Deadwood, South Dakota

We drove to Deadwood recently and stopped at their great visitor center first.

We really didn't have a concept of the size of Deadwood.  Frankly, I assumed that it was bigger.  Not big, just bigger than what we found.

There was a VERY helpful staff person at the visitor center who gave us a map and schedule of events.  She pointed out exactly where we would need to go to see the shooting of Wild Bill.  She also strongly suggested that we do one of the hour long bus tours.

We realized we only had a few minutes to catch the shooting of Wild Bill Hickok at the Number 10 Saloon.

The place was crowded, but accommodating.  A hostess helped direct people to where to set and get a good view.

This is actually a very cool show, about 30 minutes long.  "Wild Bill" comes out and talks about his life and Deadwood.  He recruits some volunteers from the audience for a card game, and he is eventually shot by Jack McCall.

The entire thing is fascinating.  The gunshot made everyone in the room jump, and Wild Bill's stillness after the shot is moving.  He does bounce up at the end, assuring that any kids present know that the actor is OK.

Still, the legendary and heroic Hickok gets assassinated OVER AND OVER each day.  In fact, while Jack McCall's trial is going on for the murder, the shooting is being acted out once again at the Number 10.  It is strange that, in Deadwood, the most noted moment in Bill's life is his death.

After that, we went upstairs to the restaurant area above the Number 10 Saloon- The Deadwood Social Club and had a VERY nice and affordable lunch.

I had a bowl of soup and a BLT that were perfect.  I think the two of us ate for under 15-20 with tip.  The BLT had good, crispy, thick bacon that you just don't see anymore on it.  If you are in the area, the Deadwood Social Club is a very safe bet for a meal.

After we ate, we went and did one of the bus tours.  It was around $10 each for an hour (it ended up being a little over an hour) tour of the city including the Mount Moriah Cemetery.

The bus tour was easily worth the price, as you are able to see ALL of the notable sites, and you get to hear a lot of stories attached to the site.  We had a great guide who seemed to know just about everything about the area.

Other than the Cemetery, most of the sites of interest in Deadwood are on Main Street, or just off it.  It was nice hearing about the buildings and their legends on the bus tour, and then walking around later for a bit more of a look inside some of them.

I guess there is a bit of a tourist season for the area, as I heard some people mention that their business would be closing soon.  It looked like a couple of businesses may have already closed up shop until next year.

Gambling is legal in Deadwood.  As someone not too familiar with gambling, it was a bit odd seeing slot machines everywhere.  Obviously the town benefits from it.

According to our tour guide, prostitution was sort of legal in the area up until 1980.  A fellow passenger said, "you mean 1880".

Our tour guide firmly clarified, "no, 1980".

They have placed lingerie wearing mannequins in the upstairs windows of some of the former brothels.

We are not drinkers, but we thought it would be appropriate and fun to have a root beer while in Deadwood.  We were enjoying our Sioux City Sarsaparilla when an old lady across the street yelled at us, and asked if we were drinking beer.  That was a little odd.  I figured the locals would be a bit more mellow- considering the liberal attitudes in recent decades mentioned above.  Then again, maybe Deadwood cops are rough on people drinking in public, and she was trying to give out a friendly warning.

We really had a fun time in Deadwood.  With the buildings and the actors, you really feel connected to the Old West here.  it is a special place.

I would like to explore this area a bit more, but it is pretty small.  If you are a traveller on a time limit, you can cover the main attractions easily in a day.