Hebrew Hill (Mt. Zion) - Deadwood, SD
N 44° 22.546 W 103° 43.560
13T E 601495 N 4914398
Placed by the Deadwood Historic Preservation Commission and the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation, a sign in historic Mt. Moriah Cemetery provides some history of Deadwood's Jewish community, and a section they have here.
Waymark Code: WM12WN6
Location: South Dakota, United States
Date Posted: 07/27/2020
Views: 3
The Deadwood Historic Preservation Commission is behind the "History Link: A Trail to Deadwood's Past" program that places these interpretive signs in Deadwood and the surrounding area. Their emblem is at the top of the sign next to its title, along with a Star of David and a QR code. Inset photos are captioned, "An early 1900s funeral at Mt. Moriah Cemetery.", "Harris Franklin", and "Judge Nathan Colman and his daughters Blanche and Theresa circa 1905." The text reads:
Deadwood is recognized as the site of the first organized Jewish Community in South Dakota. On August 28, 1892, the Hebrew Cemetery Association became the first organization to purchase a section of land in Mount Moriah Cemetery. The section is located higher up on Jerusalem Ave., to the right. Hebrew Hill, or Mt. Zion, as it was known in the Jewish Community, holds the graves of some of Deadwood's many respected pioneering Jewish citizens: among those are members of the Franklin, Colman, Schwarzwald, Wertheimer, Blumenthal, and Jacobs families. Together with their non-Jewish brethren, they contributed significantly to the civic, commercial, and the social life of early Deadwood and helped to stabilize and develop the community.
Harris Franklin, a Black Hills Pioneer, was born Harris Finkelstein in Prussia. His Deadwood interests included mining, banking, and cattle ranching. His son, Nathan, served two terms as Deadwood's second Jewish mayor. Harris Franklin died in 1923; his eulogy noted, "He was never known to foreclose a mortgage."
In 1911, Blanche Colman, who was born in Deadwood, became the first woman from the Black Hills to be admitted to the South Dakota Bar. Her father, Judge Nathan Colman, was Deadwood's life-long elected Justice of the Peace and lay Rabbi for the Jewish community for many years. The Black Hills Daily Times, on endorsing the reelection of Judge Colman wrote, "If you want an honest (man) elect Judge Colman. He is no slouch ... He is a Western man."
Marker Name: Hebrew Hill (Mt. Zion)
Marker Type: City
Marker Text:
See above.
|
Visit Instructions:
A photo of the 'Marker' or 'Plaque' is required to identify the location, plus a picture of the 'Historic Site'. If you do not post a photo your log will be deleted.