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.
James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok was a legendary figure of the American West, known for his skills as a lawman, gambler, and gunfighter. Born in Illinois in 1837, he earned his reputation as a skilled marksman and peacekeeper during the Civil War. By the time he arrived in Deadwood in 1876, his name was already synonymous with frontier justice and adventure.
Wild Bill was famous for his marksmanship, his sense of justice, and his larger-than-life personality. He served as a scout during the Civil War, a sheriff in Hays City, Kansas, and a marshal in Abilene, where his quick-draw abilities and fair-minded approach to law enforcement became legendary. His adventures and misadventures have been retold in countless books, movies, and even comic strips.
On August 2, 1876, while playing poker at Nuttal & Mann's Saloon No. 10, Hickok met his fate at the hands of Jack McCall. Breaking his habit of sitting with his back to the wall, Wild Bill was shot from behind while holding a poker hand of black aces and eights, forever known as the "Dead Man's Hand." His death marked the end of an era in the American West, but his legacy as a frontier lawman and folk hero lives on in Deadwood's history.
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