found in Deadwood Creek . The Homestake became the only mine to operate continuously well into the next century . Over the next 125 years , the Homestake would produce 10 % of the world ’ s gold supply .
In the summer of 1876 , things reached a boiling point . Custer and a few military leaders gathered their forces near the Little Bighorn River in late June . They underestimated the number of Lakota , Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho warriors encamped along the river and triggered a fight they were doomed to lose . General Custer and his troops were severely defeated . He and 267 others were killed .
Within a few weeks , a man named Wild Bill Hickok traveled by wagon train from Cheyenne to Deadwood to seek his fortune . Hickok had been a soldier in the Civil War and while in service became a wagon master . He later worked a variety of jobs , as a lawman , a stagecoach driver , and a scout , among others . He had a reputation as a gambler and was famous for his involvement in a few gunfights .
A woman named Calamity Jane was on the same stagecoach and the two became acquainted . Around that same time , two friends were traveling to Deadwood from Montana with the idea of starting a hardware business . Sol Star and Seth Bullock , who had served as a sheriff in Montana , arrived in Deadwood on August 1 . That morning Wild Bill Hickok , Jack McCall and a few others were engaged in a poker game at the Saloon # 10 , so named for its location on placer claim number 10 . McCall , who was reportedly drunk , lost badly and left the game . Hickok suggested he sober up and gave him money to go buy breakfast . Apparently , the gesture insulted McCall .
The following day McCall returned to the Saloon # 10 and found Hickok seated at the poker table with his back to the door . McCall walked around the table looking at everyone ’ s hands , finally stopping behind Wild Bill ’ s chair . He drew a gun and shot Wild Bill in the head , killing him instantly .
Hickok ’ s close friend , Charlie Utter , claimed the body , and arranged a funeral service at his camp the following afternoon . Nearly the entire town attended .
After Hickok ’ s death , the uncontrolled criminal activity in Deadwood and nearby camps continued . Mounting pressure finally forced Territorial Governor Pennington to establish a legal presence in the area , and he appointed Seth Bullock as Deadwood ’ s first sheriff .
Several years ago , HBO produced a television series and movie based on these historical figures and several others . The show was filmed in California , not in the Black Hills , but did a fair job of representing what life in Deadwood must have been like during the height of the gold rush .
Being able to explore the area that I know as home , while adding layers of characters and their personal stories to the history , enrichens the experience of riding in the Black Hills for me . Each ride takes me down another beautiful road , and back in time to the Old West . ML
Michelle Lamphere , AKA Sturgis Chick , is the owner of the Chalet Motel , a moto travellers haven in Custer , South Dakota . She is also an author , penning two books called The Butterfly Route and Tips For Traveling Overland In Latin America . These were based on her two years and 65,000 kilometres travelling across North , Central and South America . Michelle can also be found speaking at many motorcycle rallies and events , as well as curating films for the many festivals held by Rev Sisters .
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