For nearly 130 years, this
pristine Black Hills land has been in the possession of
Homestake Mining Company. Upon recent public
purchase, Deadwood Hills Estates is excited to offer
this
upscale residential housing development ideally located
in the Lead/Deadwood area of South Dakota.
In addition to our
Featured Home for Sale, Deadwood Hills Estates
offers 7 other lots on parcels of land called "Last Chance #1" and
"Last
Chance #4." This land was named by the Federal
Government more than a century ago; Last Chance
refers to the
mineral survey assigned to this area when it was
purchased by Homestake Mining Company in 1879.
Prior to Homestake's
acquisition, this area was inhabited by
hundreds of gold-seeking fortune hunters. There is still evidence
of their efforts today in what where called "glory holes" at the time. A
glory hole is a hole in the ground dug by a freelancing
gold rusher seeking his fortune. A very small
percentage of those gold rushers ever found any gold.
There is very rich modern
history here. The name "Black Hills" comes from
the Lakota words Paha Sapa, which mean
"hills that are black". The Sioux Indians held the Hills to
be sacred land. As you experience a hike, trail
ride or leisurely drive, you may agree
that the Black Hills are a very special place.
For many people, the
Black Hills have been a retreat for physical and
spiritual renewal. In 1874, A.B. Donaldson, a newspaper
correspondent, wrote:
"The lover of nature
could here find his soul's delight; the invalid
regain his health; the old, be rejuvenated; the
weary find sweet repose and invigoration; and all
who could come and spend the heated season here
would find it the pleasantest summer home in
America."
Seen from a distance,
these pine-covered hills, rising several thousand feet
above the surrounding prairie, appear black. The Black
Hills are in western South Dakota and northeastern
Wyoming, covering an area 125 miles long and 65 wide.
They encompass rugged rock formations, canyons and
gulches, open grassland parks, tumbling streams, deep
blue lakes, and unique caves.
Exploration of the Black Hills by fur traders and
trappers occurred in the 1840s. In 1874, General
George A. Custer led an Army exploration into
the area and discovered gold. Settlement of the Black
Hills rapidly followed. As growth continued,
agriculture and livestock grazing added to the area's
economic diversity.
A series of large forest fires in 1893 focused attention
on the need to protect the timber resource. In 1897,
President Grover Cleveland established the Black
Hills Forest Reserve, later renamed the
Black Hills National Forest.
Norbeck Wildlife
Preserve was established by Congress in 1920
for the "protection of game animals and birds and to be
recognized as a breeding place therefor". It covers
about 35,000 acres in the Black Hills and is home
to a variety of wildlife, including elk, deer, bighorn
sheep and mountain goats. It also contains rugged
granite formations, small lakes, scenic drives, and
hiking trails.
Harney Peak, at 7242 feet above sea
level, is the highest point in the US east of the
Rockies. The historic lookout tower on the summit offers
a panoramic view of parts of South Dakota, Nebraska,
Wyoming and Montana, as well as the granite formations
and cliffs.
