E35S4 The Colorful, Fraught History of Deadwood, SD

Historian and South Dakotan Bill Markley may not live in the city of Deadwood, but he makes it a point to visit a several times a year. It's a town with a remarkable history. Now inhabited by just over 1,000 residents, Deadwood’s population soared to upward of 25,000 during the height of the Black Hills Gold Rush era. Wyatt Earp, Calamity Jane, and Wild Bill Hickok are among some of the renown Old West characters who tread the city's muddy and crowded streets. In this episode, Markely takes a deep dive into some of Deadwood’s fascinating history, which he also writes about in his book “Wild Bill Hickok and Buffalo Bill Cody: Plainsmen of the Legendary West” and his novel “Deadwood Dead Men.”

A special thank you to western singer-songwriter Greg Hager for sharing his song “Eights and Aces,” a story based on the infamous Dead Man’s Hand card game.