Wall & Main Street: Commercial Center

Wall and Main Street: Commercial Center. . , From 1876 to 1880, the junction of Wall and Main Street was the commercial center in Deadwood Gulch. Initially, Wall Street was situated on the southeast/northwest boundary of Placer Claims 13 and 14 above Discovery in the Whitewood Creek Mining District. Within two years these claims were patented as Mineral Surveys #38 (September 14, 1877) and #76 (March 12, 1878). , In four years, a variety of notorious commercial enterprises operated within 100 yards of this crossroad including Al Swearingen's Gem Theater, Nutall and Mann's Saloon #10, a grocery, mercantile and bank specializing in gold dust under the management of James K.P. Miller and James McPherson and Star and Bullocks Hardware. Wall Street served as one of three roads to the mining camp of South Deadwood located in Whitewood Gulch. In time Wall Street became the center of action with a constant flow of people and animals traversing through this thoroughfare. , To protect their assets against the threat of fire, business partners Miller and McPherson and Star and Bullock built fire proof warehouses behind their buildings. Evidence of Star and Bullock's stone and brick fireproof vault and accompanying metal shutters can still be viewed today along Wall Street. , On September 26, 1879, fire destroyed Deadwood's business district including the buildings surrounding the junction of Wall and Main Street. Within 10 years of this fire, Deadwood's economic center shifted to the junction of Lee and Main Street.