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Deadwood Saloon No. 10.

Buffalo Run Runs into Deadwood Dead End

Business owners in the wild west town of Deadwood, South Dakota, will have to think of a new way to draw attention to their town.

A proposal, floated by local merchants, would have turned a herd of live, stampeding bison loose on the main street running through this Black Hills gulch town (the same street where Wild Bill Hickock's killer is arrested each day). The Buffalo event, would have taken place in July, and would have been similar to the annual "running of the bulls" in Pamplona, Spain. It could have continued for the next ten years if it was successful at drawing a crowd and at not killing anyone.

It was the not killing anyone part that soured city commissioners on the plan, who shot it down by a 4 to 1 vote on May 31. The reason cited was the town's inability to find anyone willing to provide liability insurance for the event. One could argue that people who willingly put themselves in the path of charging bison should not then be able to sue the town if they are trampled, but the insurance companies didn't see it that way, and the buffalo run -- which certainly would have drawn a crowd -- has been canceled.

Deadwood has enjoyed record numbers of visitors in recent years partly due to the popularity of HBO's Deadwood TV series. Now that the show is in its final season, local businesses may fear it's only a matter of time before the town reverts to its traditional tourist clientele of bikers and Mt. Rushmore overflow.

[06/18/2006]

No. 10 Saloon

Address:
657 Main St., Deadwood, SD
Directions:
In the No. 10 Saloon. Downtown, one block west of US 14A. On the east side of Main St. between Wall and Lee Sts. (Site of the original No. #10 Saloon is at 624 Main St.)
Phone:
605-578-3346
RA Rates:
Major Fun
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