Visiting Historic Deadwood, South Dakota: Wild Bill Hickok, Saloon No. 10 & Mount Moriah Cemetery

If you love Old West history, Deadwood, South Dakota is one of those places you simply have to visit.

While we were staying in the Custer area, we knew we wanted to make the drive to Deadwood. It was about an hour each way, but for two people who love history, there was no question—we were going.

And it turned out to be worth every mile.

From historic Main Street and the story of Wild Bill Hickok to Saloon No. 10 and the graves of some of Deadwood’s most legendary residents, we had so much fun that we actually drove back a second day to see something we’d missed the first time.

Exploring Historic Deadwood

One of the first things we noticed about Deadwood was its unusual setting.

The town is tucked into a narrow gulch in the Black Hills, with very little flat land available. There is barely enough level ground for the main downtown area, and buildings climb the hillsides behind it.

It gives Deadwood a completely different appearance from many other historic Western towns we’ve visited.

A major fire swept through downtown Deadwood in 1879, so the buildings along Main Street don’t date back to the town’s very earliest days. But many were constructed during the rebuilding that followed, and the historic character of downtown is wonderful.

You really do get the feeling that you’ve arrived someplace with stories to tell.

And Deadwood has plenty of them.

Saloon No. 10 and Wild Bill Hickok

One place Ed particularly wanted to see was Saloon No. 10, because of its connection to Wild Bill Hickok.

Wild Bill is one of the most famous figures associated with Deadwood, and his death there on August 2, 1876, became one of the enduring stories of the American West.

We headed into the saloon expecting to look around, pick up our usual souvenir magnet and sticker, and move on.

Instead, someone told us about the historical show performed inside the saloon.

Well, that changed our plans!

We grabbed some seats, ordered drinks and fried cheese curds, and settled in for the show.

The Wild Bill Hickok Show

The performance ended up being one of the highlights of our visit.

Rather than simply presenting a few facts about Wild Bill, the reenactor told the story in character, taking us through different chapters of Hickok’s life before eventually arriving at Deadwood.

And Wild Bill certainly had a colorful life.

The show covered stories from his days as a gunfighter and lawman, his association with Buffalo Bill Cody, his marriage to Agnes Lake, his journey into the Black Hills during the gold rush, and finally his arrival in Deadwood.

Of course, it all leads to the event for which Saloon No. 10 became famous.

Wild Bill Hickok and the Dead Man’s Hand

On August 2, 1876, Wild Bill Hickok was playing poker when Jack McCall approached him from behind and shot him in the back of the head.

According to the reenactment we watched, Hickok was holding aces and eights, the poker hand that became forever known as the Dead Man’s Hand.

McCall was initially acquitted by an unofficial miners’ court in Deadwood. He later left the area and reportedly began boasting about killing Hickok.

That proved to be a mistake.

McCall was arrested again and taken to Yankton, where he was tried, convicted, and eventually hanged.

Watching the story reenacted in Deadwood added another dimension to a piece of history we’d heard about for years.

History Is Everywhere in Deadwood

The saloon isn’t the only place to learn about Deadwood’s past.

We found historical signs scattered throughout town explaining different people, places, and events. We only managed to find a few of them, but they made walking around downtown even more interesting.

This is the kind of town where it’s worth slowing down.

Don’t just drive through, snap a picture, and leave.

Walk around.

Read the signs.

Look at the buildings.

And then head up the hill to one of the most interesting places in Deadwood.

Visiting Mount Moriah Cemetery

Of course, we had to visit Mount Moriah Cemetery.

If you’re interested in Deadwood history, this really is one of the attractions you don’t want to miss.

Two of its most famous residents are Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane, who are buried near one another.

But we discovered there was much more to the cemetery than those two famous graves.

Masonic History at Mount Moriah

We knew there was a Masonic section in the cemetery and wanted to find it while we were there.

The area was laid out as a Celestial Lodge, with a number of Masons buried there. It was an especially interesting part of the cemetery for us to explore.

And then there was one more grave we were determined to visit.

Seth Bullock.

Unfortunately, Seth didn’t make it easy on us.

Climbing to Seth Bullock’s Grave

Seth Bullock was another important figure in Deadwood’s history, and his grave sits high above the main cemetery.

So up the hill we went.

And up.

The climb was quite an adventure, but we made it.

Bullock wanted to be buried high on the hillside overlooking the area, and once we’d made the climb ourselves, visiting his grave felt like quite an accomplishment.

Seth Bullock is also connected to some of Deadwood’s enduring ghost stories. According to local lore mentioned during our visit, his spirit still keeps an eye on the Bullock Hotel and even gives employees a little encouragement when he thinks they aren’t working hard enough.

Deadwood certainly doesn’t lack colorful stories—historical or otherwise.

Wait…That Wasn’t the Original Saloon No. 10?

As we were leaving Deadwood after our first visit, we noticed another building.

And the sign caught our attention.

Original location of Saloon No. 10.

Wait a minute.

We had just spent all that time at Saloon No. 10!

By then we’d already been exploring for a couple of hours, and General was waiting comfortably in the air-conditioned truck. We decided it was time to head back to camp.

But that sign bothered us.

We kept talking about it that evening.

Finally, we decided there was only one solution.

We were going back to Deadwood.

Returning to the Original Saloon No. 10 Location

The next day, we made the hour-long drive all over again.

And we’re glad we did.

At the original Saloon No. 10 location, there was a downstairs area set up to show visitors what the historic saloon may have looked like. There was also information about Wild Bill Hickok and the events surrounding his death.

It required a small admission fee, but for us, it was absolutely worth going back to see.

After all, how often do you get the opportunity to stand in a place connected to one of the most famous stories of the Old West?

Is Deadwood, South Dakota Worth Visiting?

For us, absolutely.

In fact, we enjoyed Deadwood enough to make that hour-long drive from Custer twice.

If you’re interested in American history, the Old West, Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, historic cemeteries, or simply exploring unusual old towns, there’s plenty here to keep you busy.

Some of our favorite experiences included:

Walking historic downtown Deadwood
Visiting Saloon No. 10
Watching the Wild Bill Hickok reenactment
Learning the story of the Dead Man’s Hand
Visiting Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane at Mount Moriah Cemetery
Exploring the Masonic section of the cemetery
Climbing the hill to Seth Bullock’s grave
Returning to see the original Saloon No. 10 location

Deadwood was one of those stops where our love of travel and our love of history came together perfectly.

We went expecting to spend a few hours exploring an old Western town.

Instead, we found ourselves completely caught up in the stories of the people who lived there—and liked the place enough to come back the very next day.

If your travels take you through the Black Hills of South Dakota, put Deadwood on your list.

We’ll see you down the road…and Over The Hills!

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