History of Deadwood
Wild West Animated Stories
Wild Bill Hickok's Last Hand
Wild Bill arrived in Deadwood seeking fortune, but met his fate holding the infamous 'Dead Man's Hand' in a saloon poker game.
Read MoreCalamity Jane's Ride
Calamity Jane, famed for her daring spirit, once rode through a blizzard to deliver medicine to the sick miners of Deadwood.
Read MoreThe Great Gold Rush
In 1876, gold was discovered in Deadwood Gulch, drawing thousands of hopeful prospectors and changing the Black Hills forever.
Read MoreLakota Legacy: The Black Hills and the Great Sioux Nation
Long before Deadwood, the Black Hills were sacred to the Lakota Sioux, whose history and culture remain central to the region.
Read MoreDeadwood's Chinatown: A Community of Hope and Hard Work
In the late 1800s, Chinese immigrants built a vibrant community in Deadwood, contributing to the town's culture and economy.
Read MoreThe 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie
A landmark agreement between the United States and the Lakota Sioux, the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie recognized the Black Hills as part of the Great Sioux Reservation, until gold was discovered.
Read MoreCrazy Horse: Lakota Warrior and Leader
Crazy Horse, a legendary Oglala Lakota leader, fought to defend his people and the Black Hills, becoming a symbol of resistance and honor.
Read MoreLakota Life in the Black Hills
For generations, the Lakota people thrived in the Black Hills, guided by deep spiritual traditions, community, and respect for the land.
Read MoreDeadwood Timeline
- ðŠķPre-1700sIndigenous Nations in the Black HillsDetails
- ðđ1776Lakota Settle in the Black HillsDetails
- ðšïļ1803Louisiana PurchaseDetails
- ðĪ1851First Treaty of Fort LaramieDetails
- ð1868Second Treaty of Fort LaramieDetails
- âïļ1874Custer Expedition Violates TreatyDetails
- ðŠ1876Battle of the RosebudDetails
- âïļ1876Battle of Little BighornDetails
- ð1877Black Hills Annexed by U.S.Details
- ðïļ1890Ghost Dance and Wounded KneeDetails
- ðŠĻ1927Crazy Horse Memorial AnnouncedDetails
- âïļ1980U.S. Supreme Court Black Hills DecisionDetails
- ðŋ2000Crazy Horse Memorial ProgressDetails
- ðïļ1875Black Hills ExpeditionDetails
- ðïļ1876Deadwood FoundedDetails
- ð1876Wild Bill HickokDetails
- ðĪ 1877Calamity JaneDetails
- ðŪ1878Chinatown EstablishedDetails
- ðĨ1879Great FireDetails
- ð1880Railroad ArrivesDetails
- ð1889StatehoodDetails
- â°ïļ1924Mount Moriah CemeteryDetails
- ð1941Homestake Mine ClosureDetails
- ðïļ1961National Historic LandmarkDetails
- ð°1989Legalized GamblingDetails
- ðïļ2004Deadwood Historic PreservationDetails
- ð1876First Gold Claims FiledDetails
- ðĄ1876Telegraph Reaches DeadwoodDetails
- ðŦ1877First School EstablishedDetails
- ð1878Deadwood Opera House OpensDetails
- ðĨ1883First Hospital BuiltDetails
- ðĄ1886Electric Streetlights InstalledDetails
- ð1892Carnegie Library FoundedDetails
- ðē1906Deadwood Social ClubsDetails
- ðš1912Women's Suffrage MovementDetails
- ðŪ1876First Lawmen AppointedDetails
- ðĐâðĶ°1877Martha Bullock ArrivesDetails
- âïļ1881Telephone Service IntroducedDetails
- ð1890Phoebe Hearst's PhilanthropyDetails
- ð1894First Electric TrolleyDetails
- ðĻ1902Franklin Hotel OpensDetails
- ðŦ1920Prohibition EraDetails
- ðž1930Mount Roosevelt Friendship TowerDetails
- ð1952Deadwood Volunteer Fire DepartmentDetails
- ð1976Deadwood CentennialDetails
Family Resources
- Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road
Read the original Deadwood Dick dime novel by Edward L. Wheeler, a classic of Wild West fiction.
Read on Project Gutenberg - The Life and Adventures of Nat Love (Deadwood Dick)
Discover the real-life story of Nat Love, also known as Deadwood Dick, an African American cowboy and legend of the West.
Read on Project Gutenberg - Deadwood Dick Jr. Branded
Follow the adventures of Deadwood Dick Jr. in this action-packed Western by Edward L. Wheeler.
Read on Project Gutenberg - Prehistoric Life Coloring Book (NPS)
Download a free National Park Service coloring book featuring prehistoric life and fossils of the American West.
Download Coloring Book (PDF)