Day 22 - Wild Wild West

As we head East we are coming into contact with defining periods and events in Nineteenth Century American history.

The notion of the Wild West captured the imagination of a nation. One of the most famous locales in this time is the town of Deadwood. I mainly know of this town in the years from 1876 via the TV Series and I could not wait to visit. It was both as tacky and as interesting as I had hoped. The TV series from what I understand is fairly accurate (with the usual dramatic license accepted) and this allowed for some memorable scenes to be replayed in my mind as we walked around the small town. Along the way, useful information boards helped fill in the history, or further cloud the myth that has grown with time. We then walked up to the Mount Moriah Cemetery where both Wild Bill Hickock and Calamity Jane are buried.

I'm glad we had a quick visit here and it helped to break up the driving with a bit of history and walking. And tacky giftshop purchasing.

The Wild West theme continued as we passed Sundance, the town that lent it's name to the outlaw Harry Longabaugh, better known as The Sundance Kid. It is also in this area that the extraordinary story of Hugh Glass played out. This 1823 story of survivial is behind the recent movie 'The Revenant'. All these events and places represent a defining time in history for this nation. This region is identified too by it's rugged terrain and history and yet that American hospitality is also ever present and welcoming.

We arrived at our motel by the early evening in the town of Wall. This town is best known for the Wall Drugstore which has been the number one stop-over on the way to Mount Rushmore since 1931. It just so happens that's why we're in the neighbourhood. So, today outlaws, tomorrow Presidents...

Song of the Day:
Will Smith - Wild Wild West (obviously!)Read more