Lunch Hour Tourists

The office ladies and I went on a Deadwood trolley tour today. Since our Sioux Falls counterparts were have a picnic at the home office, we decided this was how we'd celebrate the fourth. It was pretty neat, actually, a little hokey but a good way to see the town. A couple fun facts I was surprised to learn (I use the work "fact" losely - I'm going from memory):

1. There is still 40-50 years worth of gold in Homestake Mine in Lead, but the cost of mining it was more per ounce than it was worth in the years prior to closure in 2002. Though the price of gold has risen again, the mine was required by the government to remove 150 years of massive equipment from the depths of the mine when it closed. The cost to replace it would far outweigh the benifits.

2. Since the mine was chosen as the finalist for a National Science Foundation deep underground lab, the miners who lost their jobs are being given first rights to the 800-1000 jobs the lab will bring in. I didn't notice it at the time (hey, I was in college - I had beer to drink!), but the loss of the mine was catastophic to the area and state - it had been the second largest industry in South Dakota.

3. The end of prostitution in Deadwood (in 1980) was devastating to a community which, at the time, had basically no other industry. The madames were actually a hugely supportive force in the community. They bought Deadwood's last two firetrucks actually. An old guy who stopped by our office one day told us a similar story - he said the madames sponsored softball teams. Wonder what the team name would be. Hehe.

There was more, I should have brought a notebook. Anyway, not a bad way to spend lunch hour. Tonight it's off to Mt. Rushmore for the fireworks. Mike got us VIP parking and ampitheater seats through work so we're lucky ducks. We're taking my parents - I would bet money Sandy will bawl like a baby.

I'll post some pics tomorrow. Peace out.