Bella Union Saloon
From upscale saloon to grocery and meeting hall in Deadwood.
The Bella Union was a saloon and theater that opened on September 10, 1876, in Deadwood, South Dakota. The proprietor was Tom Miller, an aggressive businessman who would buy several neighboring properties as well. The Bella Union was a relatively upscale establishment where town meetings came to be held. In November 1878, Tom Miller went bankrupt, and the Bella Union became a grocery store downstairs and a meeting hall named Mechanics' Hall upstairs.
Quick Facts
- Location
- Deadwood, South Dakota
- Event
- Other
- Built
- 1876
- Opened
- 10 September 1876
- Owner
- Tom Miller
Lore & Background
The Bella Union opened its doors on September 10, 1876, in Deadwood, South Dakota, under the ownership of Tom Miller, an aggressive businessman who expanded by buying several neighboring properties. It was a relatively upscale establishment, notable enough that town meetings were held there. However, Miller's fortunes turned: in November 1878, he went bankrupt. The building then changed use, becoming a grocery store on the lower floor and a meeting hall called Mechanics' Hall upstairs.
This real-world history contrasts sharply with the fictionalized version seen in the HBO series Deadwood, where the owner was the character Cy Tolliver. In Deadwood: The Movie (2019), set ten years after the series, Tolliver has died, and the saloon is owned and run by its former madam Joanie Stubbs. The musical Calamity Jane (1953) also features a saloon and theater, but there the proprietor is named Henry Miller, not Tom.
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