Sol Star facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sol Star
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| Member of the South Dakota Senate from the 31st district |
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| In office 1890–1894 |
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| Member of the South Dakota House of Representatives from the 31st district |
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| In office 1888–1890 |
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| Mayor of Deadwood, South Dakota | |
| In office 1884–1898 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | December 20, 1840 Kingdom of Bavaria, German Confederation |
| Died | October 10, 1917 (aged 76) Deadwood, South Dakota, U.S. |
| Nationality | German-American |
| Political party | Republican |
Solomon Star (born December 20, 1840 – died October 10, 1917) was an important businessman and politician in early Deadwood, South Dakota. He was born in Germany and later became an American citizen. Sol Star is well-known for helping to build up the town of Deadwood and for his many years of public service.
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Sol Star's Early Life and Businesses
Sol Star was born in Bavaria, which is now part of Germany. When he was 10 years old, his family moved to Chillicothe, Ohio, in the United States. Later, he moved to Helena, Montana. There, he worked as a government accountant and was a personal helper to the governor.
Sol Star became business partners with Seth Bullock. They opened a hardware store together. In August 1876, they heard about the gold rush in Deadwood, South Dakota. They knew there would be lots of business there. So, they bought some land and opened their own store called "Star and Bullock, Auctioneers and Commission Merchants." This meant they sold things for others and helped people buy and sell goods.
They also started a livestock ranching business called the S&B Ranch Company. In 1880, they teamed up with Harris Franklin to open the Deadwood Flouring Mill, where Sol Star was the main manager. Their businesses grew, and they opened stores in other towns like Spearfish, Sturgis, and Custer.
Building the Railroad and Belle Fourche
Sol Star and Seth Bullock helped the area grow even more. They convinced the Fremont, Elkhorn, and Missouri Valley Railroad to build train tracks through their land. They offered the railroad 40 acres of their land for free. This was important because someone else had bought the land needed for the tracks and was asking for a very high price.
In 1890, the railroad built a station near a town called Minnesela. Sol Star and Seth Bullock helped create a new town there, called Belle Fourche. They offered free land to anyone who moved from Minnesela to Belle Fourche. Because of this, Belle Fourche became a very important place for shipping livestock by train. It even became the main town for the county, taking that title from Minnesela.
The Bullock Hotel's History
In 1894, the hardware store that Sol Star and Seth Bullock owned in Deadwood burned down. Instead of rebuilding the store, they decided to build Deadwood's very first hotel on the same spot. It was a fancy, three-story hotel with 64 rooms. It had modern features like steam heat and indoor bathrooms on every floor. Building it cost $40,000.
This hotel, called the Bullock Hotel, is still open today. It now includes a casino that is open 24 hours a day.
Sol Star's Public Service
Sol Star was very involved in the community. In 1876, he was chosen to be on the first town council in Deadwood. He became the town's postmaster in 1877.
In 1884, he was elected mayor of Deadwood. He served as mayor for 10 terms, which added up to 14 years! After South Dakota became a state, he continued his public service. He was a Republican politician. He served in the South Dakota House of Representatives from 1889 to 1890. Then, he was in the South Dakota State Senate from 1893 to 1894. He even served as the temporary president of the South Dakota Senate.
For 20 years, until he passed away, Sol Star also worked as the Lawrence County Clerk of Courts. This job involved keeping official court records. He never got married.
Sol Star's Final Resting Place
Sol Star passed away on October 10, 1917. After a large funeral in Deadwood, his family decided not to bury him in the local Mount Moriah Cemetery. Instead, his body was taken to St. Louis, Missouri. He was buried there in the New Mount Sinai Cemetery.
