SD Tuesday July 12 Morning

After breakfast we headed for Sturgis and a quick drive through. The town looked so normal, almost sleepy, but then we were there about 8:00am, took a couple of photos, and noticed fewer Hogs than Leakey on a busy day.
From the town of Spearfish, we drove south on the Scenic Byway along Spearfish Creek. Scenery was every shade of green interrupted with rock formations. Shadowy canyons made photography difficult with my iPhone, but we stopped at most pullouts to take in the views. Bridal Veil Falls was a much touted highlight, even though I thought more of those imposing granite towers.
In Deadwood we parked at the History and Information Center in the old railroad depot and plunked coins in the parking meter. Once again friendly workers mapped out some must-sees and we took off to explore. The nearby Adams Museum was filled with all the memorabilia necessary to explain early Deadwood, all it's wild history, and the metamorphosis into tamed community, including all the casinos, one owned by Kevin Costner. I was most intrigued by the Adams family and the fact that this memorial was built by a prosperous businessman to honor his wife and two daughters. So of course our next stop was the Adams House.
Adams bought the House from fellow successful merchant Franklin, who left most of its contents. Then due to family tragedies, the house eventually stood untouched for fifty years with everything in place, even cookies in the biscuit jar. I had never been in a historic house so authentic. Every turn had the original whatever in place and only unnoticeable cosmetic repairs; restoration focused on structure and cleaning. Now owned by a historical group and funded by gambling commissions, it is a treasure defying time.
Just outside Deadwood and up the hill at Mount Mariah Cemetery, we paid our respects to Wild Bill and Calamity Jane. I had the opportunity to take a picture of a man standing on a retaining wall next to a sign saying "Absolutely no climbing or standing on retaining walls" but I was laughing too hard. We also respected the gift shop and bought magnetic bottle openers and a thin cookbook.
Literally down in downtown Deadwood, we walked the main street, bought Jim a cap, added more souvenirs to our growing stash, strolled through Saloon #10 where Wild Bill played his dead man's hand, and lost count of how many businesses had some type of gaming machine. In the Saloon I watched a family speaking only French take photos of numerous locations and items, laughing and chattering, wide-eyed and giddy, evidence that the USA has kept its international appeal for the Wild West, at least in saloons.
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