A man holding aces and eights with his back to the door of the Nuttal & Mann’s Saloon; another man shortly thereafter coming into a town a bit further west and bragging about the killin’ and getting away with it…. until of course he was hanged!
These two towns in South Dakota and Wyoming, Deadwood and Cheyenne would be forever linked together in the history books because of the shooting of Wild Bill Hickok and the outlaw at the other end of the gun, John ‘Broken Nose Jack’ McCall on that fateful day back in 1876.
History came alive as Buddy and I spent time in each of these two cities born out of the fervor of opportunity and the search for gold in the 1800’s. Although very different in their appearance, the lingering of debauchery, lawlessness, and desire to strike it rich could still be experienced through the retelling of the old west tales of these prairie lands. Both downtown Cheyenne and Deadwood have been characteristically preserved, but I do have to say that the latter still has that feeling of ruggedness around its edges- from the Main Street structures(rebuilt a few times as a result of fires and floods), and the simulated gun fights and selling of magical healing elixirs as we strolled through the center of town.
An interesting view into the many Deadwood storefronts was the colorful blinking lights of slot machines while many of the eateries were tucked out of view in the back of the buildings. I can only imagine the classic western movie scene of gamblers, rustlers, and brothel ladies coming to life here in Deadwood!
Buddy and I thoroughly enjoyed this peak back into time through the eyes of Cheyenne and Deadwood. I highly recommend taking the trolley tour through Cheyenne and would consider making a visit during its Frontier Days celebration held each summer. 
The reintroduction to the characters and stories of these areas has certainly peaked my interest in the Old West days and fueled the desire to delve deeper into the exploration and settling of the West- the good, the bad and the ugly(no movie reference intended!) 
Included are links for each town for you to explore and plan your next Western adventure!(Remember to hover over the italics)
Coming next… a brief personal perspective about our western heritage and pictorial post of Crazy Horse and Mt. Rushmore monuments and surrounding Custer National Park areas.
What an interesting and fun trip you’re having!!!
Love the pics and adventures! Happy Birthday De!
Reading this on Oct. 6th 🙂