DEADWOOD (Day 2 - part 2)

We finally reached South Dakota...

Snow and elevation

In Deadwood, we checked into our motel up the hill, about a mile from the historic downtown.

A room ... with a balcony and a view of the downtown

There was a nearby trolley bus stop, but we decided just to walk. As things turned out, we arrived before it did!

We were in clearly in the wild wild West!

Deadwood was started by a gold rush in the spring of 1876. People flooded in with the hopes of getting rich quick. Technically, it was illegal for them to be here since this land had been given to the local Sioux. Money clearly outweighed morality.

The first stop on our walk into town was a chainsaw art store.

A gold panner .... Wild Bill Hickok

Along with gold, Deadwood is equally famous for the death of Wild Bill Hickok (or James Butler Hickok). Wild Bill was an expert gunsliger, frontier scout and guide for wealthy hunters. As his eyesight began to fail, he wandered around trying to make a living as a gambler. He arrived in Deadwood in June 1876. On August 2nd, he was playing poker in the Number 10 saloon when a man by the name of Jack McCall walked in and shot him in the back of the head, killing him instantly.

Wild Bill was said to be holding what's today known as the dead man's hand of black aces and eights as well as an unknown card. However, there's no factual record from that time of the exact cards he held, and the phrase (which was actually first recorded later, in 1888, but at that time applied to a full house of three jacks and a pair of tens) didn't become connected with him until around 1926 (50 years after his death). In 1903, it was jacks and sevens, and in 1907, it was jacks and eights.

While his photos seem to show that he had dark hair, James Butler Hickok in fact had golden blond hair (reddish shades of hair often appeared black in early photographic processes).

Why 'Bill' when his name was James? In his mid-20's, he was derisively called Duck Bill (because of his big nose and protruding upper lip), particularly by a man named McCanles. When there was an altercation involving the death of McCanles (Bill was found not guilty in a court of law, having acted in self-defense), Bill grew his large mustache and started going by the name Wild Bill (or sometimes Shanghai Bill). He started using William Haycock during the Civil War. But when he was arrested in 1865, he went back to his original name.

Historic Main Street

Photos of gunslingers filled the upstairs windows.

These enclosed balconies contained mannequins of ill-repute.

Unbeknownst to us when we had first planned the trip, Deadwood turns into Deadweird over Halloween weekend. There were all sorts of fun decorations! And as evening slowly approached, more and more folks in costumes began to fill the streets. By dusk, the street had been closed off to cars.

The festivities also included a beer event! At certain casino bars and outdoor stands, one could buy a plastic refillable cup. Most importantly, we were allowed to drink openly in the street! No paper bags for us!

Beetlejuice lurks behind me.

Getting a refill (next to a cat)

At 4 pm, we made our way to the Outlaw Square to watch a performance of the "Showdown on Gold Street." It's apparently a true story that went like this:

Four men sat at a table playing some friendly hands of poker. They laughed, joked and were having a good ol' time. At some point, however, one of the men (named Charlie Storms) accused the man who won (Johnny Varnes) of cheating. The situation escalated and eventually it was decided that the only solution would be to have a shootout.

Johnny walked down the street (or across the stage, in this case), turned and shot several times until he was out of bullets. Charlie then returned fire. After the smoke cleared (literally, for apparently these were real guns but just not with real bullets), the two men remained standing, unhurt. The only damage that was done was a broken store window and the leg of the other player, Mr. Ludwig.

At this point, the two men decided the whole matter was silly. They became friends again and went for a drink.

The stage ... The store owner (and fourth player) announces the scene.

Mr. Ludwig, Johnny Varnes and Charlie Storms at the poker table

Johnny prepares for the fight.

Charlie fires back... and misses.

The only casualty... Mr. Ludwig

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