Good Morning!
Lead is a funny place, houses mashed up on the sides of the hills and a crazy zig zag of one way streets and streets that probably should be one way, but thankfully aren’t. Add to the complexity all the snow and ice we get and you are in for one wild ride when you try to navigate the town!
If you were dividing Lead into zones how would you do it? These aren’t formal areas but more just generally how I think about town:
1. The Dark Side (South of Main Street including Julius and up to the top of the southern hill – do these hills have names?)
2. Top (Sunset loop, Peak, Houston and Summit areas overlooking Kirk)
3. Washington District (Manuel Brother Park and down, anything east of the Open Cut and above 385)
4. Mill Street Area (including the head frames, E Summit, Bleaker, Crown, Barclay and South Lead Cemetery)
5. Sunny Side (Anything north of Main street, west of the Open Cut and east of 14A
6. Main Street (includes South Main, Baltimore and down to the Pluma junction of 385)
7. Mountain View district (anything west of 14A, behind Lynn’s, including the newer houses and developments.)
New comers (and people who don’t often walk around Lead – cough, cough Thomas and Leigha!) often don’t know about these areas. My girl friends and I have affectionately started two “gangs” since most of us either live on the sunny or the dark side. We banter back and forth about the benefits of each.
A wannabe goth friend says, “The dark side is just how I like it!” which is good because in the deep winter (thank goodness we’re past that now!) the sun never peaks over the top of the hill making it colder and icier. My sunny side compatriots and I extol the blessings of sunshine pouring into our windows in these drab winter months.
I love that each area has its own characteristics, quirks and special qualities (the peonies on the dark side come out later in the spring but are still beautiful when ours are brown and shriveled).
_________ Here’s what’s happening in town this week _______
2/25 Thursday
10am-2pm – Library continues curbside pickup! Call in your requests and they’ll pack it up for pick up. Exciting news: the library plans to open on March first! They will have more limited hours with very strict guidelines but they’ll be open so you can see all the treasures they have!
10:30am – Golden Fold right here at the Visitor Center. Look for your chamber newsletter coming soon! Not a chamber member? You, friend, are MISSING OUT! Our monthly print newsletter is AWESOME! (lots of other people say so!) You can subscribe for just $68/year or $30/year for seniors. Call us!
3pm – Beer Bingo continues at Jailhouse Taps
6pm – Cooking Class at Cheyenne Crossing! This only runs until the end of March so if you’ve wanted to participate but haven’t you only have 5 more weeks!
Sunday 2/28
3:30-5:30 – MOPS at Shepherd of the Hills (use basement door). You can call me or Leigha for more info 584-3110
Monday 3/1 – Welcome MARCH!
5pm – City Commission Meeting at City Hall (city hall also reopens today with strict guidelines)
Tuesday 3/2
7pm – VFW post#5969 meeting in Deadwood
7pm – Poker for Fun at Hangar 7 Lounge at Blackstone Lodge
Wednesday 3/3
6pm – Trivia at Jailhouse Taps!
_________ News & Notes _________
With just one more month of skiing you’d better get your jollies in!! TERRY PEAK UPDATE – The season is going strong! All major runs are open, and all chair lifts operate everyday (except Homestake Express which is only open on weekends). The Terrain Park has been rebuilt so new features and jumps await your arrival. Come up to Terry Peak today to enjoy winter fun on the slopes. NO Reservations needed, NO Advanced Sales Needed, NO limiting of Lift Tickets or Rentals. Just come up the day you want to ski or snowboard and purchase what you need.
The First Interstate Bank Lead-Deadwood Community Fund is looking for volunteers to be Board members. Interested individuals should contact Dr. Dan Leikvold at 605-645-7552. Founded in 2010, a non-profit organization designed to support area cultural, charitable, recreational and educational organizations, as well as individuals living within the boundaries of the Lead-Deadwood School District.
Save the date for Saturday March 6th for the Lead Volunteer Fire Departments fundraiser for JDM Customs after their devastating fire. More info in next week’s letter and on our calendar.
Thomas is going to be sending his monthly email from the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center next week about everything fun coming up there. You won’t want to miss! Sign up on the website www.SanfordLabHomestake.com
Did I forget any areas of Lead in my mental map? What area do/did you live or grow up in (if you’re local) and do you have a special pride for it? I’d love to hear!
With Love from Lead,
Sierra Ward
ED