Deadwood in Lawrence County, South Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
James Butler Hickok
Photographed By Beverly Pfingsten, June 7, 2011
1. James Butler Hickok Marker
Inscription.
James Butler Hickok. .
Alias "Wild Bill" Born - May 27, 1837 Troy Grove, Illinois Died - August 2, 1876 Deadwood, Dakota Territory Victim of the Assassin Jack McCall.
Alias "Wild Bill" Born - May 27, 1837 Troy Grove, Illinois Died - August 2, 1876 Deadwood, Dakota Territory Victim of the Assassin Jack McCall
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Law Enforcement. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1721.
Location. 44° 22.541′ N, 103° 43.535′ W. Marker is in Deadwood, South Dakota, in Lawrence County. Marker can be reached from Mount Moriah Drive. Marker is in Mount Moriah Cemetery. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Deadwood SD 57732, United States of America. Touch for directions.
6. Tombs of "Wild Bill" and "Calamity Jane", Mt. Moriah Cemetery, Deadwood, Black Hills, S.D.
...The story of Wild Bill’s grave is almost as intriguing as that of the man himself, having been vandalized repeatedly since he was laid to rest in 1876. The original grave was located below Mount Moriah, but was relocated to the cemetery in 1879 to accommodate the town’s growth. The original, simple wooden headboard was moved as well, but it quickly fell victim to souvenir hunters that whittled away pieces of the marker. A nine-foot rock sculpture by J.B. Riordan took its place in 1891, but within ten years it too was destroyed. The Alvin Smith sculpture shown here was placed at the grave in 1903, but in spite of the fence barrier it was soon relieved of its head, arms, and gun. The remains of the statue, a Venus de Milo-like torso, is now on display at the Adams Museum in Deadwood. Recently a new statue has been placed that closely resembles the earlier Riordan monument. -- Postcardroundup.com, June 24, 2014 blog entry (This was actually written concerning a different postcard, but applies as well here.)
Credits. This page was last revised on December 15, 2019. It was originally submitted on August 1, 2011, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. This page has been viewed 1,214 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on August 1, 2011, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. 3, 4, 5. submitted on January 20, 2014, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. 6. submitted on September 25, 2015.