The city of Deadwood is a close neighbor to Rapid City and offers a taste of the real west. Deadwood, South Dakota was the third place in the third place in the United States to legalize gaming (after Atlantic City the state of Nevada) and also offers a gateway into history.
Deadwood was formed out of the gold rush of 1874 and was the sight of the Homestake Mine. Many legends of the west were rooted in Deadwood including the death of Wild Bill Hickok at the Number 10 Saloon, and is also the final resting place of Calamity Jane.
Poker Alice also called Deadwood home as Preacher Smith. In recent years Deadwood has been the subject of the HBO show with the same name. For many years Deadwood never shook its rough and untamed reputation giving it a character all its own. Now its rowdy reputation as subsided and in its place is a city with a character like none other.
When you walk down historic Main Street you actually feel as though you have stepped into the late 1800’s. Most summer days there are even people in full dress reenacting famous gunfights and giving demonstrations. The streets are lined with casinos, interesting little shops and great places to eat…not to mention the bars and the Number 10 Saloon. That’s right, The Historic Number 10 Saloon is still there and still open for business, and inside the chair Wild Bill was shot in is still there and his gun belt still hangs from it.
Deadwood is home to over 80 gaming establishments ranging from nickel slots to $100 bet limits, classic games to new twists. My wife and I often enjoy going up to spend a day in Deadwood nosing through the shops and eating, then we spend the nights playing in all of the casinos. It is a nice place to hang out, and isn’t as crowded as Vegas.
Deadwood is still a party town hosting the Deadwood Jam, Wild Bill Days, Days of ‘76, and Kool Deadwood Nites in the summer and Deadweird, Mardi Gras and St. Patrick’s Day in the colder months.
