Days of '76 parade graced with historical faces - KOTA Territory News

Days of '76 parade graced with historical faces

Deadwood always seems to bring the old west alive, and at the 90th annual days of '76 parade that's exactly what happened.

Potato Creek Johnny, Poker Alice and Chief Bald Eagle himself all graced the streets of deadwood Friday; as well as some of the top cowboys and cowgirls in the PRCA rodeo.

Parade chairman Ron Burns says that people come to be part of the parade to get the thrill of the old west. "Year after year we've got people that have done this for 30 years," said Burns. "Their grand kids are doing it now."

Chief Bald Eagle is a prime example. Friday was his 76^th time in the Days of '76 parade. He says as long as he's breathing he will at lease attend the parade, and now his children and grandchildren come every year too.

But you don't have to be famous to enjoy the festivities. Elizabeth King says this year is her 8^th in the parade, and she loves the atmosphere of the old west portrayed at the parade. "I feel like this is a lost art that if we don't try hard to keep it going that our future generations will forget what it took to settle and come across this great nation of ours," said King.

There will be another days of '76 parade tomorrow at ten.