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If you go to visit Deadwood, South Dakota, you can see that the history of the town is not long forgotten. Looking around you can see the casinos and old time buildings that are forever a part of the old west history. This may lead you to wonder how did Deadwood first came about.
Deadwood was first founded during the goldrush of 1875, somewhere around August of that time of year. After three years of people digging up gold, and Deadwood’s population growing, the gold rush in this town had come to a halt due to people moving on to bigger and better gold strikes. Those who stayed were put to work by extracting gold from rock (which many found was tedious and left the town for this reason). Due to this reason the town had its up downs of gold findings, population growths, and industry spurts after the gold rush fever was over.
After the goldrush the town started to get left behind and was loosing money. To make money the people in Deadwood started to attract tourists by having the famous Days of ’76 festivals and parade (as in 1876), which began in 1924. Another thing that attracted tourists was when President Coolidge visited. This brought 400,000 people to the area around 1929. Yet, the most important historic event that attracts tourists today is the gambling and the famous reenactment of Wild Bill Hickok’s death.
Most people know Wild Bill as a famous outlaw that was gunned down in Deadwood, South Dakota while playing poker with his back to the door of the bar. He held in his hand what is now called the dead man’s hand. There is a certain casino in Deadwood now that claims to hold the famous chair and dead man’s hand that Wild Bill held that same night. Another famous person that is well known in this town is Calamity Jane who was a woman that claimed to be more manly than any other man around town. She could out do anything any man could do. There have also been many more people that passed through this town that later on in their life were famous for something or other. Billy the kid and many, many other outlaws all saw the potential Deadwood held for high stake gamblers and gunmen. This is what makes this town so famous. Virtually every tourist that comes to visit Deadwood wants to see the rich history it holds. Most people even take a walk up to Wild Bill's grave. While up there you can visit other famous characters' graves, too. As you look around at this small town you can just imagine how it used to hold so much excitement in high stakes and gunmen.
Now Deadwood is known for its old cowboy stories and rich history. Not to mention the high antes in gambling. It has nearly 2 million visitors a year, and with every new face, there is an old story to be told. So, if you ever get the chance take a trip to Deadwood, and see the rich history of our nation's old west, do so. You will take great appreciation in America’s old west.
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