Documentary History of American Water-works

Deadwood

Deadwood, South Dakota

Deadwood was founded in the 1870s as a gold mining town.

The Black Hills Canal and Water Company was incorporated on October 4, 1878, under the laws of the State of California. On June 30, 1879, the commissioners of Lawrence County in behalf of the city of Deadwood, entered into contract with the Black Hills Canal & Water Co and the water works began operation on October 29, 1879

The Homestake Mining Company bought the system in 1899.

The city of Deadwood built a new water system sometime before 1922.

The waterworks are currently owned by City of Deadwood which distributes treated water that is purchased from the Lead-Deadwood Sanitary District No. 1, which was formed April 16, 1968 following an election, and was incorporated by the state on April 24, 1968.

References
1882 Deadwood, from "The Water-Supply of Certain Cities and Towns of the United States," by Walter G. Elliot, C. E., Ph. D.

1886 Deadwood, from Engineering News 15:125 (February 20, 1886).

1888 "Deadwood," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 1.

1890 "Deadwood," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 2.

1891 "Deadwood," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 3.

1897 "Deadwood," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 4.

1899 The Black Hills, or, The last hunting ground of the Dakotahs : a complete history of the Black Hills of Dakota, from their first invasion in 1874 to the present time, comprising a comprehensive account of how they lost them : of numerous adventures of the early settlers : their heroic struggles for supremacy against the hostile Dakotah Tribes, and their final victory : the opening of the country to white settlement, and it subsequent development, by Annie D. Tallent.
Page 488: Deadwood's Water System. On the 30th day of June, 1879, the commissioners of Lawrence County in behalf of the city of Deadwood, entered into contract with the Black Hills Canal & Water Co. to supply the city with water for a period of twenty years, and on the 29th day of October of the same year the system was completed. The supply of water for the system is obtained from mountain springs on City, Spring, and Elk creeks, and conducted through about eight miles of bed-rock flumes and pipes to large reservoirs, situated on a hill overlooking City creek, over 200 feet above Main street, and thence distributed through pipes to every part of the city. From this elevation the pressure of the water is great, obviating the necessity of engines for fire purposes. All that Deadwood's efficient fire laddies have to do, in case of fire, is to remove the plugs, attach the hose, when the water rushes through them with the force of a catapult. When the contract with the Black Hills Canal & Water Co. expires in October, 1899, Deadwood will, perhaps, establish a water system of her own.