Happy Thursday!!
I love to hear the stories about my mom’s family and growing up in Lead. I find it so fascinating to hear about what life was like in the 50’s and 60’s. To be honest, I’m always a little jealous because I so would have loved to see Lead when it was booming.
One of the things I find most interesting is the way people lived. Our standard of living has gone up in ways we don’t even realize. My mom said when she was born her family lived in one of those houses that was 50 steps up from the street and 60 steps down from the street above. It had one bedroom. Her parents got the bedroom and had her in the bassinet there as well. Her four brothers slept on the screened in front porch. In the winter they’d wake up with snow on them. But they survived, and honestly nobody thought much of this because most people were living the same way. It wasn’t because they were “poor” it was because it was just how you did things. Another family with a lot of kids who lived outside of town had a yard full of old cars that their kids slept in. If you were raising kids this way now, you’d probably be getting visits from Child Protective Services.
Most of us now would find it appalling to raise kids in less than several thousand square feet. We need space, we need many bedrooms, we need multiple bathrooms (and can one of the bedrooms have it’s own bathroom attached?) We need big closets to store all our junk and garages to park our cars (you’re lucky to have even a rickety garage in Lead!). I’m not one to look at the past through rose colored glasses – as waking up with snow on you is a certain kind of toughness I don’t envy. But I do find it interesting to look at the past in order to better see and appreciate where we are.
New & Notes____
Sled Haus is now offering pizza!! They purchased Main St. Pizza dude’s pizza oven and are working to perfect their pizza game. They are now open Wed – Sat 11-8. They also now have cider on tap!
The Handley Center is reopening to members on Saturday 6/27.
The Boys & Girls club is accepting kids for the summer program. They have made some modifications but they still have openings.
We’re excited to welcome the Illustra Advisory as a new member to the Lead Chamber. Dave Cromes does business consulting and is excited to be working on a huge project with the old Kirk Power plant. Look for an upcoming article in the Black Hills Pioneer!! Dave is accepting new clients – and what a time to be pruning and pivoting your business! He can help! [email protected]
The print July newsletter is about to be sent out this week! We always look forward to getting this out the door, and filled it up with fun stuff!
This might be a great time to switch jobs!! Whitetail Creek Resort is looking for housekeeping help, Cheyenne Crossing and Lewie’s Burgers & Brews are both looking for waitstaff and cooks, Deadwood Inc is looking for tour guides including guides for their Brothel tours starting on August 1. And we’re looking for more tour guide/gift shop help at the Visitor Center. You can call us for more information on any of these – or to send you to the people who do know.
Save the date for our July Chamber Mixer and Pie Social on the Davis Ring Patio!! Thursday 7/16 from 5-7pm. We’ve booked music thanks to our sponsor GOLDEN RIDGE SENIOR LIVING and are looking for a few other great sponsors to provide drinks, and sponsorship in August.
Gold Camp Jubilee & Fireworks have been postponed until Labor Day Weekend! Please spread the word!
A virtual Neutrino Day WEEK is coming up! Check out all the fun at neutrinoday.com
And have we mentioned that we’re particularly grateful to our annual sponsors? This certainly has been a crazy year but we have some stability because of them. A huge thank you again to The City of Lead, Black Hills Energy, Homestake Mining Company, Coeur Wharf, Lynn’s Dakotamart, First Interstate Bank, First National Bank, the VFW post #5969, Monument Health, Ainsworth Benning, Interstate Engineering, KEVN and Deadwood Lead Economic Development.
Have your kids standard of living changed from your own childhood? From you own grandparents? I’d love to hear some of what you experienced and how things have changed!
With love from Lead!
Sierra Ward
ED, LACC & SLHVC