Donald E. Ostby (Term 1970 - 1974)

Donald E. Ostby (August 9, 1920 – April 1, 1999) was a lifelong rancher, Deadwood hotel owner, real estate broker, businessman, and Mayor of Deadwood.  Born in Lemmon, South Dakota on August 9, 1920, Ostby attended several rural public schools and graduated from Isabel High School.  From 1943 to 1946, Ostby served in the US Army at Camp Hood, Texas.  After his service, Ostby returned to ranching until 1959 when he sold his ranch and relocated to Deadwood, South Dakota.  Once in Deadwood, Ostby and his wife Nora purchased and ran the ’76 Motel, a small motor lodge once located at 68 Main Street near the junctions of US Highways 85 and 14A.  Over the next thirty years, Ostby worked as a motel owner and manager, certified real estate broker, and local business owner.  In the public and civic arenas, Ostby was elected a city alderman in 1969 and Mayor of Deadwood in 1970 to 1974.  He was also the Chairman and active member of the Days of 76 Committee, member of the Deadwood Chamber of Commerce, and member of the Deadwood Masonic Lodge #7 and Naja Shriners.  On April 1, 1999, Ostby died and is buried at the Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis, South Dakota.

In 2005, Ostby was the recipient of the Deadwood Historic Preservation’s Wall of Fame, a program that recognizes Deadwood's diverse historical figures that played a significant role in the legends, legacies and lore of this community.