The South Dakota Trail of Governors Foundation Board will host the unveiling of former Governor Kristi Noem’s life-size bronze statue Friday, June 12, 2026, at 10am CT on the State Capitol grounds in Pierre.
Noem’s statue is being created by sculptor John Lopez of Lemmon. It will join the 31 governors’ statues on the Trail of Governors that winds its way throughout downtown Pierre and around the state capital grounds.
Noem served as South Dakota’s 33rd governor from 2019 until 2025. She was re-elected and was serving a second term before resigning to join President Donald J. Trump’s cabinet as the United States’ Secretary of Homeland Security. She was then appointed by Trump as Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas.
Noem made history as the state’s first female governor. She served in the state legislature and in the U.S. House of Representatives before being elected governor. Prior to her political service, she helped manage her family’s farm business, hunting lodge and restaurant.
Each statue on the Trail of Governors tells the story of that person during their lifetime or their service to the state. A bronze plaque at each statue acknowledges the statue’s major contributors and a QR code allows visitors with smart phones to read and listen to the governor’s biography.
The statues are entirely funded by donations and donor opportunities are available for Noem’s statue. All donations are listed on this website, are tax deductible and are managed by the South Dakota Community Foundation.
More information, including how to donate, can be found at TrailofGovernors.com.
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