Overview

You never know what treasures a visitor might discover in a new place-perhaps even a lost world. In the Deadwood of 1959, echoes of the Black Hills Gold Rush of 1876 still reverberated. Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok were legendary. Wild Bill had been shot in any one of the many saloons lining Main Street. But noticing a grocery storefront lettered with the clearly Jewish name of Goldberg was a bit startling. A little inquiry revealed that the Goldberg Grocery had retained its name, but grocer Jacob Goldberg was long gone. Other Jewish names inscribed on cornices of structures dating back to the 1800s were clues that led to this compelling journey into a forgotten corner of the Jewish American past.Who were these Jews? Where had they come from and how did they get here? How did they make a living, and what did they contribute? What were their challenges? How and where did they practice their religion? Was there antisemitism? Where did they all go, and what did they leave behind? Gleaning from library archives, combing through on-line indexes, straining to read microfilmed historical newspapers, collecting articles and photographs, interviewing descendants and anyone with a memory-gathering their stories became Ann Stanton's passion.Beyond Deadwood and sister city Lead, the hills and prairies and Badlands held stories of Jews who traveled by shank's mare, steamship and stagecoach, many with only dreams in their pockets. These were not the gunslingers. They were stalwart, adventurous, pioneering people, facing challenges to health, life, and property. For the earliest arrivals, the Custer Massacre of 1876 stirred up increased hostility toward white intruders into Indian territory. The threat of attack made travel dangerous and put settlements at risk. Everything about this scene was a gamble.In fact, there had once been a significant Jewish population, but there was no single source where one might go to learn about them. The more Stanton dug, the more she found. The newspapers, due to the legal necessity of publishing mining claims, were among the first businesses to start operating. Hungry for copy, they printed stagecoach arrivals and departures, birth and death announcements, and social events such as fancy teas. Columns of print gushed about weddings and hotel openings. Business closings in observance of religious holidays were worthy of publication. There were ample advertisements for goods and services, provisions for sale at Goldberg's grocery, Victrolas at Sol Star's hardware store, and a variety of merchandise available at the many Jewish-owned shops. Invested in their communities, the Jewish people helped govern, establish infrastructure, develop communications, and improve transportation.People and places come to life in Stanton's writing. Despite the challenges, despite the gamble, they were willing to risk everything to take part in the opening of a new frontier, prepared to turn the dust beneath their boots into a grand opportunity. They brought their families and their customs, and they helped turn this remote Wild West outpost into a stable civilization. In this far-off corner of the Diaspora, there was a forgotten Jewish world. Their legacy was too valuable to allow to evaporate. This was a reminder that there are valuable stories everywhere worth keeping. This book fills an important gap in the history of the American West and should be part of any public or private library's collection of Jewish American history.

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9781733376716

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Reviews

Ann Haber Stanton writes from careful research, a lively interest in the history she portrays, and a deep personal interest in the often-ignored Jewish participation in our western history. If you haven't read her books, you haven't gotten the whole story of the Black Hills and Deadwood. -- Linda M. Hasselstrom Your latest book, your acknowledged 'odyssey' and your gifted composition. Most impressive: your obvious scholarship, breadth of resources, dedicated concentration and multiple capabilities. --Al Alschuler Your book arrived in the mail yesterday and I stayed up late reading. What a wonderful contribution. Thank you for your hard work over all these many decades!! --Rebecca Clarren

"""Ann Haber Stanton writes from careful research, a lively interest in the history she portrays, and a deep personal interest in the often-ignored Jewish participation in our western history. If you haven't read her books, you haven't gotten the whole story of the Black Hills and Deadwood."" -- Linda M. Hasselstrom""Your latest book, your acknowledged 'odyssey' and your gifted composition. Most impressive: your obvious scholarship, breadth of resources, dedicated concentration and multiple capabilities."" --Al Alschuler""Your book arrived in the mail yesterday and I stayed up late reading. What a wonderful contribution. Thank you for your hard work over all these many decades!!"" --Rebecca Clarren"

Author Information

Ann Haber Stanton moved to South Dakota from New York City in 1959 and loves living in the green Black Hills. Rapid City was a great place to raise her three sons, David, Joshua, and Daniel. In 2001, she participated in Leadership Rapid City, a program designed to groom community leaders. LRC was the springboard for designing Founders Park Plaza, an outdoor history lesson about the birth of her adopted hometown. Ann is a longtime member of the Synagogue of the Hills, the only synagogue serving the Jewish community for 350 miles in any direction. She began to research the history of the Black Hills' Jewish population in 1991. Impressed at how profoundly Jewish pioneers had been involved in settling and developing the Black Hills and surrounding communities, she was disappointed to learn how little was written about that unique Jewish experience. She has been researching, writing, and giving talks on this subject since 1992. Riding, ranching and art direction James Parker was born in South Dakota. Growing up as a boy in the Black Hills of South Dakota, he was introduced to the creative pursuits early on, by his father, Dr. Watson Parker. Dr. Parker taught James to read and write at ripe young age of 5 years old. Both father and grandfather wrangled horses, tourists and children at Palmer Gulch Lodge, a guest ranch. His father gave him his first camera when he was 7. Watson showed him how to use the Brownie, gave him a roll of film, and told him to bring it back when he was done exposing the negative. James went through a number of hand-me-down cameras - an old Voigtlander, an Argus C3, a Mamiya and others, before finally getting a decent SLR after college. Education and Experience James's degree is in Visual Communication. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin, he went to work for a friend of Watson's who taught him the ropes in advertising. Hugh Lambert also taught James how to visualize and how to think about lighting. Much of the scientific method he takes for granted now was learned at Hugh's knee. Parker worked for several ad agencies over the next thirty years, moving up from junior art director, to Creative Director, to Managing Director at the Chicago office of a national interactive marketing services firm. In between, James met his wife, got married, and partnered up with some old friends in Chicago, all the while still shooting Out West. After leaving the Windy City, Parker moved back to Michigan, and began pursuing his dream of shooting full-time. He purchased his first digital SLR, his first pigment printer, and then his second printer. And my third. He did his first show, in Muskegon in 2005, and won his first award check. That was sweet. James went through a couple of trailers, and put a lot of miles on his Jeep before graduating to a full-size truck. Telling Your Story With his background in advertising and art direction, Parker has branched out into helping others tell their own stories. From consulting and free advice, to designing books and shooting assignment photography, Parker is uniquely positioned to offer his 40 years of experience to corporate and private entities. Learn more about his photographic work, as well as some of his recent project work at www.parkerparker.net Parker and his wife Karyn make their home and studio in Rochester Hills, Michigan.

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