave, the forth-largest cave in the world.

Fact 6: Badlands National Park is located in South Dakota. It contains 243,000 acres of mixed prairie grass, eroded buttes, pinnacles, spires, ravines and cliffs.

Fact 7: The Homestake Mine, located in Lead, South Dakota, is the largest gold mine in the United States. It opened in 1876 and is still open today.

Fact 8: The largest petrified wood park in the United States is located in Lemmon, South Dakota.

Fact 9: The largest buffalo herd lives in Pierre, South Dakota at the Standing Butte Ranch.

Fact 10: South Dakota is home to the only Corn Palace in the world, made from 3,500 bushels of ear corn.