So today's title is not a song, but the theme tune of the series - Deadwood.
Bullock built an hotel on the site of the original hardware store (on the corner of the street depicted in the series Wall and Main) after the former had burnt down in the fire of 1894. The current structure, though not the internal layout was built by Seth himself. The building has been restored since then but remains authentic to the age when this was the frontier, with as many of the old features as possible retained. The staff here believe his ghost is still around and play on that with their nightly 'Seth walks'.
One of the strange things about Deadwood is that it had become a mirror of itself within 10 years of its, illegal, founding in 1876. The lawless era of early prospecting was soon over and as life returned to normality Deadwood began to advertise itself to the people out East, as an exemplar of the Wild West, so early tourism began and gave the town a new life.
Thus Deadwood almost feels like a parody of itself. Wild Bill Hickok's name is everywhere, other key players, like Bullock, are also remembered. The No 10 where Hickok was killed sees a regular re-enactment of the scene, the place where his killer, Jack McCall, was caught is also commemorated as is his initial trial in 'the camp' - which had no legal status as it was on land which belonged to the Indians and was not formally part of the USA.
The HBO series has added to the mythology, it is probably why Drew and I are here as we became fans of the series. The Deadwood water tower, an ubiquitous part of town life out in the west, has the word Deadwood written on the font used by the series!!
Bullock built an hotel on the site of the original hardware store (on the corner of the street depicted in the series Wall and Main) after the former had burnt down in the fire of 1894. The current structure, though not the internal layout was built by Seth himself. The building has been restored since then but remains authentic to the age when this was the frontier, with as many of the old features as possible retained. The staff here believe his ghost is still around and play on that with their nightly 'Seth walks'. One of the strange things about Deadwood is that it had become a mirror of itself within 10 years of its, illegal, founding in 1876. The lawless era of early prospecting was soon over and as life returned to normality Deadwood began to advertise itself to the people out East, as an exemplar of the Wild West, so early tourism began and gave the town a new life.
Thus Deadwood almost feels like a parody of itself. Wild Bill Hickok's name is everywhere, other key players, like Bullock, are also remembered. The No 10 where Hickok was killed sees a regular re-enactment of the scene, the place where his killer, Jack McCall, was caught is also commemorated as is his initial trial in 'the camp' - which had no legal status as it was on land which belonged to the Indians and was not formally part of the USA.
So what I am saying is that Deadwood is like a Theme Park, but a theme park which is not the creation of Disney or Marvel, but is a creation of the town and its people themselves.
The HBO series has added to the mythology, it is probably why Drew and I are here as we became fans of the series. The Deadwood water tower, an ubiquitous part of town life out in the west, has the word Deadwood written on the font used by the series!!
Now people arrive not just interested in the Wild West, but in where Al Swearengen's Gem was, where Bullock and Star's was located, where Charlie Utter had his outlet. The story of the series has added to the mythology of the place.
For example when I came here with my sister and brother-in-law 16 years ago we went into a gaming joint and ate while Martin played the machines, successfully, that place happened to be the site of the Gem Theatre, but nobody much knew and no one cared. Post HBO that building now has Gem signs on it and its restaurant is now called 'The Gem Steakhouse', with a menu full of dishes with characters' names, many of them real people too, but now famous because of HBO.
Knowing all that, it did not stop us going into the Gem Steakhouse for our meal tonight. This makes it the second Friday in the row that I have spent in a steak house, Drew's view is that it helps me to see him enjoying his meat, it makes it more penitential for me :-)
For appetisers Drew had a bowl of buffalo chilli. I had a quesadilla which normally comes with a steak filling, but I had the veggie version - i.e. the same dish without steak. Still the salsa was very spicy, just as I like it and the guacamole was good too. 
For mains Drew had Prime Rib, lots and lots of beef, and I had 'Mr Woo's Rice and Fire Roasted Vegetables. Which was a concoction of fried rice with peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, corn and peas. I think the restaurant thinks eating vegetarian means eating small, as you can see from the photo.
After dinner we walked around the town some more before coming back to the hotel and to bed.
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