Even though he was only in the town of Deadwood, South Dakota, for a few weeks, James Butler Hickok, better known as “Wild Bill” Hickok, has become the town’s most famous resident. That popularity has seen him become an icon for the city that is driving numerous activities for both residents and tourists.
From Weeks into Eternity
“Wild Bill” Hickok is one of the most famous figures of the Wild West, earning a great deal of notoriety in his own day that was built on real and fabricated stories of his life. He fought and spied for the Union during the American Civil War and gained publicity after the war as an actor, gunslinger and gambler. Over the course of his life, he was involved in several notable shoot-outs.
Hickok arrived in Deadwood in July of 1876 as one of the thousands of gold-seekers who flocked to the new town on account of reports of gold in the Black Hills. He spent much of his time gambling but was killed only a few weeks after his arrival. On August 2, 1876, Jack McCall shot him from behind in Nuttal & Mann’s Saloon while he was playing poker. The original site of Nuttal & Mann’s was located near what is present-day 624 Main Street, which a plaque commemorates.
“Wild Bill” is one of several notable people buried in Deadwood’s Mount Moriah Cemetery, which contains some of the most notable figures of the Wild West. However, the popularity of “Wild Bill” is more substantial than all of them, and his impact on Deadwood has proven to be far more long-lasting than the time he actually spent in the city.
Becoming An Icon for Deadwood
The likeness of “Wild Bill” Hickock is all over Historic Deadwood, and that extends to photos, paintings, statues, signs, life-size cutouts and more. Wild Bill statues, painting and likenesses of him can be seen throughout modern-day Deadwood. Businesses of all types use his likeness as part of products they have for sale, while establishments like Hickok’s Hotel and Casino as well as the Wild Bill Bar & Trading Post have a more direct connection with “Wild Bill” and his history in the city.
That history is on display in a more direct way during reenactments of the day “Wild Bill” was killed, which takes place every night during the summer (except Sundays) in the Trial of Jack McCall. There is a nominal fee for the show that starts with a live gunfight and then moves into the Masonic Temple for the trial.
The popularity of “Wild Bill” has also driven the #wildbillme social campaign, which has various prizes associated with selfies that people take with a likeness of “Wild Bill” from somewhere in the city. Prizes at the highest level require 25 pictures, but as the campaign describes, “Wild Bill” is everywhere in Deadwood.
“Wild Bill” has been incorporated into countless guides and brochures that showcase the activities of the area. Like other monuments that have become icons for an entire city, “Wild Bill” has become synonymous with the city and provided Deadwood with a powerful symbol that has enabled a positive impact to the economy and culture of the city in the present and future.
Icon and Legacy
Unlike many other icons that have come to represent a city or region, “Wild Bill” was a real person, whose likeness is being used in ways he couldn’t possibly have imagined. Doing so has fueled a legacy that directly ties into the outlandish and often fabricated tales he often told about his life while also giving Deadwood an icon that has helped to attract audiences from all over the world.
