Pierre

Pierre is the capital of the state of South Dakota and the county seat of Hughes County. The population was 13,646 at the 2010 census, making it the second least-populous state capital after Montpelier, Vermont.Founded in 1880 on the east bank of the Missouri River opposite Fort Pierre, Pierre has been the state capital since South Dakota gained statehood on November 2, 1889. It was chosen for its location in the geographic center of the state. Fort Pierre was named after Pierre Chouteau, Jr., a major American fur trader from St. Louis, Missouri who was of colonial French origin.Pierre is the principal city of the Pierre Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Hughes and Stanley counties.GeographyPierre is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 13.07sqmi, of which, 13.06sqmi is land and 0.01sqmi is water.