Trail of Governors (South Dakota)

The Trail of Governors is series of life-size bronze statues of former governors of South Dakota in Pierre, the state capital. The project's goal is to place statues of every former governor; as of 2021, twenty-eight statues have been placed.[1] Sculptors who have created statues for the project include John Lopez, James Van Nuys, James Michael Maher, Lee Leuning and Sherry Treeby.[2]

The Trail of Governors statue of Arthur C. Mellette, by sculptor John Lopez, was the first unveiled, in 2012. Mellette was the first Governor of South Dakota.

Statues have been added to the trail since 2012:

• 2012: The trail's first statues portrayed Arthur C. Mellette, Harlan J. Bushfield and Walter Dale Miller.[3]
• 2013: Statues were added of Frank Farrar, Harvey Wollman and William J. Janklow.[4]
• 2014: In conjunction with celebrations of the South Dakota's 125th anniversary of statehood, the trail added statues of Robert S. Vessey, Peter Norbeck and George S. Mickelson.[5]
• 2015: New statues were added portraying Charles N. Herreid, George T. Mickelson and Richard F. Kneip.[6]
• 2016: The trail added statues of Warren E. Green, Nils Boe and M. Michael Rounds.[7]
• 2017: Four statues were added to the trail, portraying Tom Berry, Leslie Jensen, Sigurd Anderson and Joe Foss.[8]
• 2018: Statues of William H. McMaster, Merrell Q. Sharpe and Ralph Herseth were added to the trail.[9]
• 2019: The trail added statues of Samuel H. Elrod, Archie M. Gubbrud and Dennis Daugaard.[10]
• 2021: Statues of Charles H. Sheldon, Coe I. Crawford and Carl Gunderson were unveiled, following a one-year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[11]

Following the 2021 unveiling, there are three remaining former governors to be added to the trail: Andrew E. Lee, Frank M. Byrne and William J. Bulow. Future governors, beginning with Governor Kristi Noem, will be added after they leave office.