RV Sidetrip: Deadwood, SD
If you like gambling, you'll probably love Deadwood.
If not, probably not so much.
After years of passing by on the way to the Badlands or Yellowstone and seeing the signs, Jennifer and I made an RV sidetrip to this town on the edge of the Black Hills of South Dakota. The entire city is listed on the National Historic Register. The city aggressively promotes itself as having done a careful, accurate restoration of a historically significant western city so we figured it was worth checking out.
The Victorian architecture is indeed attractive.
And the turnaround of the town itself is a a great come back story.
Deadwood was truly a wild west boom town, thanks to the God Rush of 1876 that brought the likes of Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. Gambling places lined the main street. There were real gun battles and many of the west's most colorful characters passed through.
And then it was passed by and a long, slow decline took place. According to the town's official website, by the mid-1980's, many of the city's historic buildings were dilapidated. In 1986, Deadwood citizens formed the “Deadwood U Bet” organization and advocated legalized limited stakes gaming to increase tourism and generate historic preservation funds. Legalized gaming in Deadwood began on November 1, 1989.
Gaming over the past fifteen years has revitalized Deadwood's tourism industry and provided lots of revenue for city government activities and historic preservation. Today Deadwood, with a year round population of about 1,300, is the largest historic restoration project in the United States.
Which takes us back to gambling. I counted no less than 25 casinos and gambling halls, some open 24/7. We're not talking Vegas glitz, we're talking penny slots, $1,000 limits, lots of Blackjack and, on the sidewalks outside, lots of seniors puffing cigarettes.
The town's most famous resident, Wild Bill Hickok, was not a long-time Deadwood citizen. Just a few short weeks after arriving, he was gunned down while holding a poker hand of aces and eights – forever after known as the Dead Man’s Hand.. He is buried in Deadwood's Mount Moriah Cemetery, along with such notables as Calamity Jane and Potato Creek Johnny, Seth Bullock and Al Swearengen. The cemetery offers a a self-guided tour.
A couple of times a day, traffic is stopped and there are staged gunfights downtown, with a local actress dressed up like Calamity Jane entertaining the camera toting tourists before the bad guys and the Marshall take the streets.
We spent a couple of hours walking around Deadwood. It's interesting and fun to photograph.
The town is very friendly to RVers. While there's little or no parking along main street, parallel streets offer lots of lots where, for $5, you can park all day.
Visited there it’s a neat place!
Got to Deadwood in time to make the last guided tour of the Deadwood Museum approx 35 years ago with my sister Vickie Gunstrom-Maiers. Celebrated when Deadwood was a thriving metropolis. Great trip but we learned to stay off of any roads preceded with A
. They could have warned us that that stood for altitude not alternative.
Loved Deadwood!!! Had a flat-out BALL!!!!
When I go to Sturgis at bike week it’s my favorite place too visit.
Awesome place awesome times many many times
Great town! Car show was so much fun!
Been there!
Loved Deadwood
I want to go back and spend a long weekend in Deadwood
loved the area. first stop was the cemetery. so much history there!
Cutest little town, and reminded me of my old home town— Kellogg Idaho.
I lived in Deadwood when they raided those lady of the night houses. My aunt & uncle owned the Bullock hotel and I lived in their first reno of the rooms upstairs. My apartment faced main street and I watched the paddy wagons take the girls. I also witnessed a sighting of Seth Bullock wandering down the hall. I have to say Deadwood is my favorite vacation spot.
I grew up going here. . Before the gaming went in. My aunt and uncle used to own the China Doll and the Bandito restaurants at the Bullock Hotel. I loved visiting summers. Have great pics of the motorcycles lining all of main street before they moved them to out of town parking. Can’t wait to go back!
We spent a fun weekend there years ago – blew a brake line, coasted into Burley’s Bros Garage, and called it home. Best breakdown experience ever – the town is so much fun!
We visited here this summer. Awesome time
I’ve never seen it without thousands of bikes.
Mr-Brian , looks like it’s changed some. (Fn c*:sucker). Lol. Really hope you catch the reference
Grew up in that area. Tons of rich history. Went back 2011, disappointed in the touristy commercialization of it all.
Where is everybody gone ?
Looks a little little like Quitman, MS
I agree one visit was enough for me!
Would love to go there again!! Loved it!
Been there!
hope you went up to the cemitary
We were just there, too. Also Climbed the hill to pay our respects.
Loved Deadwood. Only place where we made the trip to the towns grave yard. Paid our respects to Wild Bill and Clamity Jane!
Love loved visiting Deadwood! Only place where we went to the graveyard. Visited Wild Bill and Clamity Jane grave site.
Was in deadwood in Aug. enjoyed our time there. Left a day early because I didn’t know how we would be able to get out of the site we were in with anyone else there. It was beautiful but NOT a site for a 27 foot.
Was there in 2007.
Was there in July. Great place.
Love this town
Was there in June. Wonderful place. Saw the entire show.
Calamity and the gunfights definitely make it worth going to at least once.
Was there this time last year! Great area!
I was there in 91′ and loved the history which us why I went there. If you re there on july 25 the town does cristmas in the casinos. Also fun.