DEADWOOD

city, seat of Lawrence county, western South Dakota, U.S. It is situated in a canyon formed by a branch of the Belle Fourche River of the northern Black Hills, 4,533 feet (1,382 m) above sea level. Built on the steep, wooded inclines of Deadwood Gulch, the city was founded during the 1876 gold rush, when about 25,000 miners swarmed the surrounding hills. Its turbulent reputation as a lawless outpost of frontier violence was magnified by the Deadwood Dick series of dime novels. Wild Bill Hickok, soldier, scout, and marshal, was killed in a Deadwood saloon Aug. 2, 1876, by Jack McCall; he is buried in Mount Moriah Cemetery near Calamity Jane, Preacher Smith, Seth Bullock, and other celebrated frontier characters who died in the vicinity. The city was almost completely abandoned at the news of another gold strike at Lead, a few miles to the southwest. Deadwood's economy is now dependent upon tourism, legalized gambling, mining, and forestry. It is also influenced by the large Homestake gold mine at Lead. The Terry Peak ski area is nearby. Inc. city, 1881. Pop. (1990) 1,830.