When thinking about landmarks in Sturgis, the Massa-Berry Clinic has to come to mind. Yet, it almost never came to pass. For a year after the hospital was built, it would remain closed as a dispute threatened to end it before it ever really started. That dispute revolved around Dr.Read More →
If you ask what year Poker Alice was born, you’d get a variety of articles that debated whether or not it was in 1851, or possibly a little later in 1853. Both answers would be incorrect though. Because as it turns out, Poker Alice was a liar. But instead ofRead More →
There are many good reasons to get married. Love is one that is on top of that list. And if the marriage is based on good reasons, then it has a higher chance of lasting. Being forced to be married because you started a relationship with your bunkmate, probably isn’tRead More →
There are many reasons why a wedding may be called off. Finding out that your beautiful wife to be is actually a man, that would be one of those reasons. That is the situation Roscoe Billman found himself in in March of 1907. But Roscoe wouldn’t have to call theRead More →
Upon his death, the city of Lead mourned the passing of one of its most esteemed citizens. He, along with his wife, were known to be some of the most charitable residents of the town. Yet today, they have largely been regulated to the past, a brief memory only tracesRead More →
History is often a mystery. It isn’t always a straightforward ordeal. One can almost describe it like a collection of puzzles. Some of the puzzles have all the pieces, and are packaged in a nice little box. Other puzzles appear as if a toddler found the collection and decided toRead More →
Scooptown was notorious for relieving local soldier of their money. And sometimes, it was local soldiers who had a hand in that scooping. Such was the case with Michael Pendergrass. Mike was born in Ireland in 1851. His family would later immigrate to the United States, settling in the NewRead More →
Sometimes, there just isn’t a lot of information when it comes to history. Like, who is Pompadour Mike? Pompadour Mike’s real name was Leo Burton, but also was commonly known as Little Mike. Almost nothing is known about their life though, even though while she was in the area, sheRead More →
In December of 1885, May Howard was arrested and fined for being an inmate of a house of ill-fame in Rapid City, SD. It wasn’t the first time she would be arrested for, as the local paper stated, flaunting her shame in the face of decency, but it would beRead More →
In 1872, John “Grasshopper Jim” Frederick left Bismarck, Dakota Territory, and traveled down to the Black Hills. At least according to Frederick. As with many early characters of the Black Hills, it may be that Frederick exaggerated a bit when it came to his life. Well, more like outright lied.Read More →