Pierre

/pear/ for 1; /pee air"/ or, Fr., /pyerdd/ for 2, n.

1. a city in and the capital of South Dakota, in the central part, on the Missouri River. 11,973.

2. a male given name, form of Peter.

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I

City (pop., 2000: 13,876), capital of South Dakota, U.S. It is located on the Missouri River, in the geographic centre of the state.

The area was originally inhabited by Arikara Indians. The city was founded in 1880 as the western terminus of the Chicago and North Western Railway, which spurred its growth as a mining and trade centre. It became the state capital in 1889. It is the hub of a large, diversified agricultural area with a significant tourist industry based on nearby lakes.

II

(as used in expressions)

Ailly Pierre d'

Anouilh Jean Marie Lucien Pierre

Balmain Pierre Alexandre Claudius

Baudelaire Charles Pierre

Bayle Pierre

Beaumarchais Pierre Augustin Caron de

Beauregard Pierre Gustave Toutant

Belloc Joseph Pierre Hilaire

Berthelot Pierre Eugène Marcellin

Blanchard Jean Pierre François

Bonnard Pierre

Boulez Pierre

Bourdieu Pierre

Brazza Pierre Paul François Camille Savorgnan de

Brissot de Warville Jacques Pierre

Cambon Pierre Paul

Cardin Pierre

Chaumette Pierre Gaspard

Pierre Roger

Corneille Pierre

Coubertin Pierre baron de

Debré Michel Jean Pierre

Du Buat Pierre Louis Georges

Fermat Pierre de

Flandin Pierre Étienne

Guizot François Pierre Guillaume

Iberville Pierre Le Moyne d'

L'Enfant Pierre Charles

La Vérendrye Pierre Gaultier de Varennes et de

Laclos Pierre Ambroise François Choderlos de

Laplace Pierre Simon marquis de

Larousse Pierre Athanase

Latreille Pierre André

Laval Pierre

Loti Pierre

Marivaux Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de

Mendès France Pierre

Périer Casimir Pierre

Poujade Pierre Marie

Proudhon Pierre Joseph

Prud'hon Pierre Paul

Puget Pierre

Puvis de Chavannes Pierre Cécile

Rampal Jean Pierre Louis

Redouté Pierre Joseph

Renoir Pierre Auguste

Ronsard Pierre de

Rousseau Pierre Etienne Théodore

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Seurat Georges Pierre

Tardieu André Pierre Gabriel Amédée

Teilhard de Chardin Marie Joseph Pierre

Trudeau Pierre Elliott

Waldeck Rousseau Pierre Marie René

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▪ South Dakota, United States

 city, seat (1880) of Hughes county and capital of South Dakota, U.S. It lies on the eastern bank of the Missouri River, in the geographic centre of the state.

       Arikara and, later, Sioux Indians were early inhabitants of the area, which was visited by the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1804. The first permanent settlement was a fur-trading post built in 1817 on the western side of the river. Pierre was founded in 1880 as the western terminus of the Chicago and North Western Railway (Chicago and North Western Transportation Company) and named for Pierre Chouteau, Jr. (Chouteau, Pierre, Jr.), a fur trader and entrepreneur. Growth was spurred by its position as a railhead for the mining industry and as a trade centre for a large area, including prosperous farming and cattle country. In 1889, when South Dakota became a state, Pierre was named the temporary capital; in elections in 1890 and 1904, it was chosen the permanent capital.

      The capitol building (1905–10) is on a 115-acre (47-hectare) tract that includes the governor's mansion (1937), the Flaming Fountain (veterans' memorial), several other memorials, the Cultural Heritage Center (1989; headquarters for the South Dakota State Historical Society), and a 5-acre (2-hectare) artesian-fed lake. Oahe Dam (1948–62)—a power, irrigation, recreation, and flood-control project 5 miles (8 km) north of Pierre—has impounded the 231-mile (372-km) Lake Oahe along the Missouri River between Pierre and Bismarck, North Dakota. Fort Pierre, across the river, was the fur-trade capital of the Northwest from 1832 to 1855; a monument there marks the place where Louis-Joseph and François Vérendrye buried a lead plate in 1743 (found in 1913) claiming the region for France. Other attractions in Pierre include the South Dakota Discovery Center and Aquarium and the South Dakota National Guard Museum. Fishing is popular in the area. Pierre is located on the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. Lower Brule and Crow Creek Sioux reservations are southeast of the city; the Cheyenne River Sioux reservation is northwest. Fort Pierre National Grassland is to the south. Farm Island, West Bend, Okobojo Point, and Cow Creek recreation areas are also nearby.

      Government and services are the basis of Pierre's economy, and the city is a regional trade centre. Outdoor recreation opportunities contribute to the tourism industry. Area agriculture includes cattle, hogs, wheat, corn (maize), sunflowers, oats, soybeans, and sorghum. Inc. 1883. Pop. (1990) 12,906; (2000) 13,876.

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