Of the many iconic towns of the Old West, none has quite captured our imagination like Deadwood. From the legacies of Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane to today’s resurgence in mining and gambling, this city in the Black Hills of South Dakota continues to occupy a central place in the American mythos. Today, the community of only 1,380 residents—which retains some of the same swagger that distinguished it from so many other gold camps of the West more than a century ago—welcomes nearly two million yearly visitors and is a National Historic Landmark.

 

Deadwood brings together the most fascinating writings about the wildest town in the West. Drawing on excerpts from novels, period newspaper articles, biographies, and even song lyrics, it is essential reading for anyone curious about the past of the original Sin City of the Wild West.