Home » PRESERVATION THURSDAY: CHINESE IN DEADWOOD: AN OVERVIEW INTO THE LIVES AND LEGACY

PRESERVATION THURSDAY: CHINESE IN DEADWOOD: AN OVERVIEW INTO THE LIVES AND LEGACY

DEADWOOD – Deadwood History, Inc. and the Deadwood Historic Preservation Commission will host a presentation by Mike Runge on Thursday, February 15, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. at the Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center (HARCC), 150 Sherman Street, Deadwood. The event is free for members and $5 for non-members. Please feel free to bring your lunch. To become a member and take advantage of these and many more opportunities, memberships can be purchased at DeadwoodHistory.com or by calling 605-722-4800. Every form of support, whether it is an individual membership or a donation, is deeply appreciated.

2026 marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Chinatown archaeological excavations along Deadwood’s lower Main Street. Upon the conclusion of this project, over 350,000 objects were unearthed during the four field seasons. In 2009, the Deadwood Historic Preservation Commission became the curator of this assemblage. Since receiving this collection, city staff, led by City Archivist Michael Runge, have continued the research on various portions of this collection, providing a unique insight into the day to day lives of Deadwood’s Chinese population. This has been accomplished through combining the two different disciplines – archives and archaeology together to help reconstruct Deadwood’s Chinatown.

Mike Runge has been the archivist and collections manager for the City of Deadwood since 2002. During his tenure, Runge has actively been involved in preserving and interpreting Deadwood’s rich and diverse history. Researching Deadwood’s Chinese began from personal interest when he worked as a field archaeologist for the South Dakota Archaeological Research Center in Rapid City during the 2001 Deadwood Chinatown archaeological investigation.

Preservation Thursday is made possible by the Deadwood Historic Preservation Commission, Adams-Mastrovich Family Foundation, Deadwood Alive, Deadwood Chamber & Visitors Bureau, Deadwood History, Inc., Deadwood Mountain Grand, and the Black Hills Pioneer.

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Deadwood History, Inc. preserves and presents the history of Deadwood and the Black Hills through exceptional places, interactive exhibits, and engaging events.

Adams Museum, Days of ’76 Museum, Historic Adams House, Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center (HARCC), The Brothel Deadwood, and the Fassbender Photographic Collection.

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