Past & Present Photos

Discover all the changes Lead has undergone. Here are photographs of ten geographic sites in Lead, both historicallly significant and best suitable for re-photography.

Southside of Main Street between Siever and Stone Streets View from Miners Avenue

Past c. 1910s

(L-R) Homestake Opera House (1914), Christ Church, Episcopal (1896), U.S. Post Office (1912)
Background: Central School Campus (1896/1915), St. Patrick’s Catholic Church (1902)

Credit: Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center, Deadwood, SD

Present c. 2010

(L-R) Homestake Opera House (1914), Black Hills Mining Museum (1987), U.S. Post Office (1912)
Background: Central School Campus (2002), St. Patrick’s Catholic Church (1982)

Credit: Richard Carlson, Lead, SD

Homestake Open Cut Area • View from Ellison Hill looking northwest

Past c. 1918

Upper right: Open Cut subsidence, caused by extensive mining operations, both surface and underground
Center: Lead business area prior to removal for subsidence issues
Far left: Homestake Opera House (with square chimney)

Credit: Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center, Deadwood, SD

Present c. 2010

Right: Open Cut Mine
(L-R) Opera House, Main Street, Visitor Center, Manuel Brothers Park
Left Center: Former Finnish First Lutheran Church

Credit: Richard Carlson, Lead, SD

Homestake General Manager’s Residence • View from Forest Avenue

Past c. 1930s

Center: The Homestake Manager’s Residence (1932-33) on Fairview Avenue
Right: Bender’s Park—Homestake’s carpenter shop, lumber shed and loading dock area

Credit: Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center, Deadwood, SD

Present c. 2010

Center: Homestake Manager’s Residence is hidden in the spruce trees (privately owned)
The Twin City Mall occupies the area that was Bender’s Park
US Highway 85/14A is visible to left (on old Black Hills & Ft. Pierre Railroad grade)

Credit: Richard Carlson, Lead, SD

Lead Main Street • View looking up Lead Main Street

Past c. 1950s

Left side of street: (Seeling Lang Block) First National Bank, Homestake Public Relations/Employment Office, Rowe’s Market, Newell’s Drug Store, J&E Shop, Homestake Opera House and Red Owl Grocery Store
Right side of street: (Maleta Block) Barber Shop, Edlund’s Shoe Repair, Nelson/Scott Insurance Agency, Homestake Hospital and Miner’s & Merchant’s Bank

Credit: Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center, Deadwood, SD

Present c. 2010

Left side of street: (Seeling Lang Block) Wells Fargo Bank, Johns & Kosel Law Office, Movie Madness,
Real Estate Office, Stamp Mill, Homestake Opera House and Black Hills Mining Museum
Right side of street: (Maleta Block) Prospect Park, Center of Hope

Credit: Richard Carlson, Lead, SD

Lead Main Street • View from Lead City Shops on Ellison Hill

Past c. 1930

(L-R) Palethrope House built in 1910 for Homestake Mining Company (HMC) Manager Grier’s in-laws, Northwestern Train Depot (tower), Opera House, First National Bank (across the street)

Credit: Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center, Deadwood, SD

Present c. 2010

(L-R) Central School Campus , Timberland Apartments, Opera House, Wells Fargo Bank,
Homestake Apartment House, Visitor Center/Manuel Brothers Park

Credit: Richard Carlson, Lead, SD

Mill Street Area • View from Sunnyhill Road

Past c. 1920s

(L-R) Ellison Shaft Complex 1896-1930; Sawyer, Mill and Bleeker Streets
Foreground: Center of Lead, before subsidence

Credit: Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center, Deadwood, SD

Present c. 2010

(L-R) Lead City Shop, Ellison Hill, Dental Office, Sawyer, Mill and Bleeker Streets
Foreground: Open Cut and Highway 85

Credit: Richard Carlson, Lead, SD

Washington Street Area • View from Ellison Hill

Past c. 1924

(L-R) Amicus Mill, HMC Electric Substation, B&M #2 Shaft (on hillside), Steam Auxiliary Station (short stacks), Central Boiler Plant (tall stacks), Electric & Steam Lines & Coal Conveyor (foreground)

Credit: Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center, Deadwood, SD

Present c. 2010

B&M #2 Headframe (in the trees), Electric Substation, Dog Park, Twin City Transit Mix, Washington Street

Credit: Richard Carlson, Lead, SD

Lower Gold Run Creek Area • View from HMC Mill Property

Past 2/8/1930

(L-R) HMC Mill Building, Gold Run Creek, Richardson Bottling Plant and Ice Cream Factory and Store

Credit: Homestake Mining Company, Lead, SD

Present c. 2010

King’s Grocery

Credit: Richard Carlson, Lead, SD

Homestake Mill Area • View from Washington Street

Past C. 1930s

(L-R) Cyanide Plant #1 (1901), Assay Department, East Sand Plant, South Mill (1920),
Ore Tramway into South Mill, Pattern Shop and Foundry (on top of hill), Cyanide #3

Credit: Homestake Mining Company, Lead, SD