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Published: August 26th 2007
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When I was about 6 the movie “Calamity Jane” starring Doris Day and Howard Keale was released. This was the first summer that my mom worked full time and her dad, my granddad took care of me. The cinema was just around the corner from his house and my friends and I went to see the “Calamity Jane” Tuesday matinee. Matinee showings were held just three times a week and I begged for the sixpence to go back on Thursday. Then I begged my parents to take me back again on Friday night—because they were really going to enjoy this movie (we didn’t have a TV yet!) I still remember parts of it.
When I was driving toward Rapid City I really didn’t realize that Deadwood was in that vicinity. So I was quite delighted and decided to drive myself there and check out what has happened to that city in that last 140 years or so. The Dakota Territory was fairly uninhabited until gold was discovered in 1874. This discovery set off a rush of fortune seekers looking to strike it rich. The first gold was found in the city of Custer, but the creeks and mines yielded little treasure.
Calamity
No Doris Day I think you will agree! In 1876 miners moved into the Northern Black Hills. That’s where they came across a gulch full of dead trees and a creek full of gold…and Deadwood was born. Wild Bill (James) Hickok came looking for his fortune, but just 62 days after arriving he was gunned down holding a poker hand of aces and eights. (Dead man’s Hand). There are some variations on the status of Calamity Jane; she certainly didn’t have it easy. Her mother died when she was 10 and her father a year later. Let’s say she made her way as best she could. She was pretty rough around the edges for a woman, which no doubt a woman had to be in this area back in the 1870’s.
I arrived, parked the car and headed for the Chamber of Commerce which is located in the preserved old railway station right in the middle of town; in a lot of old west towns everything grew-up around the station. Great, I thought! I picked up some information and walked toward Main Street. I was so disappointed! The whole town is a registered National Historic Landmark. I imagined that the powers-that-be would have preserved the 1870’s city. Not
Madam Dufran
This lady helped supply the "entertainment" for a lot of the gold miners from 1850 through 1890, she is buried in the same area as Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok so! Deadwood was built, typically of all mining camps, without longevity in view. A forest fire came through in 1879 and destroyed the town so they rebuilt, then in 1883 a flood washed the town away so they rebuilt with bricks and mortar in the Victorian style and that has what has been preserved. Deadwood has survived several forest fires and floods since. In 1989 a state wide ballot approved gambling with the express goal of funding historic preservation. Casinos came to Deadwood. Sure enough there are some bars that endeavor to create the past but it’s hard to get into an atmosphere when all you can hear is the ding-ding-ding of one arm bandits. Today there are only 1800 residents of Deadwood but 4000 people are employed there. I guess gambling is more lucrative than the historical draw would be.
I am not sure whether Kevin Costner was born around here or just that he enjoys the area; there certainly are a lot of references to him. Matt, the tour bus driver from the other day had told me to take the Original Deadwood bus tour -the bus just happens to belong to Kevin Costner and so does the
Ladies
Here are some of the "enticing ladies" in the upper floor windows restaurant/bar/casino from where it operates. A lot of the costumes he has worn in various roles are on display in the bar. The driver of this bus was also had a wealth of knowledge; he gave a lot of information about Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane and Deadwood. The tour included a visit to “Boot Hill.” Now called Mount Mariah, the original cemetery had to be moved in 1887 because everything was slowly being washed away. In 1876 the Deadwood cemetery was growing almost as fast as the live population and there were 54 saloons and 31red light establishments.
I enjoyed my visit. I was sorry that I couldn’t get away from a ---- casino! There isn’t a business that doesn’t have one, even a jewellery store!
No sign of Doris or Howard I’m afraid.
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