Deadwood in Lawrence County, South Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Wild Bill
Photographed by Mike Stroud, July 1979
1. Wild Bill Marker, prior to re-cast in bronze
Korczak Ziolkowski,sculptor :
Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum (SIRIS)Control Number: IAS SD000072
Scout for the Union Army,
Marshall for Hay City
Dodge City and Abeline.
Killed in Deadwood
August 2, 1876.
Buried on Mount Moriah,
300 feet above this spot.
Erected 1951 by George R. Hunter.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Law Enforcement. A significant historical date for this entry is August 2, 1876.
Location. 44° 22.561′ N, 103° 43.73′ W. Marker is in Deadwood, South Dakota, in Lawrence County. It is at the intersection of Sherman Street and Miller Street, on the left when traveling south on Sherman Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Deadwood SD 57732, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in West River. It is also in the American Black Hills, in the Lewis & Clark Corridor, on the prairies, and on the Northern Plains. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once Ruperts Land and also the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Wild Bill Hickok Bust (a few steps from this marker); South Deadwood Mining Camp (a few steps from this marker); Black Hills Pioneers (within shouting distance of this marker); W. E. Adams Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Deadwood (within shouting distance of this marker); Sherman Street and the East Side (within shouting distance of this marker); The Great Flood
this page online
Regarding Wild Bill. The bust was donated to the city of Deadwood by George Hunter, a local businessman who was a friend and supporter of Korczak Ziolkowski, sculptor of Crazy Horse Memorial. The bust was a gift to Hunter out of gratitude for his support of Ziolkowskis Crazy Horse endeavor. His "Wild Bill Hickok" granite sculpture was a gift to the town of Deadwood, South Dakota.
This piece was originally carved in 1951.
Carved out of light-colored granite, the bust depicts Hickoks head and one shoulder. It has an air of wildness about it, from the upturned, expectant tilt of his head to the blowing hair and mountain-man style hat and coat he wears. It almost appears as if
Hickok is gazing expectantly toward his next adventure in the Hills.
Also see . . . Wild Bill Hickok. His skills as a gunfighter and scout, along with his reputation as a lawman, provided the basis for his fame, although some of his exploits are fictionalized. His nickname of Wild Bill has inspired similar nicknames for men known for their
Deadwood Archives, circa 1950
2. Wild Bill Marker
Photographed by Wikipedia
3. James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok
an American frontiersman who had been a stagecoach driver, a Union army scout, and a United States Marshall.
Photographed by Wikipedia
4. Wild Bill Hickok
Hickok 1869. Because a knife would not have been worn unsheathed, it is likely a photographer's prop. Although buckskins are often seen in movies depicting earlier periods, Hickok was one of the first to wear them.
Photographed by Wikipedia
5. Wild Bill Hickok, present day gravesite
Photographed by Mark Parker, June 30, 2025
6. Wild Bill Marker front side
Photographed by Mark Parker, June 30, 2025
7. Wild Bill Marker back side
Plaque: James Butler Hickok
(Wild Bill)
1837-1876
(Wild Bill)
1837-1876
Credits. This page was last revised on August 1, 2025. It was originally submitted on January 7, 2010, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 5,759 times since then and 37 times this year. Last updated on October 6, 2021, by Connor Olson of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on January 7, 2010, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. 6, 7. submitted on July 30, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
