SoDak has one of the richest and most colorful histories of any of the 50 states, but we have had some instances that have been strange and downright weird. Take, for example, these 9 things that have happened in South Dakota that are hard to explain:

1. We have more natives who have gone on to host television shows than any other state.
Wikimedia Commons
I'm not sure if this is weird or awesome (or if we really do have more natives who are television hosts than any other state... it just seems like it, right?!), but we have turned out the legendary Bob Barker (pictured), Tom Brokaw, Pat O'Brien, AND Mary Hart!
2. South Dakota made mashed potato wrestling a thing.
Clark Area Chamber of Commerce‎ Facebook
Why, you ask? It is to pay homage to our favorite carb, of course! Taking place each year in Clark (whose main crop is the potato), the starch-honoring Potato Days boasts potato decorating contests, recipe competitions, and yes -- mashed potato wrestling.
3. The world's fastest temperature change took place in 1943 in Spearfish.
Flickr/A Rod
Thanks to a rare Chinook wind, temperatures rose from a frigid -4 degrees to a comfortable 45 degrees in less than 2 minutes, which is a rare occurrence that has not happened since. Once the Chinook winds died, so did the temperature, which dropped from 54 degrees to -4 in 30 minutes, resulting in countless broken windows.
4. Speaking of world records, the world's most extensive Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton ever was found in SoDak and resulted in chaos.
Wikimedia Commons
How could such an amazing discovery cause so much controversy? It came down to who really owned the fossils, as the explorer and fossil collector, land owner, and even government butted heads in court. In the end, the land owner was named the rightful owner, and Sue was auctioned off to the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.

Related Stories

7 Things You Didn't Know About The History Of South Dakota

7 Things You Didn't Know About The History Of South Dakota

 These 9 Never-Before-Seen Photos Of The Dust Bowl In South Dakota Will Shake You To Your Core

These 9 Never-Before-Seen Photos Of The Dust Bowl In South Dakota Will Shake You To Your Core

 If You Grew Up In South Dakota In The 1970s You'll Remember This Beloved TV Show

If You Grew Up In South Dakota In The 1970s You'll Remember This Beloved TV Show
5. Actual laws were made throughout the state that forbade pants-less horses in certain establishments...
Flickr/isamiga76
However, if your horse dons tasteful trousers, bring 'em on in!
6. ...hunting raptors...
Flickr/Christian Rivera
I'm assuming we are talking about the dinosaur and not the bird, right?
7. ...and hanging signs that say "casino" inside of casinos.
Flickr/Rick Obst
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
8. We built our most epic concert venue out of corn.
Flickr/Steve Walser
Not only is it the most epic concert venue in SoDak, but it is the ONLY corn palace in the world.
9. South Dakotans named the European honey bee our official state insect.
Flickr/frank
What else would we choose? A generic ladybug? (Sorry, not sorry, NoDak...)

For more weird South Dakota fun, check out These 8 Crazy Laws in South Dakota Will Leave You Scratching Your Head In Wonder.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Related Articles

Explore South Dakota