Jewish History of Deadwood Tour

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One of Deadwood's oldest cemeteries, Mount Moriah can tell visitors much about the city's diverse history. Buried in this cemetery are frontiersmen, miners, veterans, and numerous Jewish and Chinese people who came here looking for work. Most Jews lived here in the early twentieth century, leaving when the search for gold and silver ended for places like Rapid City. Deadwood has changed a great deal since, but one can learn a lot about the city's early history from visiting the burial sites of many early residents.

2. Schwarzvald’s Furniture

This is the former site of the furniture store opened by Sam Schwarzwald, a Jewish Prussian immigrant who came to Deadwood from Helena, Montana, at the start of the Black Hills Gold Rush. When Sam passed away in 1927, his son, Nathan Charles, took over. Despite burning down twice, first in 1894 and again in 1948, Schwarzwald remained a reputable local business for as long as it was open, at least until 1963. Today the building, rebuilt in 1949 to be fireproof, is home to a souvenir shop.

3. Bullock Hotel

Erected in 1896, the Bullock Hotel is one of many historic buildings that line Main Street in downtown Deadwood. It is named after one of its builders and Deadwood's first sheriff and friend of President Theodore Roosevelt, Seth Bullock, who was depicted in the HBO series "Deadwood." The other builder was Bullock's Jewish business partner, Sol Star, who was also portrayed in the series. The hotel is the first and oldest hotel in the city and continues to operate today. It still retains some original interior features including the skylight and large staircase.

4. Deadwood Masonic Temple

Deadwood's Masonic Temple was built from 1900 to 1910, and the building still operates today. This temple, along with the one in Yankton, has been noted by historians for its artistically significant backdrops, which the temple has used in the many plays it puts on over the years. Additionally, Deadwood's Jewish community held its High Holiday services here from the late nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth, making this the closest thing to a synagogue that Deadwood has had.

5. Silverado Franklin Hotel

The Franklin was Deadwood's first high-end hotel, which opened its doors in 1903 as gold mining and other industry boomed in South Dakota. The hotel's name and early success are owed to Harris Franklin, née Finkelstein, a Prussian Jewish immigrant who made his fortune in the Franklin & Baer liquor store and his investments in gold mining. Although the hotel hosted many famous visitors over the years, including Theodore Roosevelt and Babe Ruth, it suffered greatly from the end of the gold rush and the Great Depression, finally being converted into apartments in the 1930s. It got the boost it needed when the city legalized gambling in the 1980s, with the Silverado Gaming Establishment revitalizing the historic hotel, adding a casino, and helping restore interest in tourism here in Deadwood.

This Tour is a Driving or Biking Tour.

Jewish History of Deadwood Tour

Created by Ellie Rieber on April 23rd 2023, 6:38:24 pm.

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Jewish people came to Deadwood at the start of the Black Hills Gold Rush. They found work in all sides of Deadwood's industry, from mining to retail. In the heyday of the Gold Rush, as many as two-thirds of Main Street businesses were run by Jewish people, many of them first-generation immigrants. Although most of the town's Jewish community has moved on to larger populations like Rapid City, sites like these can tell visitors much about Deadwood's often overlooked Jewish history.

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Jewish History of Deadwood Tour

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