Serving the Black Hills

Although Deadwood was in a mining district, it didn't remain a mining town. Instead, it became the service center for the Northern Black Hills. Regional residents came to Deadwood for their legal, financial, wholesale, retail and entertainment needs.<br><br> In the autumn of 1876, the <i>Black Hills Pioneer</i> reported that Deadwood had 173 businesses, including an assayer, a bank, a bath house, 3 butchers, 2 brewers, 4 billiard halls, 11 clothing houses, 21 grocers, 2 hardware stores, 8 laundries, 7 lawyers, and 27 saloons. Over time, enterprises diversified to include a foundry, brick plants, a cigar factory, and a creamery.<br><br> <i>Caption on left photo:</i> Zoellner Brothers' clothing store<br><br> <i>Caption on middle photo:</i> Bloom's Shoe and Clothing store<br><br> <i>Caption on lower right photo:</i> Black Hills Trust and Savings Bank<br><br> <i>Caption on upper right photo:</i> The interior of a meat market