The Wild West Is Alive And Well In Deadwood South Dakota

   My wife and I left the Keystone area of South Dakota and headed the 60 miles northwest to historic Deadwood, South Dakota. We stopped in Hill City for coffee and a roll at Perky Pines Cafe. This little place had some really neat,  old decor. I thought it was worth the time to stop and look around. We had to detour off Highway 385 for construction work and onto some dirt and gravel roads. It was worth the time as we got to see some beautiful country and Lakes Sheridan and Pactola. We got to see how pretty the lakes are instead of just driving over a bridge and looking down at them. We also saw picturesque settings of campgrounds and marinas.

Sheridan Lake crossing

   We rolled into Deadwood and noticed the brick and cobblestone streets. History is on every corner. Deadwood brings the “Wild West” alive again. They embrace their rugged beginnings with museums, reenactments, and stories. This is truly a history buffs dream come to life. We parked and stopped first for a snack at Jacob’s Brewhouse. We got something called Chislic. We had never heard of this South Dakota tradition but we would definitely eat it again. It is sirloin steak, flash fried topped with bacon bits and blue cheese crumbles. They serve it with a whole grain mustard. Outstanding if you like beef.

   Darlene and I left the brewhouse and headed into downtown. As we looked around, we saw Outlaw Square. It is an old time town square. They have reenactments and concerts there.

The actors and actresses are in costume, but we also noticed and were told about the many people that just like to dress up in old west attire and walk around town.

   Across the street from the square site sits the famous Franklin Hotel. The decor is from the 1870s era. Part of the hotel still has rooms that you to stay in. Part is a casino and part is a museum.

   We walked down the street and looked in a couple of gift shops and at the welcome center. They had a replica of Deadwood from 1875 and an old telegraph sender and receiver from 1887. There were many old and interesting antiques. Walking on down the street we stopped at Sick and Twisted for some refreshments. This is not just a brewery and bar, they have also cornered the market for kids and non drinkers. They have ice cream flights. What a concept!

   We knew we still had more time to see more of Deadwood the next two days, so we decided to check in the hotel we had chosen  for the next three nights and find a place to eat. The hotel we chose was The Blackstone Inn And Suites in Lead, South Dakota. Lead is only four miles out of Deadwood. The hotel is a little dated but clean enough and the staff was very attentive. We ate dinner at Bob’s Silver Star. It is one of the oldest places in Lead and we had a really good burger. Afterwards we stopped at a little hole in the wall that was playing bingo. It was packed with players and some waiting on karaoke to start. It was called Greenfield Pub.

   The next morning we slept in a little and then headed out to explore Deadwood. I thought I knew a little about the town and it’s history but I only knew the names. There is so much more to the stories of the characters that lived here and became legends. George Custer, Calamity Jane, Charlie Utter, Poker Alice, Seth Bullock, Jack McCall and their most famous resident, James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok. There are so many stories, myths, tall tales, and facts that surround each one; it is hard to distinguish which are true. Deadwood has so many reenactments, it is hard to decide which ones to take in. We started at the Wild Bill Saloon. This is a replica of a mid 1870s saloon complete with old bar, swinging doors into a museum, and artifacts from the era. This is one of many places that have posted schedules of all the reenactments.

   We took in the sights, reading and learning about the town’s colorful history of brothels, shootouts, gold mining, lawmen, scoundrels, and gun slingers. Poker Alice ran the brothels, General Custer oversaw the safety of the gold miners, and Seth Bullock was the “lawdog” that kept the peace. Calamity Jane was a famous frontierswoman and sharpshooter. She liked to say she was Hickok’s girl, but Bill always denied it, saying she was too ugly. When she died in 1903, her last request was to be buried beside Wild Bill Hickok and she was. Wild Bill was the gambler and gun slinger of note as well as the towns most famous citizen. We watched as an old stagecoach went up and down main street.

   The first reenactment we saw was The Strange Tale Of David Lunt. David was shot over an argument during a poker game. Nothing really strange about that in those days except that he walked around with a bullet in his forehead for six weeks before he died.

   When that reenactment ended, another one started three blocks down the street. There we saw The Shoot Out On Gold Street. The oddity about this gunfight was two men stopped 15 feet apart to make their play. Both men emptied their six guns and neither one of them was hit. One innocent bystander was shot once in the leg.

   Darlene and I had about an hour before the reenactment we really wanted to see began; the murder of Wild Bill Hickok. We walked around town and checked out a gift shop or two. We picked up some Christmas gifts and T Shirts. The people were very friendly and acted as if they wanted your business. Outside one place was a wooden casket that would have been used during that time frame. It was just like you saw in the movie “Unforgiven.” The bodies of dead or famous outlaws were laid out for public display.

   The next stop was Saloon #10. The original saloon was burned in a town fire, but this one was built as an exact replica. This was the infamous saloon where Jack McCall murdered Wild Bill. It was also where the reenactment of the famous back shooting took place. This is a must see if you are in Deadwood. It does not matter if you are a history fan or not, this is both informative and entertaining. We were told about Bill Hickok’s life as a solider, scout, lawman, cattle rustler, gambler, and gunslinger. Hickok was one of the most famous and fastest gunmen of his time. It was said no one could beat him to the draw and the only way to keep from getting yourself killed was to shoot him in the back. Bill was very cautious and usually made sure his back was toward the wall. However on August 2, 1876, Bill was late to his daily poker game. Charlie Utter had his seat and refused to swap seats as Charlie was winning. Bill had to sit in a different seat and that allowed Jack McCall to shoot him in the back of the head. When he was shot, Bill was holding two pair (black aces and black eights) and from that moment on was known as a “dead mans hand.” Jack McCall was tried, convicted and hanged on March 1, 1877.

   The Saloon #10 also has some casino tables for you to sit down and play poker as they did in the old west or you can play Blackjack or Slots.

   The next thing was dinner at Oggies Sports Bar. We ate a good meal and watched the end of the Braves Baseball Game. Check back in a few days as Darlene and I go into Montana and then back to Spearfish Canyon, South Dakota.