Deadwood is a small town in the Black Hills of Lawrence County, South Dakota which first got its start as a mining camp during the gold rush of 1876. As its population grew the nearby surrounding hills forced the town to develop around a small dense downtown.
Although the first buildings were made primarily of wood and canvas, the present appearance of the downtown is the result of the fire of 1879 which destroyed most of the commercial district. Following the fire, the town was rebuilt using more permanent materials in vogue at the time. 
In 1879 Deadwood was a wealthy city and the residents and builders were able to indulge in the latest styles and materials. After the great fire, stone, and brick were the preferred materials and for certain buildings such as banks, hotels and public buildings the grand styles were seen as appropriate. By 1910 the initial wave of building and prosperity had ceased and the subsequent economic decline of the area caused the buildings to remain substantially unchanged.

