Location of the Homestake Mine, once the Western Hemisphere’s richest seam of gold.
According to the hugely popular HBO series Deadwood, Sol Star and Seth Bullock were heroes. The same, however, cannot be said for George Hearst, founder of the Homestake Mine and the single biggest beneficiary of the gold rush in the Black Hills. The father of Randolph and Grand-Father of Patty, the series depicts George Hearst as a ruthless businessman who would stop at nothing, including murder, to get his way. Whatever the truth, with the Homestake Mine he oversaw one of the most lucrative gold seams in the world.
Lead is a town of about 3,000 people and has a long, fascinating history; from its early gold boom town days to making the register of historic places in 1974, Lead has played its part in the history of the region. Today, it’s also forward-looking, and is the site of the Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory, a proposed facility for low-background experiments on neutrinos, and dark matter.
Visiting the Black Hills Mining Museum is one of the most entertaining things to do in Lead. The museum is fascinating and thoroughly explains the mining process in the Black Hills. They also touch on what mining looks like in this century, including sustainable mining practices.
Homestake mine workers built an elaborate series of tunnels in the basement with examples of equipment, storage areas, plus a simulated explosion to show the blast patterns techniques. The staff also shows the specifics of panning for gold.
The Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center is an obligatory stop in Lead. After all, it’s not every day one sees an open bottomless pit – well, to be precise, a 1,000-foot-deep Open Cut, into which you can smack a golf ball for only $5. There are also tours of the Sanford Underground Research Lab available, where you can learn more about the scientific search for dark matter and answers to the question about how our universe works.
The museum and research lab have curated exhibitions explaining mining history and the findings and developments that the lab has done lately.
You will also find a hanging display of the Homestake Mine tunnels and area, which puts into perspective how important this mine was to the U.S.. The museum also has a 3D design of all the underground mining and tunnels that exist underneath you.
There’s plenty of fascinating history in Lead, thanks to both its legacy as one of the greatest mining towns in the world as well as the influence of a woman named Phoebe Hearst. The wife of Homestake Mining Company founder/legendary businessman George Hearst left an indelible mark on the town. Two of her greatest gifts to the town remain today: a library constructed as a Christmas gift to Lead and the Historic Homestake Opera House and Recreation Building. Built in 1914, the latter was reconstructed after a 1984 fire and remains a beautiful social hub that hosts musical, dance and stage performances throughout the year. Reviewers state the acoustics are wonderful.