I recently got back from a road trip with my older brother, Ed, during which we stumbled across a small piece of our collective Jewish story that I didn’t even know existed. We were visiting the town of Deadwood, South Dakota where icon of the Wild West, Wild Bill Hickok was shot and killed. We then went to the cemetery where he and other famous denizens of Deadwood were laid to rest.

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What we learned was that Deadwood, South Dakota, holds a significant place in Jewish history. The Hebrew Hill Cemetery, also known as Mt. Zion, is where some of Deadwood’s pioneering Jewish citizens rest. This cemetery, recognized as the site of the first organized Jewish community in South Dakota, reflects the contributions of these individuals to the civic, commercial, and social life of early Deadwood. The cemetery is located within the larger Mount Moriah Cemetery, which features wrought iron gates adorned with a prominent Star of David.

 

Harris Franklin was a remarkable figure in the history of Deadwood, Dakota Territory. A Jewish immigrant, he arrived in Deadwood in 1877. Starting as a traveling salesman, he established a successful liquor business on Main Street. Over time, Franklin diversified his ventures into banking, ranching, and gold mining. His family even built the Franklin Hotel on upper Main Street. Despite humble beginnings, Harris Franklin’s contributions left a lasting mark on the community, reflecting the spirit of determination and resilience that defined Deadwood during its wild gold rush days.

 

Blanche Colman was South Dakota’s first female lawyer. Born in 1884 in Deadwood, Dakota Territory, she hailed from a family of German/Jewish immigrants. Her father, Nathan Colman, started as a miner and later became a justice of the peace and a rabbi for the town’s Jewish community. Blanche completed high school in 1902 and worked as a secretary for Congressman William Parker in Washington, D.C. Returning to South Dakota, she joined the legal department of the Homestake Mining Company. Through self-study under attorney Chambers Kellar, she became an autodidact of law.

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On October 3, 1911, Blanche Colman became the first woman admitted to the South Dakota Bar Association. She continued her legal career with the Homestake Mining Company and later established her own practice. Blanche Colman passed away in 1978.