Al
Swearengen and the Gem
The HBO series DEADWOOD has created
an increased interest in the history of the Black Hills' most famous
mining camp. One of the main characters is a cruel and ruthless
business man. The real life Al Swearengen was much the same as
his television counterpart.
Ellis Alfred Swearengen was born in Iowa on July 8th, 1845. He
and his wife, Nettie, arrived in Deadwood in the summer of 1876.
She left him that September. The were later divorced and she
claimed spousal abuse. Al married twice more while he was in the
Deadwood/Black Hills area. These later marriages also ended in
divorce under the cloud of abuse.
Al Swearengen open the Gem Theater below what is now the intersection
of Wall and Main Streets. Although the theater actually provided
different types of live entertainment (dramas, music, comedians,
boxing), it's primary business was that of a brothel. Swearengen
would recruit women from the eastern states with promises of work in
local hotels and the prospect of becoming actresses in his
theater. He would provide them with enough money for a one way
fare to Deadwood. Once the women arrived and found out what was
happening, it was too late. They found themselves stranded in the
mining camp, far from home, with no money to return. They were
forced to go to work for Swearengen at the Gem.
The Gem was set up in theater fashion -- a bar and plenty of seats in
the front of the building. The rear of the Gem was made up of
several small rooms where the women would "entertain" their
customers. Many of Deadwood's leading citizens patronized the
Swearengen's establishment. Therefore, it was relatively left
alone by the authorities.
Deadwood legend has it that Swearengen and Marshal Seth Bullock drew an
imaginary line down Main Street. This line marked the boundary
between Swearengen's "Badlands" and the rest of the camp.
Swearengen controlled the "Badlands" (lower Main Street) and Bullock
and the law had upper Main Street.
In the summer of 1879, a fire broke out and damaged the Gem
Theater. It was quickly repaired and reopened. In
September, another fire destroyed much of Deadwood, including the
Gem. It was again rebuilt and reopened that same year in December.
During the summer of 1880, the Gem Theater welcomed Sioux Chief Red
Cloud and some members of his band of Indians. They were brought
in to perform some of their native dances. There were displays of
both war and scalp dances. Since the Indians defeat of Custer and
the 7th US Calvary at the Battle of the Little Bighorn occurred not too
far from Deadwood in 1876, the interest was high and the event was well
attended.
The Gem Theater prospered and was a highly profitable business.
It was reported that the nightly profit was around $5000 and on some
nights reached $10,000. Swearengen's "gold mine' was not destined
to last forever. Another fire destroyed the Gem in 1899.
Swearengen gave up and left Deadwood for good. He was killed not
long afterwards in Denver while trying to jump on a train. He was
penniless.
The Gem Theater is now gone. But those who venture to modern day
Deadwood can still see the place where "the ever-lasting shame of
Deadwood" once stood. It can be found below the intersection of
Main and Wall Streets. The infamous location is now home to the Mineral Palace Casino.