Editing Pierre, South Dakota (section)

==History==
[[File:South Dakota - Pierre - NARA - 68148932 (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|Pierre in 1943]]
Pierre was founded in 1880 on the east bank of the [[Missouri River]] opposite [[Fort Pierre, South Dakota|Fort Pierre]], a former trading post that developed as a community. It was designated as the state capital when South Dakota gained [[U.S. state|statehood]] on November 2, 1889.

[[Huron, South Dakota|Huron]] challenged the city to be selected as the capital, but Pierre was selected for its geographic centrality in the state. Fort Pierre had developed earlier, with a permanent settlement since {{circa|1817}} around a fur trading post. Fort Pierre Chouteau, preceding the city, was named after [[Pierre Chouteau, Jr.]], an American [[fur trade]]r from [[St. Louis]], [[Missouri]], who was of colonial [[French people|French]] origin.

Pierre's development was also influenced by construction of the [[Rapid City, Pierre and Eastern Railroad]], which runs east–west through the city. It increased access to markets for regional products and improved transportation for passengers. The railroad crosses the Missouri River on the [[Chicago and North Western Railroad Bridge]].

The capital city became relatively isolated in the post-[[World War II]] era of federally subsidized highway construction, as travelers and freight companies began to use automobiles and trucking. It is one of four state capitals not served by the [[Interstate Highway System]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Part VII - Miscellaneous Interstate Facts - Engineering Data - Interstate System - Highway History - Federal Highway Administration |url=https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/highwayhistory/data/page07.cfm |access-date=2022-03-05 |website=[[Federal Highway Administration|Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)]]}}</ref>