Historical Markers in
Lawrence County, South Dakota

1912 Lead City Hall / Homestake General Offices 1940 DAR Penny Pines Forest Architecture of a Unique Building Complex Battery Locomotive Black Hills Pioneers Black Hills Railroads Black Hills Trust and Savings Bank Bonanza in the Hills Burlington Interurban Power Plant Buttes Center of the Country Cheyenne & Deadwood Stage Route Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad Yard Chinatown Chinese Immigrants Christ Episcopal Church and Grier Statue City Hall and Masonic Temple Civic Stability Civilian Conservation Corps Camp Civilian Conservation Corps Camp Civilian Conservation Corps Camp Civilian Conservation Corps Camp Cleveland Commonwealth Mine Stamp Mill Compressed Air Locomotive #9 Dakota Rebekah Lodge Deadwood Deadwood 1876 Deadwood Changing -- 1884, 1909 and Now Deadwood City 1876 Deadwood's Carnegie Library Deadwood's First City Park Deadwood’s Boy Scout Tree Project Deadwood’s Grand Bandstand Elizabethtown First Deadwood Gold Discovery Fish & Hunter Company Flooding & The Railroads Forest Hill From Ruts to Rails Generations of Change George S. Mickelson Trail George S. Mickelson Trail George S. Mickelson Trail Gold Discovery in the Great Sioux Reservation Gold in the Gulch Good Roads Movement & Lawrence County Halloran Block Hebrew Hill (Mt. Zion) Henry Weston Smith Historic Facade Replication Historic Site Saloon Number 10 History Buried Beneath Your Feet Homestake Air Locomotive Number 35 Homestake Gas-Powered Locomotive Homestake Hospital Site Homestake One Ton, End Dump Ore Car Homestake Open Cut Mine Homestake Slag Buggy Interurban Trolley J.B.Hickok Jack McCall Capture Site James Butler Hickok Jewish American Pioneers and Deadwood Lawrence County Jails & Capital Punishment Man Car / Ambulance Martha Jane Burke McGovern Hill Mining & Logging Mount Roosevelt Ore Cars Overshot Mucker Placer Claim No. 2 above Discovery Pluma: Right Place, Right Time Pluma's Power Plants Pneumatic Rock Drill Preacher Smith of Deadwood Gulch President Taft Comes to Deadwood Radial Brick Smokestack Ray Davis and the Homestake Experiment Rev. L.R.S. Ferguson Ski & Sled Area Riches from Mud Ride High, T.C., Ride High Saint Ambrose Parish School District #02 Second Deadwood Gold Discovery Serving the Black Hills Sherman Street and the East Side Spanish-American War Memorial Spanish-American War Veterans Memorial Spargo Hoist & Sinking Bucket Spearfish Canyon Flora and Fauna Spearfish Canyon Through Time Sweatman Art Memorial / Finnish Lutheran Church The Badlands The Cowboy & The Conservationist The Fire of 1879 The First National (Norwest) Bank The Franklin’s Fine Home The Glover House The Great Flood The Homestake Gold Mine and Open Cut The Homestake Opera House & Recreation Building The Open Cut The Presidential District The Presidential District The Resilient Whitewood Creek The Smokestack - Reconstructed Theodore Roosevelt “The American” Thoen Stone Thomas Johnston Grier Track or Trail: Sweat Equity Played a Role United States Post Office Upper Main Street Utility Building Waite Block Annex Weight a Minute Where It All Begins Whitewood's Cattle Industry Whitewood's Railroad History Wild Bill Wild Bill Hickok Wild Bill Hickok Bust
The famous Wild West outlaw, Calamity Jane, lived and worked in South Dakota for a time. She even claimed to have saved the life of legendary gunslinger Wild Bill Hickok in the town of Deadwood.
South Dakota random facts
Lawrence County is a county located in the Black Hills region of South Dakota. It was originally inhabited by various Native American tribes, including the Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho. The area later became an important location during the gold rush in the late 19th century. In 1874, General George Armstrong Custer led an expedition to the region, which resulted in the discovery of gold in French Creek. This led to a surge of miners and settlers arriving in the area, thus marking the beginning of a rapid development.

The county was officially established on January 11, 1875, with the city of Deadwood serving as the county seat. Deadwood quickly became a thriving and notorious frontier town, attracting gamblers, outlaws, and pioneers. The city's population rapidly grew, and it soon became a center for mining and commerce. Numerous gold mines were established in the area, producing large amounts of gold and silver.

However, Lawrence County faced its fair share of challenges. In 1876, the county experienced the infamous event known as the "Deadwood Gulch Fire," which resulted in the destruction of a significant portion of the town. Despite this setback, Deadwood quickly rebuilt and continued to thrive.

Today, Lawrence County remains an important part of South Dakota's history and economy. It is known for its rich mining heritage and the historic preservation of sites like Mount Moriah Cemetery, which is the final resting place of notable figures such as Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. The county continues to attract visitors from all over the world who are fascinated by its wild west history and breathtaking landscapes.

This timeline provides a concise overview of the key events in the history of Lawrence County, South Dakota.

  • 1874: Lawrence County is established, named after John Lawrence, a leading citizen and state legislator.
  • 1876: Gold is discovered in the Black Hills, leading to a gold rush in the area and the establishment of mining towns like Deadwood and Lead.
  • 1877: Deadwood becomes a prominent center for mining and trade, attracting entrepreneurs and notorious figures like Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane.
  • 1877-1879: The Black Hills are the site of conflicts between Lakota Sioux Native Americans and the United States government, following the discovery of gold on Native American territory.
  • 1883: The Homestake Mine in Lead becomes one of the largest gold mines in the world, attracting thousands of miners and contributing to the growth of Lawrence County.
  • 1889: South Dakota becomes a state, with Lawrence County being one of the original counties.
  • 1892: The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally begins, bringing thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts and tourists to Lawrence County each year.
  • 20th century: The mining industry experiences periods of growth and decline, impacting the economy and population of Lawrence County.
  • 1976: The Black Hills Flood devastates many communities in Lawrence County, causing extensive damage and loss of life.
  • 21st century: Lawrence County continues to be a hub for outdoor recreational activities, including hiking, biking, fishing, and hunting.