The rugged beauty of the Badlands draws visitors from around the world.
These striking geologic deposits contain one of the world’s richest fossil
beds. Ancient mammals such as the rhino, horse, and saber-toothed cat once
roamed here. The park’s 244,000 acres protect an expanse of mixed-grass
prairie where bison, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets
live today.
Deadwood was established in 1876 during the Black
Hills gold
rush. In 1875, a miner named John B. Pearson found gold in a narrow
canyon in the Northern
Black Hills.
This canyon became known as "Deadwood Gulch," because of the many dead
trees that lined the canyon walls at the time. The name stuck, and, over
125 years later, the U.S. 2000
Census cites Deadwood's population as 1,380; and the town sits some
4,533 feet above sea level. Given its colorful, violent, and lawless
beginnings, few could have imagined that Deadwood would someday serve as
the county seat for Lawrence County,
as it does today.
In
1874, under the command of General
George A. Custer, a government- sponsored expedition confirmed the
presence of gold in the Black
Hills.
The U.S. government
tried to conceal the discovery from the general public in order to honor
the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie, which forever ceded the Black
Hills to
the Lakota-Sioux. The government also dispatched several military units
to forts in the surrounding area to keep people from entering the Hills.
However, people illegally entered the area anyway, searching for gold or
adventure. Despite the efforts of the military and federal government,
the American populace learned about the discovery of gold in the Black
Hills.
Influenced by dreams and greed, the 1876 gold rush was on in the Black
Hills.
Once Deadwood was established, the mining camp was soon swarming with
thousands of prospectors searching for an easy way to get rich. Such
luck happened to fall upon Fred and Moses Manuel, who claimed the Homestake
Mine, which proved to be the most profitable in the area. Although
the Manuels had been lucky, others were not so fortunate. Most of the
early population was in Deadwood to mine for gold, but the lawless
region naturally attracted a crowd of rough and shady characters. These
particular individuals made the early days of Deadwood rough and wild. A
mostly male population eagerly patronized the many saloons, gambling
establishments, dance halls, and brothels. These establishments were
considered legitimate businesses and were well known throughout the
area.
By
1877, Deadwood was evolving from a primitive mining camp to a community
with a sense of order. The crude tents and shanties that had housed the
early miners quickly gave way to wood and brick buildings. The community
organized a town government that relied on Sheriff
Seth Bullock to keep law
and order. The gradual transition of Deadwood from a mining camp to a
civilized community nearly came to an abrupt end. On Sept.
26, 1879,
a fire started at a bakery on Sherman
Street and
rapidly spread to the business district of Deadwood. The fire damaged
the business district of the town, but rather than give up, the
community rebuilt itself. The fire made clear the need for regulations
preventing another fire. The local government enacted laws that would
permit only certain building materials for building construction. After
the fire, Deadwood rebuilt itself in brick and stone rather than in
lumber.
In
1890, the railroad connected
the town to the outside world. The Fremont, Elkhorn,
and Missouri Valley Railroad helped bring the community together as a
civic entity. The railroad also brought people to the area from various
ethnic groups. Chinese immigrants
were among those building the railroad. Hundreds of Chinese came to the Black
Hills looking
for work in mines or commerce. Many settled in Deadwood, where they
sought work in restaurants, laundries and stores. By the end of the
1880s, Deadwood had a Chinatown,
which was at the northern end of present-day Main
Street.
The Chinese managed to establish a district and a fire department for
themselves, but struggled in nearly every part of society. Often denied
equality in a dominantly Caucasian community, the members of Chinatown strived
for recognition as citizens of Deadwood. All too often they were
subjected to the suspicion and hostility of whites.
Deadwood gradually evolved from a wild frontier town to a prosperous
commercial center, due, in part, to the construction of the railroad.
Although the community primarily focused on its gold mining industry,
Deadwood became the place where people traveled in the Black
Hills to
conduct their business. Despite an 1883 flood, and another fire in 1894,
Deadwood prevailed through many hardships. In March 1878, Paul Rewman
established Western
South Dakota's
first telephone exchange in Deadwood. Dakota
Territory became
the states of North and South
Dakota on November
2, 1889 (Dakota
Territory also
included areas that encompassed present day Montana and
most of Wyoming).
Deadwood moved forward into the twentieth century, but the image of the
wild West town has lingered, due to past events and the individuals
responsible for making the town into a legend. Figures like Wild
Bill Hickok and Calamity
Jane each left their
mark. Hickok, a legendary figure even in his own lifetime, was shot in
the back of the head by Jack McCall, while playing poker at the No. 10
Saloon on August
2, 1876.
Calamity Jane was renowned for her excellent marksmanship, preference
for men's clothing, and bawdy behavior. Although Deadwood had its tough
individuals, others were gentler in nature, such as Rev. Henry W. Smith. Preacher
Smith was the first
Methodist minister to come to the Black
Hills.
Smith was mysteriously murdered onSunday,
August 20, 1876,
while walking to Crook City to
deliver a sermon. These individuals are just a few of the many notables
buried in Mt. Moriah Cemetery,
which was established in 1877 or 1878.
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“Deadwood has been known the world round for over half a
century. It is the smallest ‘metropolitan’ city in the world,
with paving and public and other buildings such as are seldom
found in cities less than several times its size.”
John S. McClintock
Pioneer Days in the Black
Hills,
1939
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As
Deadwood settled into the twentieth century, the gambling and
prostitution establishments were still considered legitimate businesses.
The new century brought new beliefs and ideas, and the gambling and
prostitution came under attack from reformers. The reformers believed
that the two were partly responsible for causing social problems, such
as drunkenness and poverty. These reformers also supported the
temperance movement that was sweeping the country. In 1919, the U.S. government
had passed the Prohibition Act banning the sale and distribution of
alcohol. During the roaring twenties, gaming became illegal but
continued to operate behind closed doors. With the repeal of the
Prohibition Act in 1935, gambling once again flourished in Deadwood
until 1947, when it was officially closed. Prostitution remained a
business until the 1950s when the state's attorney shut down many of the
brothels. The last one to close was Pam's Purple Door in 1980. While
gambling and prostitution establishments closed, Deadwood became the
only city in the United
States to
be named a National Historic Landmark in 1964.
During
the 1980s the question of gaming resurfaced, and a petition was
introduced to reinstate gaming in Deadwood. In 1986, local business
owners agreed to lobby for legalized gaming to create economic
development for the community. As gaming moved through the state
legislature, the Deadwood City Commission established the Historic
Preservation Commission in 1987 to oversee the restoration of historic
sites in the community. In 1988, the gaming issue initiative was put on
the state ballot. It passed with 64% of the vote and was authorized to
begin on November
1, 1989.
The introduction of gaming has enabled Deadwood to preserve its historic
buildings and dramatically increase tourism. The lure of gaming is not
the only draw to Deadwood; people are also fascinated by its unique,
colorful history.