It wouldn’t be right to visit a famous gold mining town without visiting an old gold mine. The Broken Boot Gold Mine (Upper Main St., U.S. 14A, 605/578-9997, www.brokenbootgoldmine.com [1], mid-May–mid-Sept. daily 8 a.m.–6 p.m., closed rest of year, adult $5, senior $4, child $3), established in 1878, was a mine that made its owners more money selling fools gold than the real thing, but about 15,000 ounces of gold were extracted from what was originally known as Seim’s mine.
Tours leave every 30 minutes and take about 30 minutes. The guides are knowledgeable and demonstrate how some of the mining equipment, including dynamite, is used in the mine. The history of the Broken Boot is presented, as is a general history of mining in the Deadwood [2] area.
At the end of the tour, participants can pan for gold ($7 per person). Every visitor receives a replica of a stock certificate in the mine at the completion of the tour as a souvenir.
Links:
[1] http://www.brokenbootgoldmine.com
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/mt-rushmore-the-black-hills/the-northern-hills/deadwood