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Black Hills Gold Rush
The Black Hills Gold Rush forever transformed the region
In 1874, gold was discovered in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The
ensuing Black Hills gold rush brought white men into the land of the
Sioux Indians. The Black Hills gold rush was also the inspiration
for the legend of Black Hills gold jewelry.
Before the Black Hills gold rush, the Black Hills area of South
Dakota were sacred ground to the Sioux Indians. Sioux Indians had
been in that region since before Europeans found their way west.
France, Spain and, after the Louisiana Purchase, had all laid claim
to the land at one time. While there was a treaty with the Sioux
Indians to keep the Black Hills free from the influx of white men,
individual prospectors ignored this treaty. The Black Hills gold
rush caused quite a disturbance. Although the conditions were rough,
the rewards were great.
The initial Black Hills gold rush chipped away at the surface gold.
Larger companies came in to dig deeper for the great resources in
the hills. In 1875, the Battle of Little Big Horn sealed the fate of
the Black Hills. Although, General Custer was defeated, the Sioux
were forced to cede the Black Hills. Their reservationOs area was
again decreased. With the Black Hills no longer held by the Sioux
Indians, further development continued.
The Black Hills gold rush gives us the legend of the Frenchman who
dreamed of a stream with grape vines on its banks. When he awoke, he
found the picture he had dreamed of and vowed to use his goldsmith
talents to create those images. Now, we have Black Hills gold leaves
in tri color. For more information on
Black Hills gold,
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