$50–100

The Penny Motel (818 Upper Main St., 605/578-1842 or 877/565-8140, www.pennymotel.com, $70–100), a family-owned motel with 15 rooms, offers one of the better bargains in Deadwood. Just a couple of blocks away from the busiest sections of Main Street, the rooms are clean and the owners are friendly. Penny, by the way, was the name of the daughter of the original owner of the hotel and was never a reference to the motel’s bargain prices. The current owners purchased the motel in early 2008.

Deadwood Dick’s (51 Sherman St., 605/578-3224, www.deadwooddicks.com, $80–90) is just two blocks off of Main Street. Check out the queen rooms and the king room for a great place to stay at a reasonable price in town. The decor leans toward Victorian. The third floor location of the rooms provides great views of either downtown Deadwood or the mountains and forests out back. All of the 10 rooms are spacious and clean and the owners Mary and Dave are frequently on-site to make sure all is going well for their guests. In addition to lodging, the building, built in the late 1800s by W. E. Adams to serve as his grocery warehouse, has a small saloon and dining room; it advertises itself as the smallest casino in town, with just three slot machines in the bar.

$100–150

Just a few blocks from downtown, the Cedar Wood Inn (103 Charles St., 605/578-2725 or 800/841-0127, www.cedarwoodinn.com, $99–109) is a well-maintained, family-owned property with great landscaping, and large clean rooms.

The Celebrity Hotel (629 Main St., 605/578-1909 or 888/339-1886, www.celebritycasinos.com, $114) is a Hollywood-themed facility boasting props from the James Bond movies, John Wayne, and Terminator 2. The rooms, in keeping with the historic Deadwood theme, are Victorian in decor.

The 28-room Bullock Hotel (633 Main St., 605/578-1745 or 800/336-1876, www.historicbullock.com, $120–140) was built by the man credited with bringing law and order to Deadwood. Seth Bullock moved to Deadwood one day before Wild Bill Hickok was shot to death. A former lawman, Bullock was appointed sheriff seven months after his arrival. But commerce is what brought him to town and his first endeavor, with his business partner Sol Star, was a hardware store. The building survived the fire of 1879, but wasn’t so lucky in 1894, when fire razed the building.

Bullock decided to replace the store and aimed to build the finest hotel in Deadwood. In 1895, the Bullock Hotel was built. Today, beautifully restored, it is one of the most photographed locations in town. It is also on the itinerary for folks who like to stay in haunted hotels. Reputedly, Seth Bullock, who died in 1919, still visits the hotel. According to most guests, his ghost is mischievous but friendly. The rooms at the hotel are Victorian in style. Colors are emerald green, red, and gold. All of the furnishings are Victorian replicas. Amenities include free wireless Internet and coffeemakers.

The Branch House (633 Main St., 605/578-1745 or 800/336-1876, $123) is another Bullock property; check-in is at the Bullock Hotel. The rooms are very different from the main hotel, however. Decorated with Mission-style furniture and with a brick wall interior, the eight rooms are cozy and very comfortable. There is parking right next to the hotel and even though it’s only one block off of the main street of town, it’s very quiet.

Over $150

When the Martin & Mason Hotel (33 Deadwood St., 605/722-3456, www.martinmasonhotel.com, $180–375) was renovated in 2007, the owners went beyond the ordinary in restoring it to its Victorian splendor. All of the rooms have authentic furnishings and decor from the 1890s.

The Lodge at Deadwood (100 Pine Crest Lane, 605/584-4800 or 877/393-5634, www.deadwoodlodge.com, $170) opened in December 2009. The 140-room facility includes the hotel, a sports bar, a restaurant, an indoor water park, and a casino. The hotel has a natural feel, with lots of wood and stone incorporated into the decor. The artwork displayed includes wildlife paintings and scenic photographs of the Black Hills. The rooms are luxurious and spacious, with pillow-top beds, LCD televisions, microwaves, refrigerators, coffeemakers, and free wireless Internet. Many of the rooms have patios or balconies. The lodge can be found just off of Mt. Roosevelt Road, before you reach the city center. From exit 17 off of I-90, take Route 85 south.

© Laural A. Bidwell from Moon Mount Rushmore & the Black Hills, 1st Edition