Deadwood Dick

Deadwood Dick was a fictional character who appeared in a series of stories, or dime novels, published between 1877 and 1897 by Edward Lytton Wheeler. The name became so widely known in its time that it was used to advantage by several men who actually resided in Deadwood, South Dakota. One of these men was Frank Palmer, a gambler who made his fortune playing games of chance. He was dubbed "Deadwood Dick" by fellow gamblers and became the hero of Beadle's half-dime novels. Another man who took the nickname was Nat Love, an African-American cowboy. Love was a skilled rider and marksman, and he often used his skills to help others in need. He was also a talented storyteller, and he would often regale his friends with tales of his adventures. Other men who took the nickname included Richard Cole, a stage coach driver; Richard Clarke, an actor; and Cornishman Richard Bullock, a gunman and bullion guard on the Deadwood Stage. All of these men were larger-than-life figures who helped to make Deadwood a legendary town. They were the kind of people that stories are made of, and their exploits continue to be told