Days of 76 Museum

The Days of '76 began as a way to honor Deadwood's first pioneers - the prospectors, miners, muleskinners and madams who poured into the Black Hills in 1876 to settle the gold-filled gulches of Dakota Territory. Since the first celebration in 1924, the Days of ‘76 have grown into a legendary annual event with a historic parade and award-winning PRCA rodeos. The Days of '76 museum began informally, as a repository for the horse drawn wagons and stage coaches, carriages, clothing, memorabilia and archives generated by the celebration. Today, the new 32,000-square-foot museum is home to the largest collection of horse-drawn vehicles in the state, the Clowser collection of Old West Pioneer and American Indian artifacts, an extensive firearm collection, archives and photos. The doors are now open to the new carriage exhibit showcasing 50 animal-powered vehicles, titled “Deadwood: A Story of Movement and Change,” that welcomes visitors to climb in and sit a spell. Using local pictures and artifacts, the vehicles are used to tell the story of how Deadwood matured from a raucous mining camp into a settled city with Victorian fineries. Amazingly, the exhibit is designed to be dismantled during the annual Days of ’76 Celebration when the wagons and carriages are shuttled out a big side door and used in the parade for all to see. Handicap Accessible: Bathrooms and Parking Wheel Chair Accessible Hours of Operation: May- September 9:00 am to 5:00 pm October - April 10:00 am to 4:00 pm (Closed Sundays, Mondays and Winter Holidays)