Lead
Lead, pronounced “Leed,” (population 3,027; elevation 5,320 feet) is a town that always could claim it was “sitting on a gold mine.” For 125 years, Lead was home to the largest operating gold mine in North America — Homestake mine.
In 2000, Homestake announced it would close the operation, and reclamation activities continue on the 8,000-foot-deep underground mine and several above-ground mining areas.
Since the closure, local, state and national officials have worked to establish an underground science laboratory in the facility. The National Science Foundation is looking for a laboratory to conduct ongoing experiments, and Homestake’s facilities have won early approval for the location.
Lead was once considered one of the most prosperous cities in the West, and one of the best-governed. In its early days, Lead grew around an 1877 gold discovery that later became Homestake. Lead today looks much the same as it has since its beginnings. Victorian homes crowd the steep hillsides, and the framework of the Homestake mine towers above the city. Homestake Opera House, which was gutted by fire more than two decades ago, is being restored to its original beauty.
Above-ground mine tours continue from the Homestake Visitors Center, while the Black Hills Mining Museum tells the story of gold mining in the Black Hills.
The Mickelson Trail provides numerous hiking and biking opportunities in the summer, while two ski resorts and a web of snowmobile trails give winter sports enthusiasts a thrill.
Other nearby attractions are Presidents Park and Lead Country Club.