Deadwood Historic District!

What Is the Deadwood Historic District?

Deadwood is the most notorious mining town in South Dakota, and maybe the whole Wild West!

What Makes It Historical?

The notorious gold rush town of Deadwood, South Dakota was founded on April 26, 1876, named for all the dead trees in a nearby gulch where gold had been discovered the year before! Right away, a rough collection of houses, dance halls, gambling houses, and brothels went up to feed (and feed on) the miners’ needs, and with no organized government at all (until October) and no law enforcement until March of 1877, the core of Deadwood earned its nickname of the “Bad Lands!” Nonetheless, between 5,100 to 10,000 folks called Deadwood home at its height!

Forever associated with Deadwood lore, gunslinger, “Wild Bill” Hickok met his end in a saloon here, and “Calamity Jane” worked at the notorious Gem Theater dance hall, run by crime boss, Al Swearingen! First sheriff, Seth Bullock, tamed the “Bad Lands” with pure guts and later defended his position from Wyatt Earp! Today, these folks are memorialized in Deadwood with statues, museums, or at Mount Moriah Cemetery!

But Deadwood’s gold rush years faded quickly, especially after a devastating fire in 1879, and in its place was a more orderly support town for the nearby Homestake Mine. Serviced by telegraph and later telephone, Deadwood became an important stopping point on the Freemont, Elkhorn, and Missouri Valley Railroad, serving both the mining and ranching industries! Driven by a need for supplies during World War I, money flowed into Deadwood, and many of its historic buildings went up during that time. After the war, though, the demand for gold dipped, and formerly lawless Deadwood turned to a more family-friendly industry that swept into the Black Hills during the 1920s: tourism!

How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?

Volunteer with Deadwood History!
Donate to Deadwood History!
Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!