Wild Bill R.I.P.

James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok was murdered by the cowardly Jack McCall 140 years ago in Deadwood, Dakota Territories. His funeral notice in the Black Hills Pioneer read: Died, in Deadwood, J.B. Hickok, (Wild Bill) formerly of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Funeral services will be held at Charles Utter’s Camp, on Thursday afternoon, August 3, 1876, at 3 o’clock, P.M. All are respectfully invited to attend.

Wild Bill was buried at Ingleside Cemetery, a nice spot on the mountain overlooking Deadwood. Because the real estate at Ingleside was so valuable to a growing Deadwood, Hickok’s body, along with all the other residents of the boneyard, were reinterred a couple years later farther up the mountain at Mount Moriah Cemetery, where Wild Bill rests to this day.

Wild Bill’s headboard, provided by his best friend Colorado Charlie (Charley) Utter, reads: “Wild Bill–J.B. Hickock. Killed by the assassin Jack McCall in Deadwood Black Hills. August 2nd 1876. Pard we will meet again in the Happy Hunting ground to part no more. Good Bye–Colorado Charlie C.H. Utter.”

Rest in peace, Wild Bill.

Wild Bill Hickok’s Grave in Deadwood–Researching a Legend for Ghost Marshal

Wild Bill Hickok’s grave at Mount Moriah Cemetery in Deadwood, South Dakota.

Here I am at the grave of Wild Bill Hickok, high above Deadwood, looking out over the town where his legend came to an abrupt end in 1876. It’s one thing to read about the Old West—but standing here, you feel how close that history really is.

Wild Bill Hickok’s grave at Mount Moriah Cemetery in Deadwood, South Dakota. Hickok—lawman, scout, and one of the most famous gunfighters of the American frontier—was shot while playing poker in Deadwood. He was later reburied here on this hillside, overlooking the town that helped cement his legend. Just a few steps away lies Calamity Jane, who asked to be buried beside him.

Today, Mount Moriah Cemetery is quiet and reflective, a stark contrast to the rough-and-tumble mining town Deadwood once was. Standing here, it’s easy to imagine the final days of Hickok’s life—the tension, the danger, and the ever-present sense that violence could erupt at any moment.

I visited this site while researching both my upcoming young adult biography of Wild Bill Hickok and my Weird West novel Ghost Marshal, which takes place shortly after his death. Seeing the real landscape, the elevation of the town, and the distance between key locations adds a level of authenticity that’s impossible to get from books alone.

If you’re interested in the real stories behind the legends of the American frontier, you might enjoy my work exploring the people and places that shaped the Old West. And for a supernatural spin on Wild Bill, check out Ghost Marshal.