Potato Creek Johnny

From then until the end of his life, Potato Creek Johnny became a local celebrity and promoted tourism to the Black Hills.

[1] His family immigrated to the United States in 1883, seeking fortune in the Black Hills gold rush.

[1] Although he initially worked various jobs in the area, including as a wrangler at Dorsett Ranch,[4] he started panning for gold with other prospectors in streams and rivers.

[1] While panning on May 27, 1929, Potato Creek Johnny uncovered a 7.346 ozt (228.5 g) gold nugget, one of the largest ever discovered in the Black Hills.

[5] The same year, the original nugget was moved to a safe deposit box over theft concerns and a replica was put on display in its place.