Adams Museum & House, Inc.

Mission

We inspire the global community by preserving and celebrating the cultural heritage of Deadwood and the Black Hills in the context of the American West through high quality exhibits, innovative educational programs and access to extensive collections in unique settings.

What's New

Calendar of Events
January – March 2012

January 7: Just Dance –Join Educator Chelsie Bauer and dance instructor Brandon Joseph for a day of dancing. Youth in grades K-12 will learn about historical dances such as the Waltz and Jitterbug to newer dances including the Macarena and the Cha Cha Slide. Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center; 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.; $10 for non-members, $5 for members. A light lunch will be served. Call 605-578-1928 for reservations.

January 12: Preservation Thursday: Can’t Find Grandpa? Unique sources at the State Archives – Virginia Hanson, archivist for the South Dakota State Archives, will present a lecture on genealogical research. Hanson’s program addresses school census records, manuscript items, South Dakota State Census cards, newspapers, voting records and land records. The presentation will also touch on cemetery records. The public forum will be held at the Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center, 12:00 p.m. Admission by donation.

January 27: Calamity’s Shindig: An Adams Fundraiser – No one threw a better party than Calamity Jane! You are invited to a fundraiser to celebrate one of the most notorious characters in Deadwood’s history. Please join us for entertainment by Kenny Putnam and Mike Connor; hors d’ oeuvres catered by Cheyenne Crossing; a wine tasting hosted by Cask & Cork Distributing and live and silent auctions. Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center, 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. Admission: $35.00 per person. Call Black Hills Central Reservations at (800) 344-8826 or 578-7702 for reservations.

February 4: Chinese New Year Party – Youth in grades K-12 are invited to attend a Chinese New Year Party. Participants will learn about Chinese New Year, why it’s celebrated and what the Year of the Dragon means for 2012. Students will also make Chinese New Year crafts. Pioneer Room, Adams Museum; 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.; $10 for non-members, $5 for members. A light lunch will be served. Call 605-578-1928 for reservations.

February 9: Preservation Thursday: The Tradition of Lakota Drumming – Drummer Pat Bad Hand will explore the Lakota drumming tradition. The public forum will be held at the Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center at12:00 p.m. Admission by donation.

February 23: Lakota Hoop Dancing with Dallas Chief Eagle II – Dallas Chief Eagle II, a member of the Rosebud Lakota nation, will share traditional Lakota hoop dancing during a public performance at the Historic Homestake Opera House in Lead at 7:00 p.m. Admission is $5 for Adams and Opera House members and $10 for non-members.

March 8: Preservation Thursday: History of the Blues – Musician and Black Hills State University professor Paul Kopco will examine the origins of the blues from the Mississippi Delta to New York City’s Harlem and Chicago’s South Side. The public forum will be held at the Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center at12:00 p.m. Admission by donation.

March 10: Music of the Lakota –Youth in grades K-12 are invited to learn about the musical culture of the Lakota. Hosted by AM&H staff Darrel Nelson and Chelsie Bauer, participants will listen to music and make traditional instruments. Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center; 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.; $10 for non-members, $5 for members. A light lunch will be served. Call 605-578-1928 for reservations.

March 18: St. Patrick’s Concert with Willson & McKee - Willson & McKee, a nationally touring duo specializing in traditional Irish, Scottish and original acoustic music, will perform at the Adams Museum. The duo specializes in Rocky Mountain Celtic--what Celtic becomes when it settles comfortably after three generations in the west. The combination of their Celtic heritage plus their Montana and Colorado roots gives audiences a distinctive musical experience. Adams Museum; 2:00 p.m. Admission: $5 for AM&H members and $10 for non-members. Call the (605) 578-1714 for reservations.

January – March events are sponsored by Deadwood Historic Preservation Commission, Adams-Mastrovich Family Foundation, South Dakota Humanities Council, Historic Homestake Opera House, Deadwood Gulch Resort, Black Hills Pioneer, First Interstate Bank and Chubby Chipmunk Hand-Dipped Chocolates.

Success Stories

From Director Mary A. Kopco’s Desk

Thanks to Our Members, Another Banner Year!

The year 2011 began with the sound of hammers banging as construction was completed on the Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center. Adams staff worked night and day to get the HARCC open to the public on June 16 while also hosting new exhibits and quality programming at the Adams Museum and the Historic Adams House.

The Adams’ successes this year would never have been possible without significant financial support from the Deadwood Historic Preservation Commission, the Adams-Mastrovich Family Foundation and, of course, from you, our members. Each dollar the commission, foundation and you have committed to this organization has truly been an investment in our community. This year your investment supported:
• 96 lectures, workshops, concerts, receptions, symposiums and book signings
• 60 workshops, camps, afterschool programs and snoozeums for area youth
• 65 exhibits and specialty tours
• 46 interviews to local, regional and national media and
• 7 publications, including the children’s book Adams A to Z.

In addition, your help allowed us to:
• welcome over 100,000 people to the Adams Museum, Historic Adams House and Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center
• serve over 1,500 children in the region
• answer more than 250 research questions and
• care for more than 165,000 artifacts and archival records.

It is clear to the Adams board and staff we could never have accomplished all we have this year without your financial and in-kind support; enthusiasm for attending our programs as well as volunteering your time and talent to make all things Adams shine.

But hold on to your hat! The year 2012 promises to be even more exciting. The Historic Adams House is undergoing extensive cleaning this winter and will open again on April 1 with new tours and programs. The Adams Museum will feature a new exhibit on the history of Dakota Territory between 1855 and 1875. The many aspects of American roots music will be examined in programs at the Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center and will lead up to the Smithsonian Institution’s “Museums on Main Street New Harmonies” traveling exhibit. We look forward to seeing you in 2012 as we continue exploring our fascinating history.

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