Gold is the operative word for Deadwood and Lead, South Dakota. In 1874 gold was discovered in the southern Black Hills. The gold rush of miners followed. By 1876 that rush extended into the northern Black Hills. It destroyed and created a lot of rich people, but also a lot of lives, Native American cultures. Town communities figured prominently in that area of South Dakota, they were Deadwood and Lead, both were still in Indian territory. "Deadwood was established in 1876 during the Black Hills gold rush. In 1875, a miner named John B. Pearson found gold in a narrow canyon in the Northern Black Hills. This canyon became known as "Deadwood Gulch," because of the many dead trees that lined the canyon walls at the time. The name stuck, and, over 125 years later, the U.S. 2000 Census cites Deadwood's population as 1,380; and the town sits some 4,533 feet above sea level. Given its colorful, violent, and lawless beginnings, few could have imagined that Deadwood would someday serve as the county seat for Lawrence County, as it does today." "Once Deadwood was established, the mining camp was soon swarming with thousands of prospectors searching for an easy way to get rich. Such luck happened to fall upon Fred and Moses Manuel, who claimed the Homestake Mine, which proved to be the most profitable in the area. Although the Manuels had been lucky, others were not so fortunate. Most of the early population was in Deadwood to mine for gold, but the lawless region naturally attracted a crowd of rough and shady characters. These particular individuals made the early days of Deadwood rough and wild. A mostly male population eagerly patronized the many saloons, gambling establishments, dance halls, and brothels."
"Lead (pronounced “leed”) was officially founded on July 10, 1876, after the discovery of gold. Lead comes from a mining term; it means an outcropping of gold bearing ore. A common phrase among Miners was “lead the miners to the mother lode”. One of the first enterprises of the Gold Rush of 1876 was Homestake Gold Mine. The Homestake Gold Mine was claimed by two brothers, Fred and Moses Manuel, and their partner, Hank Harney on April 9, 1876. In June of 1877 George Hearst purchased the claim from the Manuel brothers for a mere $70,000. The Homestake Gold Mine would go on to produce over 40 million ounces of gold during its lifetime, valuing over a billion dollars. The mine would also go on to accomplish many technological and civic achievements. The Homestake Gold Mine was America’s longest continuously operated gold mine. It closed in 2002 as the oldest, largest and deepest mine in the western hemisphere, stretching over 8,000 feet below the town of Lead."
Sources: https://www.deadwood.com/history/, https://www.cityofdeadwood.com/?SEC=269A8C80‐9F36‐4D72‐A17D‐DF18E23E10FF, https://www.leadmethere.org/history/, https://www.historynet.com/the‐real‐men‐of‐deadwood.htm and https://www.history.com/this‐day‐in‐ history/wild‐bill‐hickok‐is‐murdered. acuri.net John R. Vincenti Deadwood and Lead, South Dakota