South Dakota Community Network

Deadwood, South Dakota is a city whose history is tied to some of the most well-known names in the history of the American Westnames like George Armstrong Custer and Wild Bill Hickok. Today, Deadwood is the county seat of Lawrence County, had a 2009 estimated population of 1,380, and includes the National Historic Landmark District known as Deadwood Historical District. The name of the city comes from “the dead trees that were found in the narrow canyon (Deadwood Gulch) where you’ll find the historic Main and Sherman streets,” as the Deadwood Chamber of Commerce records.HBO viewers are undoubtedly familiar with the city thanks to its representation in the Deadwood television series. Created, produced, and written by David Milch, the show ran for three seasons from 2004 to 2006. Deadwood (the show) won accolades for incorporating historical characters, fictional analogues, and completely imaginary characters into a well-written and engaging drama. Timoth Olyphant starred as real-life sheriff, U.S. Marshal, and hardware store owner Seth Bullock, while Ian McShane played Al Swearengen (the historical founder of Deadwood’s Gem Theater brothel) and Keith Carradine as legendary gunslinger Wild Bill Hickok. The show depicts Hickock’s murder at Deadwood’s Nuttal & Mann’s saloon. Hickock, Bullock, Calamity Jane, and other famed Western personalities are buried in Deadwood’s Mount Moriah Cemetery.Even before notorious figures like Swearengen and Hickok came to town, Deadwood was controversial due to disputes originating from the 1868 Treaty of Laramie. In modern times, the U.S. Supreme Court has attempted to address this issue. Settlement began when Colonel George Custer led an expedition into the Black Hills and started the famed Black Hills Gold Rush. A number of saloons and brothels sprung up in the wake of this early population explosion (which reached somewhere around 5,000 people).In 1876, a smallpox epidemic devastated the camp, and a fire destroyed over 300 buildings in 1879. The city continued to grow, though, especially with the construction of the Deadwood Central Railroad in 1888. This railroad was later abandoned in 1930. In 1959, another fire swept through the city and burned down around 4,500 square miles, drawing a contingent of almost 3,600 professional and volunteer firefighters. This fire led to a major economic decline in the succeeding decades, even though the entire town was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1961. In 1989, gambling was legalized in the city, which allowed for a rejuvenation of its fortunes. Today, Kevin Costner’s Midnight Star casino is one of the many available to tourists. Visitors can also explore the George S. Mickelson Trail, Sheridan Lake, and Spearfish Canyon for more natural recreational activities.