Welcome to Deadwood!!!! Miners named the town Deadwood after seeing and having to clear all the dead wood in town. Ummm it sounds too simple to be true but that’s what the tour bus drive told us so….. it must be true! Right?? The discovery of gold in the southern Black Hills in 1874 set off a gold rush. In 1876 miners moved into the northern Black Hills. That’s where they came across of gulch full of dead trees and a creek full of gold and Deadwood was born.
Saloon No. 10 is where Wild Bill Hickok was shot. He had only been in town for about a month when Jack McCall walked in the saloon, said “you killed my brother”, shot Wild Bill in the head and he died instantly. The trial was held the next day and the jury found Jack McCall innocent. Story is because it was an unlawful town and he was seeking revenge for the killing of his brother. About a year later he was tried again because they found out McCall only had sisters and laws didn’t apply in Deadwood at the time of the first trial because it was Indian land. He was found guilty the second trial and hung.
It just happened that this weekend is Kool Deadwood Nites. People bring their classic cars and show them off. And the tourists love walking around seeing them. There were hundreds of classic cars at several locations in town. Mike was glowing!!!!! And wondering how to keep the girls happy so he could check out as many as possible. They have free concerts every night – The Grass Roots, The Letterman, The Box Tops, The Turtles and many more. The stage was set up in the street and people could line up their chairs to save a space as early as 8 am. This picture isn’t even all of them. They look so funny!!!!
Here we are by some of the cars. The girls were less than thrilled but good sports about it. We are waiting to go on a bus tour around town to see the sites.
Our bus driver was funny!! He originally got a degree in social work but soon realized Deadwood didn’t have any need for social workers. So, he became a guidance counselor. He retired a few years ago and now drives the tourist bus. (we think he might be the owner). He was full of information. One of the sites we wanted to see was Mount Moriah cemetery where Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane are buried.
Wild Bill Hickok was one of the greatest gunfighters of the American West. He was also know for being a wagon master, spy, scout, soldier, gambler and showman. The bronze grave stone is an exact copy of the original which was deteriorating.
Calamity Jane was quite the character. Was tobacco-spitting, beer-guzzling, foul mouthed woman who preferred men’s clothing to dresses. Orphaned at 12 years old she learned and was willing to do most anything to support herself. Among many things she worked in Wild Bill’s show, was a cook and housekeeper at a brothel (rumor has it she was also a prostitute), and was well known for being a humanitarian in Deadwood nursing residents sick with small pox. Depends on who you talk to that she either loved Wild Bill or they were just friends. She was married several times, some legal some not and had a nine year old daughter when she died that she had enrolled in a boarding school so that she would be taken care of.
The first sheriff of Deadwood was Seth Bullock who built this hotel.
Two men in period costumes just walking down the street.
There are “women of the night” in the second floor windows.
A few “suspicious” characters.
And, of course, the town had a shoot out. That is “Calamity Jane”, in brown, shooting some miscreant down the street.
In the late 1800’s W. E. Adams and his wife lived in the town. He made his money selling goods to the miners. After Mr. Adams died his wife just up and left and went to California. She didn’t take anything with her. The house stood vacant for over a century with all the furnishings in place – including cookies in the cookie jar. The house has since been restored and turned into a museum.
We were told what we thought was haze was actually smoke from the fires out west and in Canada. Which is probably what we saw yesterday at Devil’s Tower.
Mike was a big fan of the HBO series Deadwood and loved seeing the town. We love all the history. Another great day!!
Girlsmotorhometrip2018 