Deadwood, South Dakota.
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Deadwood, South Dakota. |
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 Deadwood.
The city of Deadwood, seat of Lawrence County, in the Black Hills of Western South Dakota was incorporated in 1876, this was aprox 101 years before I visited Deadwood. And as I can remember in 1977 it had still maintained alot of its character, but now with the legalized gambling within the old saloons it has made the place a bit tacky and taken alot of the original character away, as Deadwood is the only city in South Dakota with legal gambling. |
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The Old West town of Deadwood has flourished on gold mining for more than a century. Nearly all attractions are related to gold, or the wild and woolly gold rush heritage of this wonderfully restored community. Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane lived and died here. The city was named for the dead trees that were found in the narrow canyon (Deadwood Gulch) where you'll find the historic Main and Sherman streets, with many streets built up its steep sides. During the late 1800s when Deadwood was a booming gold mining town, a significant number of Chinese immigrants moved to the community. By 1900, an estimated 400 Chinese lived in Deadwood. Those who were not involved in mining gold typically worked as launderers or household servants. Others owned restaurants and import stores. The city was founded following the discovery of gold here in 1876. Reached by railroad in 1891, the city developed as a trading center for the northern Black Hills region. In 1989, limited -wage gambling was legalized in Deadwood to rejuvenate tourism. Deadwood had the first telephone exchange in the state of South Dakota. Established by Paul Rewman in March of 1878, calls between Deadwood and Lead were 50 cents at the time, 25 cents cheaper than a stage ride between the cities, and much faster. Industries include gold mining and lumbering; tourism is also important to the economy. Of interest are an old gold mine where you can try "panning for gold", several historical museums, a cemetery containing the graves of Wild Bill Hickok (who was killed here) and Calamity Jane, and many historic hotels and saloons. |
If you go to visit Deadwood, South Dakota, you can see that the history of the town is not long forgotten. Looking around you can see the casinos and old time buildings that are forever a part of the old west history. This may lead you to wonder how did Deadwood first came about. The gulches of South Dakota's Black Hills region were the sites of the American West's last great gold strikes, and Deadwood was the focal point for the regions gold rushes and subsequent hard rock mining booms. |
That area of the Dakota Territory
was part of the Sioux Indian Reservation established in the 1868 Treaty
of Fort Laramie. The treaty prevented white settlers from entering the
region and was enforced by the U. S. military. As long as gold fields
farther west were profitable, rumors of gold in the Black Hills were
left uninvestigated. All of this changed when Lieutenant Colonel George
Custer arrived in the Black Hills in the summer of 1874. Custer was
establishing a new military post and his company included at least two
experienced miners who panned gold as they forded the regions creeks.
Custer reported the presence of gold on August 3, 1874. Coinciding with
the financial Panic of 1873 causing high unemployment in the East, Custer's
report suddenly attracted hundreds of people to the Black Hills region.
The rush started in 1875 and exploded in 1876. Although it was illegal,
the lure of gold caused many people to trespass into the Sioux reservation.
Prospectors first found gold during the winter of 1874, and by 1875
there were 5,000 miners on the borders of the region. The development
of Deadwood began in the spring of 1876 as illegal entry was overlooked
by government troops. In September, the Sioux Treaty of 1876 ceded the
Black Hills to the U. S. government and legally opened the region to
whites in February 1877. Gold was first discovered in Deadwood sometime
in August or September of 1875. The camps that sprang up in Deadwood
Gulch were like many other mining camps located up and down streams
in the area. Claims were strips of ground extending from rim to rim
across the gulch and 300 feet along a stream. Sluice boxes and rockers
were set up in the streams, and miners washed gold from the gravel of
the creek beds. |
 Wild
Bill Hickok. Most people know Wild Bill as a famous outlaw that was gunned down in Deadwood, South Dakota while playing poker with his back to the door of the bar. He held in his hand what is now called the dead mans hand. There is a certain casino in Deadwood now that claims to hold the famous chair and dead mans hand that Wild Bill held that same night. Another famous person that is well known in this town is Calamity Jane who was a woman that claimed to be more manly than any other man around town. She could out do anything any man could do. There have also been many more people that passed through this town that later on in their life were famous for something or other. Billy the kid and many, many other outlaws all saw the potential Deadwood held for high stake gamblers and gunmen. This is what makes this town so famous. Virtually every tourist that comes to visit Deadwood wants to see the rich history it holds. Most people even take a walk up to Wild Bill's grave. While up there you can visit other famous characters' graves, too. As you look around at this small town you can just imagine how it used to hold so much excitement in high stakes and gunmen. |
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Mount Moriah Cemetery. Now Deadwood is known for its old cowboy stories
and rich history. Not to mention the high antes in gambling. It has
nearly 2 million visitors a year, and with every new face, there is
an old story to be told. So, if you ever get the chance take a trip
to Deadwood, and see the rich history of our nation's old west, do so.
You will take great appreciation in Americas old west.
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© John Robert McNally. March 2003.
