My Genealogy Hound

Deadwood, South Dakota, Aerial View, 1900, historic photo

An historic 1900 aerial view photo of Deadwood, South Dakota. Deadwood came into existence as a boomtown in the 1870's as the result of the discovery of gold. At that time, the area was still Indian Territory; it would not become South Dakota until 1889.

The 1880 census showed the population at 3,777. After a series of rises and falls in the number of citizens, the population peaked at 4,100 in 1940. The population has since steadily declined with only 1,270 in the 2010 census.

Deadwood was long known as a lawless, wild west town with many gunfights and murders. It was in Deadwood that James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok was killed by Jack McCall on August 2, 1876. Hickok is buried beside Martha Jane "Calamity Jane" Cannary in Mount Moriah Cemetery in Deadwood.

This photo is by Detroit Photographic Co., 1900.