South Dakota | Dorky Geeky Nerdy Trivia Podcast #199

This week for the Dorky Geeky Nerdy Podcast, we’ve got thirty South Dakota trivia questions for your entertainment and education.

If you’re new, welcome. Every week we’ve got three rounds of ten questions all on a different topic. This season, we’re working our way through the 50 US States. We’re more than half-way done, so if you don’t see your home state, watch for it in a future episode.

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Episode Transcript/Quiz

Episode Intro

Pack up the station wagon, kids. We’re going on a road trip.

Hey gang, I’m your host Brian Rollins and this is episode 199 of the Dorky Geeky Nerdy Trivia Podcast. This week, we’re traveling to South Dakota.

Now, I know the state is famous for basically one thing, but we’re going to try and make sure we cover its history, geography, and some pop culture while we’re visiting.

If you’re new to Dorky Geeky Nerdy, welcome to the show. Every week we give you thirty questions about a new topic. If you need rules, scorecards, or want to find out how to become a sponsor, visit the podcast’s website, DorkyGeekyNerdy.com.

I think we’ve got everything we need, so let’s start the show.

The Dorky Round

What 1959 Alfred Hitchcock movie features its climax atop Mount Rushmore?
North by Northwest
What US Army colonel owes much of his historical fame from the lobbying of his widow after his death at Little Bighorn?
George Armstrong Custer
What South Dakota town plays host to hordes of motorcycle riders every August since 1938?
Sturgis
Kevin Costner directed and starred in what 1990 Western Drama that won seven Oscars?
Dances with Wolves
Set in South Dakota, what TV show ran from 2004-2006 and starred Timothy Olyphant and Ian McShane?
Deadwood
Who are the four presidents carved into Mount Rushmore?
Washington, Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Lincoln.
What two states border South Dakota to the West?
Montana and Wyoming
What state borders South Dakota to the South?
Nebraska
The Homestake Mine was the longest producing mine for what precious metal in the US?
Gold. When it closed in 2002 it was also the longest and deepest mine in North America
South Dakota leads the US in the production of pheasants and what four-legged livestock?
Bison

The Geeky Round

What is the largest city in South Dakota?
Sioux Falls
What actress, from Sioux Falls, played Betty Draper in Mad Men?
January Jones
What NBC Nightly News anchor from Webster, SD wrote the 1998 book, The Greatest Generation?
Tom Brokaw
Born in Madison, SD who hosted Entertainment Tonight from 1981 to 2010?
Mary Hart. She was also Miss South Dakota 1970.
What Trey Parker-directed film features a special counter-terrorism unit headquartered inside Mount Rushmore?
Team America: World Police
Nicolas Cage returned as Ben Gates in what 2007 sequel?
National Treasure: Book of Secrets
The titular storage facility in what 2009 Sci-Fi TV series was in South Dakota?
Warehouse 13
Season Three of what David Lynch TV series set some of the action in South Dakota instead of the titular town?
Twin Peaks
Who led the Native American forces to victory at the Battle of Little Big Horn?
Chief Sitting Bull
What is the nickname of the most complete T-Rex fossil ever found?
Sue. Currently residing in the Field Museum in Chicago, Sue was unearthed in South Dakota

The Nerdy Round

What is the capital of South Dakota
Pierre
What Lakota war chief was born with the name Among The Trees and is being immortalized in stone in Black Hills?
Crazy Horse
Who is the sculptor who created the Mount Rushmore National Memorial?
Gutzon Borglum
Born in Wallace, SD, who was Vice President to Lyndon Johnson and later lost the Presidential election to Nixon in 1968?
Hubert Humphrey
What Senator from South Dakota lost the Presidential election to Nixon in 1972?
George McGovern
Frontierswoman and sharpshooter Martha Cannary was better known by what name?
Calamity Jane. She died in Terry, SD
What two states border South Dakota to the East?
Minnesota and Iowa
Flowing from near Pollack, SD and making up part of the southern border, what river effectively bisects South Dakota?
The Missouri River
What South Dakota National Park shares its name with a Maquis hiding place in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine?
Badlands National Park
Mount Rushmore National Memorial sits inside what National Forest?
Black Hills National Forest

Episode Conclusion

And that covers South Dakota this week. Hungry from some more trivia? Here are a few bonus facts.

South Dakota and North Dakota became states at the same time.
When President Harrison signed the two statehood documents, they were shuffled and no one knows which became a state first. Traditionally, North Dakota is listed as the 39th and South Dakota is 40th because N comes before S in the alphabet.
The state is the 17th in size and 46th in population.
450,000 tons of rock was removed to make the monument at Mt. Rushmore.
According to the engineers that maintain the monument, none of the rock on either side is suitable for carving. So no further presidents will likely be added.

I’ve been to South Dakota twice and it’s beautiful. Mt. Rushmore is impressive, but there is a lot to see in the area including caves and some impressive fossil beds, if that’s your thing.

We’ll be back again next week with another episode but not another state. Here’s your clue:

What city is the 23rd largest in the US, but does not reside in any US state?

Not a state? Well, it’s our 200th episode! So I wanted to do something different. See you back here next Wednesday.

This has been episode 199 of the Dorky Geeky Nerdy Trivia Podcast. The theme music is by Jason Shaw at Audionautix.com.

This podcast is written, produced, and hosted by me, Brian Rollins. You can find me at TheVoicesInMyHead.com

Thanks for listening.