Ghosts of Deadwood: Exploring Wild West Hauntings | The Dead Files Podcast
In this episode, the hosts dive into the 'Ghosts of Deadwood,' a fascinating episode chosen by AP. Set in the infamous Wild West town of Deadwood, South Dakota, the discussion unravels the rich and problematic history of the area, including notable figures such as Wild Bill Hickok, the Earp brothers, and Calamity Jane. The hosts break down the intense hauntings and violent history tied to the Fairmont Hotel, a former brothel and center of numerous eerie occurrences. Amid tales of gunfights, suicides, and renovations that stir the spirits, the episode provides a mix of historical insights and supernatural encounters. Viewer discretion is advised due to the mention of abuse, violence, and explicit historical content.
So, grab your duster and join us where… The Activity Continues.
And remember, never sit with your back to the door.
Audio Note: Apologies for the plosives. We were using different mics and forgot to use pop filters. Tried to fix it in post, but I didn’t catch them all.
This episode was recorded on December 15, 2024 released on January 30, 2025.
Chapter Markers
00:00 Introduction and Episode Selection
00:52 Historical Fascination with Deadwood
01:41 Wild Bill Hickok and Historical Figures
02:09 Content Warnings and Episode Themes
02:41 Preview of Next Episode: The Uninvited
03:35 TikTok and Aliens Discussion
06:00 Deadwood's Fairmont Hotel Overview
08:10 Segment 1 - Steve and Amy's Investigation
09:49 Ron and the Haunted Property
13:36 Brothels and Historical Context
14:59 Client's Beliefs and Skepticism
30:41 Kathleen's Experiences and Pickled Eggs
40:06 Aging and Appearance: The Mystery of Jack McCall
41:03 Amy Allen's Disorienting Walk
41:31 The Violent History of Deadwood
42:41 Segment 2 – Diggin’ Tru - Introducing Local Author Jerry Bryant
43:34 The Harsh Reality for Women in Deadwood
46:39 The Tragic Tale of Vinegar Rowan
49:45 The Death of Maggie Broadwater
52:30 Chief Kelly Fuller on Deadwood's Lawlessness
54:33 The Infamous Banjo Dick Incident
57:26 The Deputy Boxer Showdown
01:00:36 The Legend of Wild Bill Hickok
01:09:20 Segment 3 – The Reveal and Final Thoughts
Episode links:
The Dead Files Official Podcast: https://shows.acast.com/the-dead-files/episodes/ghosts-of-deadwood
Timeline in Deadwood: https://www.deadwood.com/history/history-timeline/
Maggie Broadwater: https://www.cowgirlmagazine.com/wild-women-of-the-west-madam-belle-haskell-and-the-demise-of-maggie-broadwater/
Paranormal Investigation there : https://homespunhaints.com/fairmont-hotel-ghost-tour-review-most-haunted-places-deadwood-sd
Jerry Bryant Obit: https://lawrencecountyhistory.blogspot.com/2015/01/lchs-past-president-jerry-bryant-dies.html
Vinegar Rowan: https://chrisenss.com/madam-benny-fowlers-open-secret/
Books:
An Open Secret: The Story of Deadwood’s Most Notorious Bordellos by Chris Enss: https://amzn.to/41IRJHl
Deadwood's Al Swearingen: Manifest Evil in the Gem Theatre by Jerry Bryant
https://amzn.to/41weiyL
*Amazon links could generate a small commission to us at no cost to you.
Disclaimer:
Sometimes we get a little scientific. We enjoy trying to come up with possible explanations for some of the things that the clients experience. But this by no means indicates that we do not believe the clients or are invalidating their experiences. We do believe.
This podcast is in no way affiliated with Warner Brothers, HBOMax, the Travel Channel, Painless TV, or the TV show The Dead Files or any of its cast or crew. We’re just fans that love the show and want to build a community of like-minded people who would enjoy hanging out and discussing the episodes and similar content.
Credits:
Hosted by: Amy Lotsberg, Megan Simmons, and Amy Piersak
Production, Artwork, and Editing: Amy Lotsberg at Collected Sounds Media, LLC.
Theme song. “Ghost Story” and segment music by Cannelle https://melissaoliveri.com
AI artwork by Fotor https://www.fotor.com/referrer/1ygaknya
Affiliates/Sponsors
Please see our Store page for all the links for all our current affiliates. https://www.theactivitycontinues.com/store/
Thank you for listening, take care of yourselves. We’ll see you next week!
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