Deadwood, South Dakota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Deadwood, South Dakota Owáyasuta
City
Modern Deadwood viewed from Mount Moriah
Location in Lawrence County and the state of South Dakota
Country	United States
State	South Dakota
County	Lawrence
Founded	April 1876
Incorporated	February 22, 1881
Government
• Type	City Commission
Area
• Total	4.929 sq mi (12.767 km2)
• Land	4.929 sq mi (12.767 km2)
• Water	0.000 sq mi (0.000 km2)
Elevation	4,715 ft (1,437 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,156
• Estimate  (2023)	1,343
• Density	272.0/sq mi (105.2/km2)
Time zone	UTC–7 (Mountain (MST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC–6 (MDT)
ZIP Code	57732
Area code(s)	605
FIPS code	46-15700
GNIS feature ID	1267350
Sales tax	6.2%
Deadwood Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
Architectural style	Neoclassical, Late Victorian
NRHP reference No.	66000716
Added to NRHP	October 15, 1966

Deadwood is a city in South Dakota, United States. It is the main town of Lawrence County. Early settlers named it after the many dead trees found in its valley. The city was very busy from 1876 to 1879. This was after gold was found there, starting the Black Hills Gold Rush.

At its busiest, Deadwood had about 25,000 people. Many famous figures from the Old West visited, like Wyatt Earp, Calamity Jane, Seth Bullock, and Wild Bill Hickok. Wild Bill Hickok was killed in Deadwood.

The whole town is a special National Historic Landmark District. This means its old buildings from the Gold Rush time are well-protected. Deadwood has five history museums run by a group called Deadwood History, Inc. Deadwood is close to Lead, so the two towns are often called "Lead-Deadwood" together.

In 2020, 1,156 people lived in Deadwood. By 2023, it was estimated to have 1,343 people.

History of Deadwood

The 1800s: Gold Rush and Growth

Deadwood started illegally in the 1870s. The land was given to American Indians by the 1868 Treaty of Laramie. This treaty said the Black Hills belonged to the Lakota people. But in 1874, Colonel George Armstrong Custer found gold in the Black Hills.

This discovery started the Black Hills Gold Rush. Soon, Deadwood became a new, wild town. Its population quickly grew to about 5,000 people.

A 3D laser scan image of the Bullock-Clark Building, built in 1894.

A famous saloon called the Gem Variety Theater opened in 1877. It was run by Al Swearengen. The saloon burned down in 1879 and was rebuilt. It burned down again in 1899, and Swearengen left town. Deadwood was known for being a lawless place. Murders were common, and justice was not always fair.

The town became even more famous when the gunman Wild Bill Hickok was killed there. Mount Moriah Cemetery is where Hickok, Calamity Jane, and Seth Bullock are buried. Hickok's killer, Jack McCall, was tried twice. This happened because Deadwood was an illegal town in Indian Territory. So, its first trial was not considered valid. McCall was found guilty and hanged in a different court.

As gold mining changed from simple panning to deep mining, Deadwood became a more settled town. In 1876, a smallpox sickness spread. Many people got sick, and tents were set up to keep them separate. Also in 1876, General George Crook chased the Sioux Indians after the Battle of the Little Bighorn. This chase ended in Deadwood and is called the Horsemeat March.

The Homestake Mine in nearby Lead started in 1877. For many years, it was the longest-running gold mine in the United States. Gold mining stopped in 2002, but you can still visit the mine as a tourist. On September 26, 1879, a big fire destroyed Deadwood. More than 300 buildings were lost, and many people lost everything. Many poor people left town to start over.

In 1883, Deadwood got electricity, thanks to Judge Squire P. Romans. He started the "Pilcher Electric Light Company of Deadwood." He ordered equipment from Thomas Edison. Deadwood had electric lights less than four years after they were invented. This was around the same time as much bigger cities.

A special narrow-gauge railroad called the Deadwood Central Railroad was built in 1888. It helped transport goods for mining. The railroad was later bought by a bigger company. Part of it was used for passenger trains until 1924. The railroad was mostly stopped in 1930.

Some other early people who lived in or visited Deadwood included Al Swearengen, E. B. Farnum, Charlie Utter, Sol Star, Martha Bullock, A. W. Merrick, Samuel Fields, Calamity Jane, Dr. Valentine McGillycuddy, Reverend Henry Weston Smith, Aaron Dunn, and Wild Bill Hickok.

Chinatown in Deadwood

The gold rush brought many Chinese immigrants to Deadwood. At its peak, about 250 Chinese people lived there. Some worked in mining, but most worked in service jobs. A Chinese area grew on Main Street. This was because there were few rules about foreigners owning land in Dakota Territory. People were also quite accepting. Wong Fee Lee came to Deadwood in 1876 and became an important merchant. He was a leader for Chinese Americans until he died in 1921.

Other people, including African Americans and Europeans, also lived in this area. In the 2000s, scientists studied the area to learn more about its history.

The 1900s and 2000s: Challenges and Revival

Another large fire in September 1959 almost destroyed Deadwood again. About 4,500 acres burned, and people had to leave their homes. Many firefighters helped stop the fire. This fire caused a big economic problem for the area.

In 1961, the whole town was named a National Historic Landmark. But the town continued to struggle for the next 20 years. A major highway, Interstate 90, was built around Deadwood in 1964, which meant fewer travelers came through. In 1987, another fire destroyed two historic buildings.

These fires made people interested in helping Deadwood. They started the "Deadwood Experiment." This was a plan to allow gambling to help the town's center. At that time, gambling was only legal in Nevada and Atlantic City. Deadwood was the first small town in the U.S. to use legal gambling to save its historic buildings. Gambling became legal in Deadwood in 1989. This immediately brought a lot of new money and building projects.

Geography and Nature

Deadwood is located at 44°22′36″N 103°43′45″W / 44.37667°N 103.72917°W / 44.37667; -103.72917. The city covers about 3.83 square miles of land.

Deadwood has a special postal code, 57732.

Fun Things to Do

In the summer, Deadwood has many trails for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding. The northern part of the George S. Mickelson Trail starts here. It goes south through the Black Hills. Several lakes, like Sheridan Lake, are great for fishing and swimming. Spearfish Canyon to the north has many places for rock climbing. In early June, there are races for runners and children on the Mickelson Trail.

In winter, there are two ski areas near Lead: Terry Peak and Deer Mountain.

The Midnight Star casino in Deadwood is owned by actor Kevin Costner. He directed and starred in the movie Dances with Wolves, which was filmed in South Dakota. The casino walls are covered with posters from his movies.

Weather in Deadwood

Deadwood's weather is different from most of South Dakota. Most of the state gets less than 25 inches of rain or snow each year. But the Lead-Deadwood area gets almost 30 inches. Most of this falls as snow in winter. Snow can start as early as September and last until late May. Spring is short and has big wet snowstorms and rain.

People of Deadwood

In 2020, there were 1,156 people living in Deadwood. There were 627 households and 284 families. Most people (86.9%) were White. About 1.7% were Native American. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 4.2% of the population.

In 2010, there were 1,270 people. Most (94.9%) were White. About 1.8% were Native American. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 3.4% of the population.

The average age in the city was 48 years old. About 15% of residents were under 18.

Education in Deadwood

Most of Deadwood is in the Lead-Deadwood School District 40-1. A small part of the city is in the Spearfish School District 40-2.

Famous People from Deadwood

People from the Gold Rush Era (born before 1870)

People from Later Times

Images for kids

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  A photograph of Deadwood in 1876.

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  The Gem Variety Theater in 1878

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  City Hall in 1890, photographed by John C. H. Grabill

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  Deadwood, around the 1890s

Mayors of Deadwood

The first meeting of the Deadwood City Council was called by Mayor McLaughlin on March 15, 1881.

See also

In Spanish: Deadwood (Dakota del Sur) para niños