Black Hills, a region in
South Dakota, extending into
Wyoming. It was purchased from the Indians in 1876, for whom it had been one of the finest hunting grounds in the West. In 1877-8 thousands of miners went there, and in 1880 there had already sprung into existence three towns,
Deadwood,
Central City, and
Leadville. Around these lay also groups of smaller towns and villages. From 1880 the
gold mines yielded about $4,000,000 annually, and the
silver mines about $3,000,000 annually. The region is also rich in copper, lead, iron and mica. The soil is fertile and the hills have abundant facilities for the grazing of cattle. Thrifty
farmers have settled there, and many of them have
good farms and fine improvements. Good schoolhouses have also been built in different settlements.
Source: The Americana
