The town of Galena

In 1875 the gold rush hit the Black Hills, and the town of Galena was established in 1876. At its height Galena had between 1500 to 2000 residents. One of the first mining claims was by Sarah Campbell (Aunt Sally) who was also the first non-Native woman in the Black Hills. She first came to the hills as a cook for the Custer’s 1874 Expedition. She is buried in the Galena cemetery.

There was also a murder over a disagreement with a mining claim and Patrick Gorman was shot in the process. He is also buried at the Galena cemetery.

Another claim dispute that went to trail and the murder of Patrick Gorman helped the decline of Galena. By the end of the Depression, all the mines had closed except for one. The school closed in 1943.

Galena is an small town in Lawrence County, South Dakota just south of Deadwood. It is often considered to be a ghost town, even though a few families still live in the area. The town consists of some old abandoned cabins, an old school house, an old cemetery, and a lot of history. The town is small and if you go there you need to respect those that still live there. The schoolhouse and cemetery are pretty neat, and if someone is around they will show you inside the schoolhouse if you are lucky.

To get to Galena, from Deadwood, take US HWY 385 S for seven miles to Wild Bill’s Campground. Turn left onto Galena Rd. and follow it for three miles. From Rapid City, take SD HWY 44 to US 385 N, take a right and head 19 miles to Wild Bill’s Campground. Take a right at the campground onto Galena Rd. and follow for three miles.

Every year the Galena Society hosts a historic walk and fundraiser where photos and interpreters are setup throughout the town to share Galena’s story. For more information of the hike click the button below.