dhsclassmates Site

Deadwood View from Deadwood Mountain Grand Hotel

2012-01-26T09:56:00.000-08:00

SNEAK PEEK! Just one of the "suite" views from Deadwood Mountain Grand's all new boutique hotel! We have grand announcements about the hotel coming soon - so stay posted! In the meantime, make sure to book reservations for any upcoming trips to Deadwood. We are accepting reservations for April 2012, and on!

See DMG web site.

New South Dakota Flag Design Proposal by South Dakota Magazine.com

2012-01-25T09:50:00.000-08:00

A New Flag for South Dakota

JAN 24, 2012

By Bernie Hunhoff

South Dakota needs a state flag, and this week more than 80 of the 105 lawmakers introduced a bill to adopt a design. (I should make a concession that may surprise some South Dakota Magazinereaders — I work "nights" as a state legislator from Yankton, and I am one of the sponsors.)

You’re thinking we already have a flag, and in a sense we do. For years, our Great Seal has doubled as a flag symbol. We all like the seal — which shows a riverboat, a farmer and wheat fields — but a seal is not a flag.

The United States of America has a seal, but we also love the Stars and Stripes, and Old Glory unifies us as a people. Texans have a Great Seal, but they proudly fly the Lone Star.

South Dakota had a real flag more than 100 years ago. A sunburst on a bright sky blue background was created in 1909. But somewhere along the line, an efficient bureaucrat decided to fill the backside of the flag with the seal. Then another bureaucrat decided it was too cumbersome to print the seal on one side and the flag on the other, so he dropped the flag symbol . . .

See South Dakota Magazine.com for complete article and forum to comment.

1883 Deadwood Christmas Lights - Deadwood Newspaper Notation

2011-12-22T17:55:00.000-08:00

Edison patented a system for electricity distribution in 1880, which was essential to capitalize on the invention of the electric lamp. On December 17, 1880, Edison founded the Edison Illuminating Company. Deadwood lead the nation in use of electricity and telephone which is amazing for a rough and tumble mining camp in the Western Wilderness of the United States. Deadwood also had the Telegraph in 1876.

1911 John Treber Cane, SD 12th Legislative Session by Jerry Locker

2011-12-22T14:43:00.000-08:00

Jerry Locker sent the following information and pictures for a dhsclassmates article. I don’t know Jerry but the it all looks authentic and positively historically important. Thank you Jerry for your submittal.

1911 SD 12th Legislative Session - House Chamber - P1381

John Treber complimentary match case

Jerry Locker wrote “The cane of john treber from 1911 thought you would like to add it to your site..The picture is from 1911 at the time he got the cane awarded to him ..Great job!!! aww and a matchbook ad from john treber..thanks

Inscribed on top [HON John Treber we express out appreciation for hard work 12th session of legislature 1911 E.C Issenhuth chn Redfield S.D.]”

Who Is Present at Potato Creek Johnny's 1943 Burial at Mt. Moriah Cemetry?

2011-12-13T10:08:00.000-08:00

Reid Riner at the Journey Museum in Rapid City shared this picture on Facebook. It shows Potato Creek Johnny’s casket being interned next to Wild Bill grave at Mt. Moriah Cemetery in 1943.

This is an excellent picture with attendees clearly shown.

It will be interesting to identify those present. My guess is that the second from left is Sheriff Twiford. Fourth from left is Elmer Pontius. Mary Kopco at Adams Museum has identified D. M. McGahey (first curator at Adams Museum) in center with bow tie, bushy eye brows, and fur coat. To right of McGahey might be Leo Derosier. Standing at foot of the casket is Cleo Wells (mortician and funeral director). The women to the left of Cleo sure looks like Elsie Krug.

I remember that Mr. McGahey drove a 1930’s black coupe (Chevrolet?). He never mastered the clutch very well. The engine would be running at high speed with the clutch slipping. He would then pop the clutch and the car would jerk into motion. He parked in the Post Office parking lot and was a terror when he jumped backwards out of his parking spot. He was a fond memory to me from those grand days growing up in Deadwood.

If you can help identify these attendees please contact me or comment to the article.

Select on image to link to the Journey Museum:

Jerry L. Bryant's History Reveal "Deadwood Public Schools 1876 -1886"

2011-11-30T09:05:00.000-08:00

Jerry L. Bryant is an accomplished historian. He is also a member of the RPA, Registered Professional Archaeologists. Jerry works extensively within the Black Hills of South Dakota and more specifically within the city of Deadwood.

His work for the HBO series "Deadwood" has earned him honors from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Jerry is also one of the foremost authorities on the life of Al Swearengen. He is a fierce advocate of historical preservation and the past President of the Lawrence County Historical Society.

Jerry is a valued personal friend and long time supporter and contributor to dhsclassmates web site. His interest and research in the history of the Deadwood Schools is unique . He freely shares his research and historical writing so that the Lead-Deadwood School District can review and accept his findings. They already accepted his find of DHS1893. The formal release of the update to “Deadwood High School Roster 1886 – 1971” is being held pending release of more of Jerry’s findings.

Jerry L. Bryant’s following research paper now provides us with the historical first decade-plus of Deadwood Schools 1876 – 1886 including DHS1886. We also now know that Deadwood pioneer, Estelline Bennett, was one of six graduates of DHS1886. She wrote the “Old Deadwood Days” book in 1928. The Cushman family were also prominent Deadwood pioneers.

While the 1876 Deadwood was a rough and tumble mining camp, it was very progressive with telegraph in 1876, telephones in 1878, and electric power in 1881. From the very beginning Deadwood wanted quality schools. It did suffer trial and error, sadness, and flood but finally found high ground for the established 1886 Deadwood School and High School.

Jerry brings life and freshness to his temporal assemblage of historical events like they happened only yesterday. It is interesting to note that the Deadwood High School Band played for the DHS1886 graduation. Also note that there were two electric lights hanging from the Opera House ceiling.

You can select and listen to the following piano recording while you read Jerry Bryant’s paper. The recording is the same that Lulu Kingsley performed at the DHS1886 graduation. I can imagine they sound much the same . . .

Thank you Jerry for your amazing research findings of Deadwood Schools and Deadwood High School.

Deadwood Public Schools 1876-1886

Jerry L. Bryant

A Brief Note

I am sure that something as important as education has been to the residents of Deadwood through the course of our history has been recorded and re-recorded. I am also sure that to some extent it may have been “sanitized”, not so much through blatant lies as by simple omission. On the other hand, this brief temporal assemblage of events is the version of our educational history that was familiar to every Deadwood resident who could read between 1876 and 1886. It was published as part of the ongoing stream of news that hit Deadwoods streets in the Black Hills Pioneer and the Black Hills Times; a decade of ignored Deadwood educational history.

J.L.B.

Dedicated to the memory of Deadwood’s first public school teacher, Mrs. Minnie Callison, who taught school in Deadwood from 1877 to 1878. Minnie now resides in an unmarked grave in Deadwood’s Mt. Moriah.

Primary Education

The sixth issue of Deadwood’s first newspaper, the Black Hills Pioneer of July 15, 1876, made a brief statement on the state of public education. In a one-sentence note on the back page, just below the announcement that Calamity Jane was now in Cheyenne; the editor stated that there seemed to be enough “little ones” around the gulches to justify organizing a school.[1] Prediction, request, or command, who can say; but two weeks later the concerned citizens of Deadwood held a meeting to establish a school board and to set up the boundaries of our first school district. William DeMoss was appointed president and William Hollins secretary of the school board. A board of directors was elected with Dr. McKinney as president; E.B. Farnum, Treasurer; and William Hollins as secretary. The directors were then instructed to canvas and solicit subscriptions to defray the cost of the school, select and hire a competent teacher, while securing a suitable building for the school.[2]

In the same issue, the Pioneer also printed an editorial applauding the efforts of the people involved with electing a school board and establishing guidelines and goals for the board. Citing the lack of an in-place educational system as a culprit that robs the town of a much larger population which is forced to keep their families elsewhere in order to provide good opportunities.[3]

The folks of Deadwood were becoming serious about education, and in early September sent a representative back east to procure examples of the day’s text books and send them back to Deadwood for approval.[4] That is not to say that there were no problems, for there were many. Subscriptions for $80.00 a month had been obtained, but nothing done with it. With more than 60 children playing in the streets and no building identified to be used as a school, the critics at the Pioneer thought some membership changes in the board might solve many of the problems. The editorial went on demanding that the children of Deadwood be properly educated and prepared for the “great battle of life.” Without such education the children “would be doomed to be mere machines of labor through blighted lives, without hope of ameliorating their condition.”[5]

Apparently the editorial had its effect on the elected movers and shakers for in two weeks a teacher was produced, one Mr. E. Kermode; and Tom Miller (owner of the Bella Union) loaned the school district a house on Third Street to serve as a school. One problem with this was that it seems the teacher never taught. He was noted in the Pioneer on the 11^thof November and then again on the 18^th as having occupied the school and stated that he would begin teaching on the 20^th. The 20^th came and went, but there was no celebration for the establishment of a school in Deadwood.[6] Thus it came to pass that the private schools superseded the public schools in the young town of Deadwood when Mrs. D.T. Smith ran an ad in the Pioneer that she was opening a Select School in December of 1876. The same ad also announced she would be charging $1.25 per week for each scholar attending. The Pioneer ran a short but flattering article stating that her accomplishments were of a superior order and that she was sure to be successful in her endeavor.[7] It did, however, fail to note the exact nature of her accomplishments or where she had performed them.

But where did that leave Deadwood in its quest for a public school? It left the fledgling mining camp looking for a teacher. By early January a teacher had been found, she was the wife of a miner who was at the time prospecting near Keystone. Her name was Minnie Callison.[8] She had the formal education for the job and the backing of Mayor E. B. Farnum, Dr. Babcock and a number of other prominent businessmen in the camp.[9] She started her school immediately, and as the school year went on it was noted in February by the Pioneer that she had 27 students.[10] In addition to her education and her abilities to teach the children of Deadwood, Mrs. Callison had other attractions; she was of slight of build, and 5 feet 4 inches tall, with black hair and black eyes she commanded attention in whatever room she entered.[11] By May of 1878 eighty seven students attended the school; the board of education hired a second teacher; Miss Ida Snyder.[12]

Mrs. Callison made it through the three months of her initial contract with flying colors; her contract was renewed to the end of the year, and then renewed for the entire year of 1878. But summer vacation seems to have gotten in the way. It was also common knowledge that Minnie had several ardent male admirers in the camp, a fact that was mostly overlooked because of her extreme value to the process of turning Deadwood into a town as opposed to just another “here today gone tomorrow” mining camp. But on the morning of August 17, 1878, it became very difficult to overlook the camps pretty young teacher, as she lay dead on her bed in a pool of blood. Her forehead appeared to have been the recipient of at least 7-9 blows from a blunt instrument such as a hammer.[13] When the coroner continued his examination of the scene he also noted that Deadwood’s first school teacher slept with a small four barreled derringer.[14] Did she feel the need for a gun because she thought she was in harm’s way, or was it just a response to the ambient social environment in Deadwood? After Minnie Callison’s death and the murder trial that followed, the primary school teachers only produced a scattering of smaller scandals and limited themselves to much lesser sins; such as the teacher who decided reading pocket novels (Deadwood Dick?) to the students equaled a good lesson in American literature.[15] After shinning the light of contemporary pulp fiction on the children but a scant few times the parents almost had an uprising. The idea of a real school in a “blood and guts” mining camp had a tendency to make the rest of America snicker, as is evident in an article from the New Orleans Times –Picayune: A strange female who landed in Deadwood the other day to start a pretty girl-waiter saloon, was induced by liberal offers to forego her intentions and become the principal of the First Ward School.[16]

An example of a Dakota Territory Teacher’s Certificate dated 29 November 1883.

A High School for Deadwood

With a few years of mostly smooth teaching under its belt, Deadwood began to feel the need for a high school. The wealthier families of the community, such as Judge Moody’s had been sending their promising children to Yankton and even farther for their high school needs.[17] These needs found expression in a short excerpt of an editorial in the Black Hills Daily Times of October 1880: “We desire to see such a school in Deadwood – a school where young ladies and gentlemen may be fitted for the higher institutions of learning.”[18] By the fall of 1881 the high school became a reality, and with the end of December, 1881, a new year and a new high school was turned over to the board of education.[19] In January of 1882 the Deadwood School Board held its first meeting of the New Year there. William Carey, president of the Deadwood Board of Education invited all residents of Deadwood who were “concerned about the success of Deadwoods schools, to meet with the School Board at the new High School.”[20] Lawrence County announced that they now had 45 school districts.[21] By February of 1882, the High School discovered a need for music, so the Superintendant of Schools, Mr. J. K. Davis, ran an ad in the Times asking for someone to rent an organ to school. He promised that it would receive the best of care and in the event that damage should occur, the school board would pay for it.[22]

Final touches were put on the high school yard when Patrick Early flooded it, then graded and graveled it.[23] They may not have had a gymnasium, but they did have a first rate play ground.[24] The editor of the Times indicated he thought, ”The yard is one of the finest play grounds in the Territory and the sight of it is enough to make him wish he was a boy again.” All things considered, everyone with concerns for Deadwood’s schools was pretty satisfied with the direction things were taking, but no one was ready for what happened next.

In late February of 1883, the joy of having a new school began to tremble when Whitewood Creek in South Deadwood left its banks and began spreading toward the new high school.[25] But this was just the harbinger of dire times to come in the near future. The winter of 1882-3 was extra harsh with very little thawing. The snow load in places was more than 10 feet thick. No one really seemed alarmed until the melt. On the morning of 17 May it was noted that Whitewood Creek had risen over its banks and was spreading across the lower levels of the gulch. The alarm was spread by telephone from Ten Mile Ranch. This ignited the fears of many, who started moving their belongings, animals, and school books to higher ground; but the new high school, that took $12,000 to build; “the pride of the city” with its furniture, maps and charts, disappeared in the deluge.[26] Most folks thought that by morning the worst of it would have passed, but the 18^th came and went with the flood in full fury carrying of hundreds of homes, barns, businesses, saloons, and churches.[27] (Note by the author: the corner stone of that school is on display at the Mt Mariah gift shop. It should be noticed that the stone had a pocket in its center to serve as a “time capsule,” the contents of which vanished downstream on that fateful day.) By the 18^th of May, with many of the telephone poles and wires sullied by the flood, communications between Deadwood and South Deadwood had been reduced to a rope and basket strung across the torrent.[28]

Could this be the 1882 High School? It is setting on the Whitewood flood plain, right in front of where the Slime Plant would one day be constructed.

The new post 1886 Deadwood Schools above the flood plain

Reconstruction

When the mud and the bodies settled, it was not long before whiskey was being sold across a bar suspended by two barrels. Boards were being cut, bricks being fired, and Deadwood did what it has always done best in the face of disaster; regenerate a new, more vibrant city and a sustaining economy. Land was found for the new school in July and a contract to build the new school was awarded to Kid and Benn[29]. In August of 1883 surveyors put stakes in the ground to identify the boundaries of the property.[30] That same month the mason’s finished up the foundation for the new school.[31] S.F. Jacoby cut the caps, sills, and watersheds for the new school,[32] and 150,000 bricks were fired for the building.[33]

The first ward school bell was moved to the high school and placed in position on November 28, 1883, and it’s clear notes rang out for the first time from its final post of duty. It was a bell of very fine tone and proved satisfactory to those in charge[34] The official opinion of the Black Hills Daily Times was “The first ward school bell replaced the demoralized noise producer at the (new) high school building,” of course it took them several weeks to notice. [35] The “new” school bell in the tower of new high school building was also to be used by Methodist Church to announce beginning of services.[36] January 6, 1884 the school board accepted the new school and even went so far as to hire a permanent janitor, Mr. Ayers, who was to receive $ 30.00 a month for his services[37] The new school was an exact duplicate of the school that was washed away in the flood except it was southeast facing on Main Street and the foundation was 25 feet above the street level.[38] In other words, if the new school was taken out by a flood the entire town would be gone too. (Author’s note; In the flood of 1883, the new high school and the Methodist Church were next to each other near the present day location of the Slime Plant. After the flood, the school was rebuilt on the northern slope of the gulch facing Main Street. The Methodist Church was built a few hundred feet northeast of the high school on Williams Street.)

In March of 1884 the school board resolved that Professor L.L. Conant would be given complete and total control of the Deadwood School System.[39] Then on July 8, 1884, the city decided that the new, new high school was not large enough, and a contract for a new high school addition was awarded to Damon, Barker and Evans.[40] On the third of August, 1884, the brick work was completed on the new high school addition.[41]

In July of 1885 the school board made a decision that polarized the residents of Deadwood against them, by firing the School Superintendant, Professor Conant, without stating a reason.[42] Conant had the trust of the public and had endeared himself to the upper crust of Deadwood society. On the day following that decision the Times published a statement the essence of which basically said that all of the taxpayers and parents of Deadwood thought the school board’s decision to dismiss Professor Conant and replace him with a complete stranger, who had no experience with the Deadwood school system, was ill advised. The editorial ended with a statement that it was the citizens who paid for the maintenance of the schools and their wishes were entitled to respectful consideration.[43]

On the 9^th of July, 48 of Deadwood’s leading citizens published their names attached to a petition for a public meeting concerning the dismissal of Professor Conant.[44] The following day, the meeting was held at the court house, it was chaired by Judge Bennett and attended by about fifty of the local citizens. A secretary was appointed and a committee was assigned to draw up a document stating why it was wrong for the school board to have fired Professor Conant, and why he should be immediately rehired. The committee was composed of Messrs. Raymond, Lincoln, Van Cise, Kingsley and Babcock. They went to task and produced a document complete with a preamble and four resolutions. The document was read aloud and met the approval of group. Then Judge Kingsley took the floor and gave an impassioned speech as to why the resolutions should be adopted.

When Kingsley had finished, the floor was turned over to Judge McLaughlin. McLaughlin called for some light and then began to unwrap a large bulky package which contained the laws governing the school board and a number of testimonies attesting to good character and abilities of Mr. Free, the person hired to replace Professor Conant. McLaughlin then went on to inform the assembly that a legal and binding contract had already been entered into between the Board of Education and Mr. Free and it could not be legally broken without Mr. Free’s sanction. McLaughlin then proceeded to outline the reason for Professor Conant’s dismissal, which included a pronounced lack of organizational skills. He concluded his elucidation by saying that even if Mr. Free chose not to accept the position, the board would not consider the application of Professor Conant.

A number of speakers followed Judge McLaughlin, all of whom supported Professor Conant but, be that as it may, in the end a vote was taken, the result of which was a rejection of the resolutions in support of the retention of Professor Conant by 21 to 30.[45] The Deadwood education system had now come full circle. It had survived fire, flood and social unrest and was finally ready to present a finished product; it’s first high school graduation class.

The Accomplished Six

The first Deadwood High School graduation occurred June 28, 1886 and consisted entirely of young ladies, six to be exact: Miss Annette Forest, Miss Belle Chase, Miss Estelline Bennett, Miss Irene Cushman, Miss Mamie Philips and Miss Minnie Craig. During that school year the class attendance was 92.3%, their punctuality was 98.3%, and the percentage of progress was 93.3. The ceremonies were conducted in the Opera House where lighting was provided by two electric lamps suspended from the ceiling of the auditorium. The graduating class was seated beneath a suspended evergreen colored sign which read:

“Not Who, but What”

“1886”

The South Deadwood Hose company presented each of the girls a bouquets or basket of flowers. Immediately behind the graduates sat the School Board, Mayor Sol Star, Judges and other local dignitaries.

The evening began with an overture by the Deadwood Band followed by a prayer delivered by Mr. John Fairbank (GAR). A quartet sang “Come Where the Lilies Bloom,” then each member of the graduating class gave an oration on their particular subject. The editor of the Times complained bitterly about the Opera House’s poor acoustics, stating that it was reason he did not have a better report of the orations. He did say that he thought the deliveries were excellent though. In the very middle of the six oratories, Miss Lulu Kingsley played Liszt’s “Miserere du Travatore” on the piano. For her playing she received loud applause and a “perfect avalanche of flowers.” Mr. D.A. McPherson delivered the closing remarks from the School Board and the President of the School Board gave out awards to the graduates.

The Times Editor praised Professor Free and all the all the teachers under his direction for the quality of work in producing such a promising group of graduates and noted that the next year’s graduates would include some boys, but they would have to work and study very hard to match the Class of 86.[46]

In September of 1886 two of the young ladies mentioned in the graduation ceremonies of 1886 boarded a stage bound east to further their education. One was a graduate, Miss Esteline Bennett; and one a performer at the graduation, Miss Lulu Kingsley. Both were headed to Almira, New York, to study at the Almira College for a year.[47] Both girls returned to Deadwood in June of 1887 for the summer. The Times reported that both of them were in excellent health and delighted to be home.[48] In May of 1887, another of the “Accomplished Six,” Irene Cushman opened a kindergarten in Deadwood.[49] But in the fall, Miss Cushman traveled to Boston to continue her education, while Misses Kingsley and Bennett returned to the Almira College in New York. Miss Kingsley would then go on to the Boston Conservatory for Music to study piano and voice and eventually move to Denver with her parents; Miss Bennett would return to the Hills and eventually write the classic Deadwood History, Old Deadwood Days.[50] In October of 1891 Irene Cushman married Albert Wilson. The wedding guest list read like the upper crust of “who’s who” in Deadwood, South Dakota.[51]

Mamie Phillips taught school for a while in Nevada in 1889. During the summers she traveled accompanied by her mother, but by 1897 Miss Phillips was back teaching in Deadwood. After the turn of the century she then taught in Hot Springs, SD.[52]

Minnie Craig married George Felix Ingram on Christmas the year following her graduation.[53] She and George raised a family in Helena Montana.[54]

Following her graduation, Annette Forest married Joseph Gandolfo in 1888. They remained in Deadwood until at least 1910, where they raised two boys; Forest and Melvin.[55]

No camp, village, city or metropolis could have asked for a better product than the first graduation class of Deadwood High School in 1886.

[1] . Black Hills Pioneer 15 July 1876 Pg. 4 Col. 1

[2] . Black Hills Pioneer 29 July 1876 Pg. 4 Col. 1

[3] . ibid.

[4] . Black Hills Pioneer 9 Sept. 1876 Pg. 4 Col. 1

[5] . Black Hills Pioneer 28 Oct. 1876 Pg. 4 Col. 3

[6] . Black Hills Pioneer 11 Nov. 1876 Pg. 4 Col.5

Black Hills Pioneer 18 Nov. 1876 Pg. 4 Col. 4

[7] . Black Hills Pioneer 9 Dec. 1876 Pg. 4 Col. 1

[8]. Black Hills Daily Pioneer Jan 06 1877, p.4 , col.3

[9]. Black Hills Daily Pioneer Jan 06 1877, p.4 , col.3

[10]. Black Hills Daily Pioneer Feb 17 1877, p.4 , col.2

[11]. Lawrence County Deaths, micro film at Deadwood Library.

[12]. Black Hills Daily Times May 03 1878, p.1 , col.4

Black Hills Daily Times May 07 1878, p.1 , col.3

[13]. ibid

[14]. Court transcript

BH Daily Times 16 January 1880 p4c4

[15]. Black Hills Daily Times June 26, 1879, p.4 , col.2

[16]. Times-Picayune June 23, 1880

[17]. Black Hills Daily Times Jun 30 1882, p.3 , col.4

[18]. Black Hills Daily Times Oct 22 1880, p.2 , col.2

[19]. Black Hills Daily Times Dec 27 1881, p.4 , col.5

[20]. Black Hills Daily Times Jan 05 1882, p.1 , col.4

[21]. Black Hills Daily Times Apr 08 1882, p.4 , col.2

[22]. BH Daily Times 24 Feb 1882 page 1col. 5

[23]. Black Hills Daily Times 2 Feb 1882, p.3 , col.2

[24]. Black Hills Daily Times May 28 1882, p.3 , col.2

[25]. Black Hills Daily Times Feb 15 1883, p.3 , col.3

[26]. Black Hills Daily Times 19 May 1883 page 4 col 3

[27]. Both the Times and the Pioneer covered the flood on 18-22 May, 1883 as did:

Richmond Daily Dispatch 22 May 1883 P4 C3

Newark Daily Advocate 21 May 1883

Sacramento Daily Union 21 May 1883 P2 C3

Sioux County Herald May 1883

The Salt Lake Herald 22 May 1883 P1 C6

New York Herald 22 May 1883

Atlanta Constitution 22 May 1883

Boston Daily Globe 22 May 1883

Evening Observer 22 May 1883 Dunkirk NY

[28]. Omaha Daily Bee 21 May 1883 P5 C2

[29]. Black Hills Daily Times Aug 22 1883, p.3 , col.2

[30]. Black Hills Daily Times Jun 08 1883, p.3 , col.2

Black Hills Daily Times Jul 17 1883, p.3 , col.1

[31]. Black Hills Daily Times 10 August 1883, p.3 , col.2

[32]. Black Hills Daily Times 4 August 1883, p.3 , col.1

[33]. Black Hills Daily Times Aug 22 1883, p.3 , col.2

[34]. Black Hills Daily Times November 29, 1883, p. 3, col. 2.

[35]. Black Hills Daily Times December 16, 1883 p. 4 col. 1

[36]. Black Hills Daily Times January 26, 1884, p. 3, col. 1.

[37]. Black Hills Daily Times January 6, 1884, p. 3, col. 1.

[38]. Black Hills Daily Times January 8, 1884, p. 3, col. 3.

[39]. Black Hills Daily Times March 9, 1884, p. 3, col. 4.

[40]. Black Hills Daily Times July 8, 1884, p.3, col.2.

[41]. Black Hills Daily Times, August 3, 1884, p.3, col. 1.

[42].Black Hills Daily Times, July 7, 1885, p. 1, col. 2.

[43]. Black Hills Daily Times, July 8, 1885, p. 4, col. 1.

[44]. Black Hills Daily Times, July 8, 1885, p. 3, col. 3.

[45]. Black Hills Daily Times, July 11, 1885, p. 4, col. 1.

[46]. Black Hills Daily Times May 7, 1886, p.3, col. 1.

Black Hills Daily Times June 25, 1886, p.2, col. 4.

Black Hills Daily Times June 25, 1886, p.1, col. 3.

Black Hills Daily Times June 29, 1886, p.2, col. 3.

[47]. Black Hills Daily Times September 8, 1886, p.3, col. 3.

The two young ladies appear to have been very close friends, and both of them had Court Judges for fathers. jlb

[48]. Black Hills Daily Times, June 17, 1887, p.4, col.5

Black Hills Daily Times, June 18, 1887, p.4, col.5

[49]. Black Hills Daily Times, March 15, 1887, p.3, col.1.

[50]. Black Hills Daily Times, September 10, 1887, p.1, col.5

Black Hills Daily Times, August 2, 1891, p.2, col.4

[51]. Black Hills Daily Times, October 9, 1891, p.2, col.3

[52]. Black Hills Daily Times, 13 December 9, 1889, p.1, col.5

Black Hills Daily Times, 5 September, 1891, p.2, col.3

Black Hills Daily Times, 9 February, 1897, p.2, col.3

Omaha World Herald, 5 February, 1903, P.2, col.1

[53]. Black Hills Daily Times, 28 December, 1887, p.4, col.5.

[54]. U.S. Census 1910, Helena, Lewis and Clark, Montana.

[55]. U.S. Census 1900, Deadwood, Lawrence, South Dakota

U.S. Census 1910, Deadwood, Lawrence, South Dakota

View of Deadwood November 02, 2011

2011-11-02T10:14:00.000-07:00

Picture courtesy of Black Hills Travel - Facebook Page

Nice view of Deadwood this morning with their light snow yesterday. Notice the Deadwood Mountain Grand (old Slime Plant) Hotel that is nearing completion.

!!!!! Birthday = South Dakota is 122 years old today !!!!!

Uhhhh …. Mr. Adams, is that you? From Black Hills Pioneer

2011-10-31T11:58:00.000-07:00

Photo Courtesy: Adams Museum and House

Posted: Monday, October 31, 2011 9:21 am
By Jaci Conrad Pearson Black Hills Pioneer

DEADWOOD — Footsteps, a door closing, children talking and plenty of electronic voice phenomena (EVP) are evidence of paranormal activity in two of Deadwood's most storied and stately historic structures.

It may have been Mary, it might've been Alice and it most certainly could have been Nathan or W.E.

Whatever or whoever presented themselves during the Black Hills Paranormal Investigations of the Adams Museum & House are proof positive that there is paranormal activity in the decades-old Deadwood mainstays.

“The evidence collected, along with personal witnesses, indicates that there is a level of paranormal activity taking place within the Adams House,” read a statement slide contained in a video presentation by Black Hills Paranormal Investigations to a group of nearly 100 packed into the Mary Adams Lecture Hall at the Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center Saturday afternoon. “We can't say with any certainty that we captured an Adams or a Franklin, but we can say we captured something.”

>>Complete Black Hills Pioneer Article<<

Mick Harrison's Limited Edition Release of "The 1902 Roundup"

2011-10-25T10:02:00.000-07:00

Mick Harrison & "The 1902 Roundup"

In May of 1902 western South Dakota ranchers were ordered by the U. S. government to remove their livestock from reservation land. Up to that time it was still open range on the northern prairies and herds drifted with the weather, in this case to the Rosebud Reservation including the confluence of the Big & Little White Rivers south of Murdo, SD.

Ranchers from all over western South Dakota took part in one of the largest, and some say, last big roundup. Approximately 400-500 cowboys, each with up to 10 head of horses and 16 throwback wagons, rounded up and removed, by varying estimates, from 45,000 to 60,000 head in a three month period. The Rosebud agent, D.L. McLane, collected a $1 per head from each owner before they trailed their herds home. This spelled the end of the open range era in South Dakota.

In the summer of 2011, artist Mick B. Harrison, SD historian and Rapid City author Dave Strain, director Peggy Ables of the High Plains Western Heritage Center in Spearfish, SD and Rapid City writer Steve Miller, visited the White River location.

This painting is the result of that research and pays honor to those who took part in this historical event.

Enjoy Mick’s WEB SITE LINK. Select “Limited Editions” for details of “The 1902 Roundup”

Classmate Peggy Huhta-Frank Web Site Comments and Link to Black Hills Sheet Music

2011-10-24T14:51:00.000-07:00

Dick, thank you for your dedication and work you have put into the DHS website. I have been meaning to write you long before this but this past year has been challenging as my husband is having a lot of health problems. My time on the internet has been very limited but I always enjoy going to the DHS website to check and see what you and others have posted for all of us classmates and interested viewers. Thanks again, for creating the site and all of the hours of work you put into it.

I especially enjoyed seeing Stacy Nickelson’s photography article. When I saw the beautiful pictures, it brought back a lot of great memories and a song from years ago about the Black Hills.

It went something like this:

“The Black Hills of South Dakota

Ever, they're calling me

I sit and dream, and then I seem,

Once more all her beauty to see

The wind whispers through the pine trees

The birds sing a sweet refrain

Out there friends are true,

and heartaches are few

Take me back to the Black Hills again.”

That was all I remembered of the song. I was curious who had written this and decided to, see if I could find anything on the Internet. I found the following related article in a recent Rapid City Journal:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sheet-music collection pays tribute to Black Hills

Danie Koskan Rapid City Journal correspondent

Sunday, February 20, 2011 6:30 am

The Black Hills have awakened many a composer’s muse.

Grace Mickelson sheet music from the 1920s-1950s
that is inspired by Black Hills

Grace Mickelson has the notes to prove it. The 84-year-old Rapid City woman has inadvertently amassed a collection of sheet music over the years. All of it pays homage to the Hills. The retired teacher and her late husband, John, never set out to collect sheet music inspired by local landscapes. In their quest to gather rare books on South Dakota history, the couple stumbled upon several songs that celebrate the land they call home.

The Mickelsons acquired their collection from auctions. They bid on books, newspapers and magazines that recorded events in South Dakota or chronicled the history of Mount Rushmore.

Sometimes sheet music came with their purchase. Mickelson initially didn’t think much of the notes and lyrics that occasionally found their way into boxes of books she purchased at auction. “I was bidding on books,” she said. “I wasn’t into bidding on music. That was not a special interest of mine.” But then she began to notice where and when the sheet music originated. From what she can tell, much of it was published in western South Dakota during the first half of the 20th century.

Such local ties made those unintentional treasures too good to part with. “I save anything that has to do with the Black Hills,” Mickelson said . . .

Read complete article

An Excellent Aerial Video Tour of South Dakota by SkyworksHD

2011-10-20T15:35:00.000-07:00

DHS53 Yvonne Hendrickson's book is now available in Amazon Kindle Version

2011-09-30T14:51:00.000-07:00

Select on image for Amazon.com link

Yvonne Hendrickson's 2007 Book "Seeds of Sin" has been available in hard cover and paper back. Now it is available for Kindle edition format delivery!

Her book review shows that Seed of Sin produce bad fruit filled with secrets. Secrets have a way of finding their way to the surface.

Post World War II finds a farming family in the Yakima Valley of Washington State becoming aware secrets cannot be held in check. Walter Mason has never-ending problems of weather, Mexican migrant workers, the impending death of his wife, and after 18 years, long held secrets have risen to the surface. Secrets he thought would always be just that, secrets.

Like ripples of a wheat field in the wind, one secret opens another. Secrets of adultery and adoption, lead to suicide, murder and more. The ripple spreads wide, becoming a wave that rocks residents of the peaceful farming valley

Stacey Nickelson's 2011 Spearfish Canyon Fall Colors

2011-09-24T11:26:00.000-07:00

Stacey Nickelson is a local artist and photographer. She is just starting her photography venture. She visited Spearfish Canyon on 9-21-2011 when lighting and colors was perfect for her creative photo capture. I really like her composition and color renditions. I will add some more of her pictures from this photo session.

Spearfish Creek

Spearfish Creek 9-28-2011

Romance by the Falls

2011 Deadwood High School Reunion Report and Pictures

2011-09-24T10:56:00.000-07:00

The reunion was held on September 9th - 10th 2011.
Report and pictures will be added soon, so keep checking . . .

1920's Deadwood School Cannon Picture & 2011 Refurbishment

2011-08-29T18:18:00.000-07:00

Courtesy Beshara Photos

The above 1920’s Chalk Wagner Collection photo shows an unidentified man and the Deadwood School Cannon. In the background are the Masonic Temple, Wagner Garage, and the Deadwood City Hall Building. Chalk Wagner sold Hudson automobiles in Deadwood for a number of years. Then the cannon was aimed down Pine Street at a lower angle. Also interesting is a sign board just below Brown Rocks/Mt. Moriah. The sign appears to spell out M?????? Coal and may have been lighted by possible power pole to the right.

Select on image for large view

1912 Deadwood Hudson Automobile Show
Courtesy Beshara Photos

Another amazing picture above is the 1912 Hudson Automobile Show in the original Deadwood Auditorum (now the Rec Center) on Sherman Street. Chalk Wagner is shown on the right and the other men are unnamed. Wow look at the price of the Hudson 37s/54s and also the US Flags!

After over 100 years, the Deadwood School Cannon is being refurbished by City of Deadwood and the Deadwood Historical Preservation Commission. Following are new pictures submitted by Beshara Photos. They show the refurbished mount, base, and new cannon aim angle. I understand there will also be an added interpretive plaque. More pictures are expected in the near future.

Picture Slide Show

A 1966 Oldie for the 2011 DHS Reunion ~ Slim Whitman - I Remember You

2011-08-26T14:49:00.000-07:00

Whitman (87) is a self-taught left-handed guitarist, is right-handed, but he had lost almost all of the second finger on his left hand in an accident. He worked at a Tampa shipyard while developing a musical career, eventually performing with a band known as the Variety Rhythm Boys. Whitman's first big break came when talent manager "Colonel" Thomas Parker heard him singing on the radio and offered to represent him. Signed with RCA Records, he was billed as "the cowboy singer Slim Whitman" and released his first single in 1948. He toured and sang at a variety of venues, including on the radio show Louisiana Hayride.

At first, he was not able to make a living from music and kept a part-time job. That changed in the early 1950s after he recorded a version of the Bob Nolan hit "Love Song of the Waterfall," which made it into the country music top 10. His next single, "Indian Love Call," was even more successful, reaching number 2.

A yodeler, Whitman avoided the "down on yer luck buried in booze" songs, preferring instead to sing laid-back romantic melodies about simple life and love. Critics dubbed his style "countrypolitan," owing to its fusion of country music and a more sophisticated crooning vocal style. Although he has recorded many a western tune, love and romance songs figure prominently in his repertoire.

Whitman had a string of hits from the mid 1950s and into the 1970s and became known to a new generation of fans through TV marketing in the 1980s. Throughout the '90s and into the 21st century, he has continued to tour extensively around the world and release new material. In 2010 a new album, called Twilight on the Trail, was released, produced by his son Byron and featuring the single "Back in the Saddle Again" plus many traditional western favorites that have become standards.

Whitman still lives at his home, Woodpecker Paradise, in Middleburg, Florida.

UPDATE 2011 DHS Runion September 9-10 2011

2011-08-24T11:29:00.000-07:00

DMG Deck View
Bill Beshara Photo

Update: Because we are now expecting over 52 DHS Grads to the dinner the Deadwood Mountain Grand Casino has had to make some changes due to the impact of so many on the kitchen and staff (see memo below). Actually this change is in our favor, we get a much better area in which to get together for this dinner. They are giving us a very good deal bottom line. We have the best of the Casino that evening for this event.

We still will meet at 6PM at the Slime Plant Bar and Grill on the first level for "Happy Hour". Then we will move to the deck area for the social dinner. We look forward to a great evening together. Your response to this event has been just awesome! Thanks to everyone who is coming.

I will continue to keep all of you updated to those who have an email address. If any of you can contact this change in the menu and dinner site to those who are not computer friendly I would appreciate it.

See you on the 9th and 10th.

Go Bears!

Morris "Top" Toppila

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello Morris,

The increase in the number of people changes things a bit for us. What we
can do, though, is offer a limited menu, so your guests can still have options. With that, we would have to move the group as well. We would be able to move you to the deck, and if there is inclement weather, we would host the party upstairs in the event center.

The following would be the menu options, and prices for the party:

Marsala $18
Lightly breaded and sautéed breast of chicken medallions topped with our homemade wild mushroom marsala sauce, and served with

garlic roasted smashed potatoes

PRIME RIB $19

When we say Prime Rib we mean PRIME rib, slow roasted USDA Prime Rib

served with roasted garlic smashed potatoes Queen Cut 12 oz

Baked Cod $16

Flakey Cod topped with parmesan bread crumbs and lemon dill. Baked to perfection and served with roasted baby potatoes

Everyone would still order their own, and pay for their own.

South Dakota State Postage Stamp Announced August 11, 2011

2011-08-24T10:14:00.000-07:00

South Dakota featured on new stamp

KOTA Posted: Aug 11, 2011 2:07 PM PDT

The South Dakota state flag postage stamp was unveiled this morning at a ceremony at the State Capitol. The stamp is part of a series that features the flags of all the

U.S.

states and territories.

Pierre Postmaster Tom Bishop and Jim Hagen, Secretary of the South Dakota Department of Tourism unveiled the new stamp at the ceremony.

The stamps are available at your post office, according to the South Dakota Department of Tourism.

"Memories of a blond eight year old girl growing up in Trojan, South Dakota" by Elaine Fish Casteel DHS55

2011-08-23T09:34:00.000-07:00

Elaine joins Yvonne Spaulding Hendrickson DHS53 as known DHS Classmate published authors. The genre of Elaine’s book is history, youth, adventure, nature, mining, and inspirational. It started as a canvas painting and then was followed by her written memory of early youth in Trojan SD. The town of Trojan is now just a memory of a dot on the map of the Black Hills near Nevada Gluch.

I found Elaine’s book poignantly written about her early school years at the Trojan School. She writes about the times, her family, Trojan, and the Bald Mountain Mining Company (also gone). Her memories capture those long ago times when kids were never bored.

Deadwood Archeologist and Lawrence County Historical Society (LCHS) President, Jerry Bryant, previewed Elaine’s book and is pleased with the historical references and the reminder of a youth’s view of life. A number of other published historians are also reviewing her book.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TROJAN’S LOST HISTORY COMES ALIVE!

Trojan, the town Elaine Fish Casteel had lived in during her formative years would soon not exist! Museums and gift shops had no books or pictures of what it had been. Her heritage was gone, leaving an emptiness inside! From that emptiness, she created an oil painting and as she painted, memories flowed down the roads of the community and the stories formed in her heart.

That oil painting became the cover and the stories became the book:

"Memories of a blond eight year old girl growing up in TROJAN SOUTH DAKOTA (which no longer exists except in memories)".

Elaine will be signing copies of the new book at the new Deadwood Grand Mountain during the Deadwood High School Reunion, September 10. She and the books will be available between 5 and 6 pm.

Another book signing will be September 7, 2pm to 3pm, at the Prairie Edge Trading Company in Rapid City SD.

Elaine and her husband, Perry Casteel, graduated from Deadwood High School in 1955 and 1953 respectively. They currently reside in Shelbyville Tennessee where they own and operate a vineyard and winery.

Elaine has her own web site under construction here and you can buy her book here.

Important Update ~ 2011 DHS Reunion ~ September 10th Evening Event ~ Open & Easy Attendance

2011-08-17T09:56:00.000-07:00

Select on Image to view DMG Menu

Dick: How's it going? Classmates should select image above to view menu from the Deadwood Mountain Grand (old Deadwood Slime Plant) for the dinner on the 10th of Sep. They will not offer a buffet for less than 50 people. We will not have 50. But, we might see over 40 show up! Good turnout on such a short notice event. It is good that we can still get together for a dinner. Shows how special and unique we Deadwood Grads still are.

The party at the Deadwood Mountain Grand will be at the Slime Plant Bar & Lounge area on the main level. It will start about 6PM for Happy Hour and dinner around 7PM or whenever you get hungry. Everyone will be ordering from a menu and will pay for his or her own order. Any refreshments from the bar will also be on his or her own tab. The menu's cost run from $4 to $51 (55 oz. Porterhouse Steak) plus tax and tip. There is a wide selection so everyone should find what they want.

We are open to any Deadwood High School Grad, there is no Class Year restriction. So all are welcome to come. If you can make it please let me know so I can advise the Deadwood Mountain Grand Sales Manager on the number of grads coming to the dinner. See everyone in Deadwood on Sep 9 and 10.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

During the DMG evening event Elaine Fish Casteel DHS55 will have a book signing of her new book;

"Memories of a blond eight year old girl growing up in

TROJAN

South Dakota . . ."

The historical town of Trojan has been torn down and no longer exists. Trojan School, the last building standing, was torn down about a year ago. Elaine poignantly writes about her first school years at the Trojan School. She also writes about the times, her family, Trojan, and the Bald Mountain Mining Company (also gone). There is not much published about Trojan. Elaine’s book captures Trojan history and will provide researchers interesting references. Also there are not many published DHS classmate authors. Yvonne Spalding Hendrickson DHS53 is another known author.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks

Morris "Top" Toppila

Beverly Ruth Englehart DHS52 Obituary - Contributor Gay Kent Bossart

2011-08-15T15:17:00.000-07:00

DickD Comment: There will be lead-in introduction from Beverly’s DHS Classmates. Due to the short time from death to burial, the lead-in will be added in the next few days

Please avail yourself to Beverly's obituary guest book link.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Beverly Ruth Engelhart (1934 - 2011)

| Visit Guest Book

Beverly Joan Engelhart

Ankeny IA

Beverly Joan Ruth Engelhart, 77, was born April 6, 1934, to Dorothy and Vern Edmunds. She was adopted on October 12, 1942, by Alice and Colbern Ruth. She died August 12, 2011, from colon cancer. In her early years, she was active in the Eastern Star and served as Worthy Matron of Minerva Chapter in Aberdeen, South Dakota. She was also Past Grand Marshall of the Grand Chapter and a 50 year member. She was named one of the most influential women of the year in 1964.

Since moving to Ankeny, she established an alterations business; The Finishing Touch from which she retired in April of 2011.

Survivors include her much loved husband, Denny; her son, Scott (Donita) Clark of Crawfordsville; her daughter, Kathi (Bill) Fox of Davenport; her son, Russ (Hyon) of Lenexa, KS; her step-son, Chris of Lake Elinsore, CA; her grandchildren, Brad, Haley, and Brandon Fox, Ali (Mike) Quinn, Laura and Sam Clark; her step-grandson, Cameron; her mother-in-law, Beatrice of Rochester, MN; her sister and brother-in-law, Joan (Neill) Hardina and Janice (Mark) Maloney; her friend, Doris Olmstead of Bellingham, WA; her sister, Shirley Bey of Deadwood, SD; her furry black friend, Cricket; and many other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, August 14, 2011, at Ankeny Memorial Chapel (4208 N. Ankeny Blvd). Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Monday, at Resurrection Lutheran Church in Ankeny.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Resurrection Lutheran Church or to the Animal Rescue League of Iowa

DHS Class of 1961 Celebrates Their 50th Reunion ~ Contributors Carol and Margaret

2011-08-15T13:59:00.000-07:00

Left to right, back row: John Williams, sr. class advisor; Lance Lee, Ernest Moser, Jack Collins, Margaret Crary Sager, Bernie Roth, Larry Karns, Bob Maynard, Ken Greslin, Ralph Greslin Middle row: L to R: Dan Baggaley, Carol McCarroll Perry, Joann Marshall Thomson, Janet Rypkema Sibell, Nancy Wells Roth, Janice Robley Harrison Front: L to R: Ron Dyvig, Tom Plummer, Buster Cleveland, Cheryl Arends Crandall ~ Missing Tom Martin & Dodie Willams

I communicated with Tom Martin and he said to use his favorite picture from his Facebook page, as follows:

Tom Martin

The group picture was taken on Friday (July 15^th)in the afternoon at Karns's at Central City. We spent most of the afternoon catching up and also had a delicious BBQ prepared right there. Several members of the DHS band (now the Northern Hills Band, and included Randy Karns and Jerry Pontius) came and played the school song and we sang and cheered! We gathered on Saturday (July 16th) for a walk on Main Street to recall the businesses that in our day were in the various store fronts, which are now all casinos. After that we had a gab session on the balcony of the Franklin Hotel. Some had to leave but others stayed and we ate the evening dinner at the new Lodge on top of the hill coming in from Spearfish, where the old Pine Crest Park used to be and across from Kevin Costner's planned hotel and casino site. On the morning of the 17th we enjoyed a parting breakfast at The Lodge before saying our good-byes until the next time, perhaps in 5 years?????? Special thanks to Larry and Nancy for coordinating all this and making still another great reunion! Margaret Crary Sager.

The Historic Adams House in Deadwood is Getting New Exterior Splash of Color Paint Job

2011-08-12T15:44:00.000-07:00

Pictures with captions courtesy of the Adams Museum and Historic Adams House via their public page on Facebook.

Matilda Champ Hill, Deadwood SD 1900-1954 (Mattie Hill) Revised by Susanna Harris 8-14-2011

2011-08-11T15:28:00.000-07:00

Select on Mattie’s image for link to her tribute

Mattie Champ Hill relative, Suzanna Harris submitted the following:

“James A. Harris, parents are James W. & Lois Lee Harris all from Tacoma, WA, contact: Susanna Harris (James' wife) at

jaseh1@comcast.net".

Interesting Black Hills Picture Views

2011-08-04T14:51:00.000-07:00

Photos courtesy of Dan Daly and Devils Tower Trading Post.

Top of Devils Tower see shadow

Deadwood High School Reunion to be held September 9-10, 2011 in Deadwood - Contributor Morris "Top" Toppila DSH51

2011-08-01T13:34:00.000-07:00

Hello Deadwood HS Alumni:

Well, Vince Eilers came through. Yes he did. He just finished setting up the site for us to eat the evening of September 10, 2011. Thank you for the time and effort spent on getting us a spot Vince.

Now, before I give you the details of the dinner night, would those of you who have not responded with a YES or NO for your reservations for September 9 and 10 please do so by August 15. We need to have the number of people coming in order to confirm the space for the dinner.

Friday Picnic: Meet at the Deadwood Park (next to the swimming pool) at 5PM September 9th. Bring your own food and drinks. We can then scatter to downtown Deadwood as we please.

The dinner will be at the Deadwood Mountain Grand Hotel & Casino. The Hotel is the former Homestake Slim Plant which has now been completely refurbished. It is one of the largest historic preservation projects in the U.S. To read more about it just go to www.deadwoodmountaingrand.com. The dinner will be on the concert level called Bills Backstage Bar.

Dinner Date: Saturday, September 10, 2011.
Time: 6PM for Happy Hour and 7PM for a dinner.

Buffet Menu:

10 item salad bar
Chicken Marsala
Lasagna
Beef Tips & Wild Rice
2 Vegetables
Baby Roasted Potatoes
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Non Alcoholic Beverages included
Cookies, assorted bars and mini cheesecakes for desserts

Cost Per Person: $26.00 (includes tax and gratuities).

Casual Dress

That is about it for now. Please don't forget to RSVP. We need to know if you are coming or not.

Yours truly,

Morris "Top" Toppila

Diamond Reo/Oak Ridge Boys at the Deadwood Mountain Grand

2011-07-22T19:26:00.000-07:00

DMG

Shalee & her Mom's 1983 t-shirt
Oak Ridge Boys signing on stage

The DMG reports . . . we wouldn't have guessed that the Oak Ridge Boys were avid tweeters. But they are! This DMG blog post tells a neat story of how a fan connected with the band through Twitter, and got to go on DMG stage with them!

My Observation:

The DMG is looking for local talent too. Won't it be ironic if Kevin Costner & Modern West Band qualified as local and professional? See Kevin Costner Band

Famous Black Hills Gold Nuggets at the Deadwood Adams Museum

2011-07-22T09:04:00.000-07:00

Select on images for larger view

Kathy Magda Wolff
showing famous gold nuggets

The Adams Museum will display the famous Potato Creek Johnny Gold Nugget (7.75 oz. of gold) along with the newly discovered Icebox Nugget (3.96 oz. of gold) on Sunday, July 24 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. This is the last time the two nuggets will be displayed together. I believe that the Icebox nugget is privately owned so future viewing is unpredictable. The Adams Museum owns the Potato Creek Johnny nugget and it is rarely on display.

Here is a question for you, where is Potato Creek located in the Black Hills of SD?

Potato Creek Johnny Nugget on right

DAYS OF ’76 WINCHESTER MODEL 1892 .44-40 CALIBER ~ Days of '76 Museum Raffle

2011-07-20T17:44:00.000-07:00

DAYS OF ’76 MUSEUM RAFFLE

Drawing for a

ONE-OF-A-KIND DAYS OF ’76

WINCHESTER MODEL 1892 .44-40 CALIBER

TAKEDOWN FACTORY SHORT RIFLE

20-Inch octagon barrel, hand carved in deep relief

“DAYS OF ‘76 AND STAGECOACH”

by Master Carver Kirk Ratajesak

Includes oak display case and nickel silver plaque

Rifle donated by Dakota Plains Auctions, Rapid City, SD.

Proceeds to benefit the Days of ’76 Museum Capital Campaign

Drawing to be held Saturday, December 10 at the Museum Cowboy Christmas Ball

Tickets $5.00 each or 6 for $25.00

No. 1-500 Need not be present to win No. 1-500

Select Image Below to Link to Raffle Details

Deadwood Mountain Grand - Overview From 2008 to Present

2011-07-13T19:07:00.000-07:00

Deadwood Mountain Grand
Web Cam
7-13-2011

The Slime Plant, a historic building in Deadwood, SD, is being restored, remodeled, and renovated into the Deadwood Mountain Grand Event Center and Casino. The $43 million project will ultimately feature a 100-room hotel, a creekside restaurant, an indoor-outdoor bar with a view of the downtown historic district, a multi-level parking structure, and a 2500-seat entertainment complex. The developers hope to open in July 2011.

This video shows the work that has been completed as of November 2008, including demolishing the previous interior offices, digging out the mountainside in the back to make room for the hotel, digging out the interior floor down one story to accommodate the casino, and removing the outside siding to prepare for a new exterior.

Investors in the project include Ken Alphin, better known as Big Kenny of country supergroup Big & Rich.

Ground was broken for The Deadwood Mountain Grand Event Center & Casino, formerly known as the Slime Plant, on May 10, 2010 in Deadwood, SD. Big & Rich star Big Kenny Alphin, a partner in the project, was on hand to take part in the ceremony.

Big & Rich play the inaugural concert at the Deadwood Mountain Grand Event Center & Casino on July 8, 2011. Here are some highlights of the parade that was held to celebrate the event, as well as an interview with John Rich, Big Kenny Alphin, South Dakota governor Dennis Daugaard, and performer Cowboy Troy.

Videos Courtesy of realdeadwoodpodcast

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Select Image

To Link to DMG Web Site

Opening Day Video (excellent!!) and Gallery

background music - Big and Rich "Deadwood Mountain"

Deadwood Days of '76 Rodeo Committee Induction into PRCA Hall of Fame

2011-07-11T15:23:00.000-07:00

L-R is Terry Caudill, Pat Kinghorn, Dawn Burns, Marc Straub, Jon Mattson, Ron Burns, Tim Conrad, Greg Nelson, Joe Peterson, Jeanna Dewey (front), Chris Roberts (rear), Steve Olson, Mac Meyer, Jade Temple, Pat Roberts, Jim Mattson and Ted Thompson. Missing from the photo is Rich Turbiville and new member Don Gross
~~~~~Select Image for Large View~~~~~
This picture is taken at Deadwood Rodeo Grounds
Ferguson Field is left of center in background

On this coming July 16 the Deadwood Days of ’76 Rodeo Committee (above) will be inducted into the PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) Hall of Fame headquartered in Colorado Springs, CO. This is a great honor to be recognized by the very heart of rodeos, the PRCA.

Select the following image for complete information

Deadwood Days of '76 Museum Update

2011-07-10T11:26:00.000-07:00

Museum Rendering
Backside, it faces the Rodeo Grounds

Museum Seeks Donors

Days of ’76 Museum needs to raise an additional $500,000 to $600,000 to complete its exhibits showcasing decades of local history and memorabilia from the Days of ’76 event.

It has enough to open the $5.3 million project next summer, no matter what, but may have to hold off on some of the exhibits displays until fundraising is complete, museum director Deborah Gangloff and board president Jon Mattson said.

Of the remaining need, $350,000 is to complete a contract for exhibit installation with Condit Exhibits of Denver, which organized the collection into displays.

The balance of the need is for landscaping, furniture and fixtures.

“I’ve been with the rodeo community a long, long time, and it’s something that we’ve never had before,” Mattson said of the museum. “This is going to be just a wonderful attraction not only for Deadwood but also the entire Black Hills. But we need help."

For more information or to donate, call the museum at 605-578-1657 or fill out a donor form online at by selecting on the following web site image.

~
~~~~~~~~~~~ Also from Rapid City Journal ~~~~~~~~~

Days of ’76 Museum, under construction, raises money to complete exhibits

Front of Deadwood Days of '76 Museum

DEADWOOD -- When some tourists hear about the Days of ’76, they think 1776 and the events of 235 years ago last weekend, when the

U.S.

officially declared its independence. But a new museum here will make it clear that down in Deadwood Gulch, it’s 1876 that matters -- the year miners and madams founded this once-lawless town in pursuit of the riches that flowed from the gold mines.

The new Days of ’76 Museum building, under construction at the city’s north entrance, recalls the town’s pioneer days as well as the Days of ’76 event and later rodeo that began in 1923 to celebrate those early times. The building, now framed in, is changing the small city’s skyline and is expected to open next June. It replaces an unheated pole barn that formerly housed the museum’s meandering collection of stagecoaches, clothing, photographs, Days relics, taxidermy, furniture, firearms and other items.

“When we started planning for this museum, we had eight decades of history, and none of it was organized,” museum director Deborah Gangloff said. “You could look at the stuff and see what it was, but it didn’t make sense.” When the 32,000-square-foot museum opens, the collection will go from a jumbled display that was closed all winter to an organized, cohesive story that has been professionally curated and properly safeguarded from the elements. There are four main collections: wagons and vehicles, clothing, rodeo and Deadwood collector Don Clowser’s Old West art and artifacts. Clowser, who died in 2004, had sold the collection to the city, which entrusted it to the museum, where it has been displayed since 1990.

A $3 million gift from the city in 2004 began the drive to build the new museum. The museum board hired a conservator to assess the collection, and it was clear the pole barn wasn’t adequate. The board hired Gangloff, who had overseen the restoration of the Historic Adams House, first as a consultant and now as director. Now, the collection has been organized and is being stored on site in a different building, awaiting its new home. “It’s a really good collection,” Gangloff said. “It’s uneven, but it has some things that are spectacular.”

The two-story museum will house the carriage collection on the ground floor, along with a programming room for community events. The second floor will include the displays of art, rodeo history, costumes, firearms and artifacts, along with a research library for archives and a gift shop.

The Deadwood Days of ’76 event was the start an economic development tool to attract tourists, Gangloff said. Some locals thought it was a bad idea: Why look back on the city’s lawless days when trying to promote Deadwood as a modern home to industry? But the event, modeled after Wild West shows and featuring costumes, a parade, and feats of shooting and riding, proved a success. It evolved into today’s popular rodeo, planned this year from July 26-30. This museum, right at the rodeo grounds, should be another draw for visitors and another way to expand Deadwood’s economy, Gangloff said. “It serves as an anchor to this part of town,” she said. “It gives people something else, when they’re coming into town, that says history is important here.”

The museum building is owned by the City of Deadwood. City historic preservation officer Kevin Kuchenbecker said that even with the recent focus on falling gambling revenue in Deadwood, the museum will be a reminder that historic preservation is the reason for all those slot machines. “Without the gaming revenues, we wouldn’t be able to do the projects we’ve been talking about,” he said. “What this does is it keeps history and historic preservation to the forefront.” Gambling is now available in so many more cities and states than in 1989, when it was legalized in Deadwood. Deadwood’s focus on its past remains a draw that few other gaming capitals can offer. “History is the main reason to visit Deadwood,” he said.

See Rapid City Journal

Recent DHS57 Classmate Gathering

2011-07-06T15:51:00.000-07:00

Following is a picture series submitted by Bill Beshara.

Select on images for large view

Don Gross, Ray Jones, & Jerry Pontius

Jerry Pontius, Jill Anfinson Pontius, & Sandy Gravelle Beshara

Margaret Slack, Roberta Vandervorst, Jerry Perrett, & Bill Beshara

Mr. Pringle, Lois Pringle, Mrs. Edmonson, & Chuck Edmonson

Jim Scott Salaska, Mrs. Salaska, & Jean Perrett

Jean Perrett, Helen Jones, & Jean Macki Burke

Jean Macki Burke, Kent Burke, Yvonne Hobbs Jones, & Bob Jones

Yvonne Hobbs Jones, Bob Jones, Margaret Slack & Roberta Vandervorst

Margaret Slack, Roberta Vandervorst, & Jerry Perrett

Margaret Vancas McGrath DHS53 Obituary

2011-07-05T16:19:00.000-07:00

Margaret R. McGrath

October 20, 1935 - July 3, 2011

DickD, Margaret , & Hugh
@ Recent DHS Reunion

Margaret R. McGrath, 75, passed away on Sunday, July 3rd at home in Lead, South Dakota, surrounded by her family.

Visitation will be from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Thursday, July 7, 2011, at Saint Patrick's Catholic Church, Lead, SD, followed by a Vigil Service at 7:00 PM. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 AM, Friday, July 8, 2011, at Saint Patrick's Catholic Church.

She was born in Deadwood, SD to Michael and Mary (Fillak) Vancas on October 20th, 1935. She attended Saint Ambrose Catholic Grade School and graduated from Deadwood High School in 1953. On June 16th, 1954, Margaret married the love of her life, Hubert McGrath. The couple celebrated their 57th anniversary this past June. Margaret will always be known for her love of life, her love of family, and her faith. She was well known for her wonderful cooking and she delighted in her friendships. Throughout her life she worked for the Lawrence County Auditor’s Office, Century 21 Real Estate, Lead High School and Black Hills Special Services Cooperative. She served on the Lawrence County Election Board for many years. She was a longtime member of the Laureate Iota Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority and the St. Patrick’s Altar Society.

Margaret will be dearly missed by her husband Hubert. Four children were blessed to have her as their mother: John (Carol) of Brandon, SD, Mark (Rhonda) of Lead, SD, Michelle (Steve) Hovland of Nemo, SD, and Cindy (Richard) Ostert of Spearfish, SD. She cherished her 14 grandchildren: Laney McGrath, Heath Ostert, Dustin Ostert, Chase McGrath, Amy Fierro, Marc McGrath, Danielle McGrath, Roy Buchanan, Nikayla Hovland, Kristina Fierro, Chaz McGrath, Michelle Buchanan, Jon Hovland, and Chandler McGrath. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Joseph, Sylvester, Francis, Paul, and sister Agnes.

Arrangements are under the care of Lead-Deadwood Memorial Chapel in Lead. An online guestbook is available at Margaret McGrath Guestbook

Gerome "the Traveling Gnome" Visits Deadwood's Chubby Chipmonk

2011-06-24T14:45:00.000-07:00

By Rose Speirs

Mary "Chip" Tautkus (Chocolatier/Owner)

The Story of the Chubby Chipmunk

It all started in a sugarplum dream in Crestline, California, near Lake Arrowhead. Back in the day before big corporations like Mrs. Field's had a corner on the "sweet tooth" market, Chip Tautkus was busy scampering about in her kitchen hand-making mouth watering truffles. Time has only improved on the delicacies with each one being an original creation.

Since its humble beginnings , the Chipmunk has evolved from the simple creature of pure sweetness to a more sophisticated animal, adding many grown-up flavors to the time honored classics.

The Chubby Chipmunk now provides decadent, hand-dipped truffles, to satisfy customers all over the country. Her sunny kitchen, located in historic Deadwood, South Dakota at 420 Cliff Street, is again alive with treats you will forever dream about. When Deadwood is in your travel plans make sure you stop at this magical little chocolate shop, meet Chip and sample her wonderful creations! A bit of Heaven on Earth!!!

Satisfy your grown-up and little kid sweet tooth at the link=> Chubby Chipmunk!

Sgt Reckless - Korean War Horse Hero

2011-06-23T14:46:00.000-07:00

Here is a video about a warrior you may never have heard about. Sgt. Reckless was a Korean War veteran of a different kind. She was a Marine with the 5th Marines Recoilless Rifle Co. SSgt. Reckless was wounded twice in action and went through some of the toughest campaigns of that war. Reckless was an American icon at the time of the Korean War, but is, sadly, unknown today. There will never be another story like this one. Enjoy and pass it on.

A number of dhsclassmate viewers and friends pointed out this video and it is well worth viewing.

New Web Site Feature ~ Gallery Link to Shared Pictures

2011-06-21T11:27:00.000-07:00

These are amazing and beautiful pictures

Vista View from Terry Peak
by Chris Yushta

Bear Butte from Terry peak
Photos of Black Hills by Matt Lamb

You will notice a “Gallery” in the stationary web site header column that links to shared photos. The Gallery is now active. I am confident the Gallery will be popular as evidenced by this picture and others to follow. You can submit your shared pictures by email. I suggest you include your own protected watermarks or state how you want caption credits to read. Videos are limited to 90 seconds and 500 MB sizes.

Trojan SD 1914 School House ~ Last View of School Being Demolished ~ Contributor William Jacob Stone

2011-06-20T11:49:00.000-07:00

William Jacob Stone photo 9-01-2010

William "Bill" Jacob Stone

William Jacob Stone comments, "Wharf Resources did investigate moving the Trojan School and offered it the Lawrence County Historical Society if they could have it moved. It proved quite costly and otherwise unfeasable. Permission was granted by the State Historic Preservation Office as long as the building was sufficiently documented."

1976 Book
Gold Gals Guns Guts

William's Grandmother Charlotte Cushman Clark and four other young ladies were the first graduating Deadwood High School class in 1883 a. Charlotte arrived in Deadwood by stage coach in 1876. As a Deadwood Pioneer Woman she had a great impact for women and the area. Her husband Horace was known as "Mr. Realtor" as at one time he owned the most property in the Deadwood and Lead area. William's Uncle Cushman Clark carried on the reality business in Deadwood through it's last business era. Cushman was very community minded and was instrumental in capturing Deadwood history. He had the original DHS Fight Song recorded on a master 78 record in Ben Stoller's tiny B-Disc-Studios at 19 Charles Street b.

The Trojan School (last standing Trojan building) has been lost, the efforts to save Terry Cemetery are current, but other activities like Jon Crane's Black Hills Preservation Trust (Meeker Ranch and Gold Mountain Mine) remain active c.

2011-06-13T12:19:00.000-07:00

Maitland Mine Road
Chokecherry Find

On August 17, 2007, I wrote a Black Hills Wild Chokecherry dhsclassmates thought:

“Remember the exquisite flavor these berries of the plum family give to jam or jelly? Served on hot toast, pancakes, or French toast is very close to heaven. You can still find and buy pretty good commercial products but home made is the best.”

Prunus virginiana, commonly called chokecherry, is a species of bird cherry (Prunus subgenus Padus) native to North America, where it is found almost throughout the continent except for the Deep South and the far north. They are found in South Dakota and especially in the Black Hills. With all the rain, this year, there should be an abundant crop of plump chokecherries.

To me the flavor of chokecherries canned into jelly and syrup is a unique taste that was special to my growing up in the Black Hills. Chokecherry flavor can invoke memories like your other senses of smell, sight, hearing, and touch.

This past week, I found a neat article in the South Dakota Magazine about memories of family chokecherry picking on the Plains of South Dakota. It is a neat story with a chilling ending. I contacted the Magazine and asked if I could reprint their chokecherry article with credits. Heidi quickly agreed to my request. The Magazine is headquartered in Yankton SD in their own historical house. Use images to link to their FaceBook and web page.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Reprinted from June 06 -August 14 Issue of

South Dakota Magazine

Images and Article
reprinted from
South Dakota Magazine

The Last Chokecherry Picking

By Margaret Roghair

While making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for our picnic lunch, I heard the happy voices of my two little boys through the open kitchen window. It was almost autumn. The tall prairie grass surrounding our Jones County farm near Okaton was turning brown and the chokecherries were ripe: The kids and I were going to pick some with a friend, Fran, and her two little girls.

As we traveled to Fran’s house up and down the roller-coaster hills (we called the road passage “Tipperary” after the famous bucking horse), the meadowlarks greeted us with songs. Goldenrods nodded as if to say, “All is well this happy day.” We watched an old eagle rise lazily from his lookout on a high corner fence post and soar into the blue sky. A snake slithered across the road, reminding me that danger was always near. If someone got bit by a rattlesnake, could I slash the skin with a razor blade and suck out blood before starting the 70 miles to a doctor?

Our car rattled over the planks of the old wooden bridge and Fran’s big shaggy dog, hearing us approaching, announced our arrival. Fran tucked her two small girls into her car and led me across the prairie toward the corner of the school section where she knew chokecherries abounded.

We followed as her car bounced over crisscrossed car tracks on the prairie. We came upon a prairie dog town and watched the little creatures pop out of their mounds and stand on hind legs to peer at us. They would bark and scold, then scurry down their holes.

A few miles further and we had reached an isolated and sheltered draw, devoid of vegetation except for wild chokecherry that bordered the bank of a dry creek on the further side.

The children scrambled from the cars, eager to pick the tiny berries. Soon their faces were smeared with the purple juice and their lips puckered from the astringent taste of the wild fruit, and they were off to play. I had spread a blanket on the ground in the sheltered cove and Fran and I took turns calling the youngsters back from the tall grass that surrounded this sheltered little spot. Here was a small world all our own with only our little ones and the songs of birds and the chirping of crickets to keep us company.

Then the solitude was broken by the sound of an airplane overhead. We recognized it as that of a rancher who lived farther on up the creek. He was making a routine trip to town. The children shouted and waved their straw hats and sunbonnets as the pilot tipped the plane’s wings in response.

After we had filled our pails with the cherries and had our picnic lunch, we gathered our little ones and returned to our homes. I prepared the chokecherry juice and made a beautiful, clear jelly. The day was such a success, I considered writing a message on the jar’s labels about our fun outing.

As I was contemplating, my husband arrived from town with the mail. He spread the “Weekly” in front of me and pointed to the headline: “Rattlesnake Den Discovered.” I read on, “When Mr. Lynn Lyman was flying home to his ranch yesterday afternoon, he saw a gleaming patch beneath him as he flew over the dry creek bed in the corner of the school section where wild chokecherries grow. Closer scrutiny revealed a glistening, moving mass. To his astonishment he saw it was a mass of rattlesnakes. Instead of continuing to his ranch, he returned to town and summoned the state rattlesnake eradicator, and together they killed the snakes, numbering eighty in all. Rattlesnakes come from afar and gather into a den to hibernate in the fall, and it was not previously known that this thicket was their winter rendezvous.”

We saved the jelly for special occasions, for we did not venture out again to pick chokecherries.

EDITOR'S NOTE – This story is revised from the July/Aug 2010 issue of South Dakota Magazine. To order this back issue or to subscribe, call 800-456-5117

Select this image for link to
South Dakota Magazine Web Page