story by NATHAN STEELE
In fact , it was one of the very first to be constructed in the Black Hills . An unmarked but clearly well-travelled trail takes hikers to the site , but many do not know the story of the cabin , or of the nearby mine . Earlier this fall , the family descended from that Black Hills pioneer who constructed these sites took me there to learn a bit more about this little-known , hidden piece of history .
Shortly after Custer ’ s 1874 expedition through the Black Hills , word of gold in the area spread far and wide . Before long , settlers from across the country poured into the Black Hills — one of which was William Brooks , a veteran of the Civil War of who sought to try his luck with discovering gold in the area .
Brooks was born in 1832 in Williamsburg , Penn ., and eventually served as a private in Co . G . 97th Regiment of Pennsylvania , and was discharged in Weldon , N . C ., in 1865 . A book of the family history tells “ Apparently he got home the best way he could . It seems that was the way they handled discharges in those days .”
During that time the Black Hills were set aside for the “ absolute and undisturbed use and occupation of the Indians ” by the Treaty of Fort Laramie . Of course , that didn ’ t stop determined individuals from entering the area . It was written that “[ Brooks ] and the group he was then with has put forth considerable effort to keep from being contacted by Uncle Sam ’ s soldiers , who were trying to keep people out of the Black Hills because of the Indian Treaties .” They arrived in the Black Hills in the winter of 1875- 76 , and prospected near Custer , Hill City , Deadwood , and Lead
myblackhillscountry . com but did not find any veins worth developing . It was also written that “ during his stay within the Black Hills , he said he never saw an Indian , and he found no hostile Indians around the foothills .”
After his unsuccessful search for gold , he went to Hot Springs . By now , it was around 1879 , and Brooks Likely took out squatter ’ s rights on land there , and even helped to build the first permanent house in Hot Springs . Interestingly , Brooks may have also been one of the first non-Native people to discover what is now known as Wind Cave . He was hunting north of Hot Springs and heard a hissing and blowing sound , which he thought may be a snake . Taking a closer look , he discovered a small hole in the ground , which turned out to be the natural opening of Wind Cave . Whether or not he was the first non- Native person to find Wind Cave is unknown , and the written family history states “ at any rate , we have never heard that he did anything more than look at it , and probably tell others about it .”
He also likely saw one of the last true native bison in the area . It ’ s also written in the family history that the last buffalo he saw was in the year 1881 . That year , he had moved to the Buffalo Gap area , and he was plowing with an ox team west of his house . Looking to the hills east of the nearby valley , he watched a lone bull buffalo as it “ hung around the hills east of the valley all day , pawing up the dirt from time to time .” That evening , he went back to look for it , but it was gone . By 1884 , there were only an estimated 325 wild bison in the entire U . S ..
Down Country Roads 23