View pictures from several other montana ghost towns, including elkhorn, garnet, granite, hecla. A montana memoir, available in a bison books edition. Lodes of silver, described by geologists as supergene enrichments, were initially discovered in the elkhorn mountains by peter wys, a swiss immigrant. Empty of people today and most of its buildings tumbling to the ground, coolidge, montana was once a beehive of activity. The greatest books ever written about montana montana mint. Elkhorn history in 1868 the first mine was started in the elkhorns.
History of the elkhorn mining district western mining history. Holter organized the elkhorn mining company, and the mine has since been known as the elkhorn mine. Elkhorn national forest was established as the elkhorn forest reserve in montana on may 12, 1905 with 186,240 acres. This offthebeatenpath abandoned town is a relic of montanas silver mining boom. Building out the definitive list of the best books where montana plays a key role in the book or authors life. The elkhorn district was prospected early in the history of the state and numerous quartz locations were made in the years preceding 1870, but the district did not attract attention until. Dating from the second wave of montanas gold and silver rushes, elkhorn has survived as one of the better ghost towns in the west. The rocky mountains, valleys and yellow rangeland would make you fall in love with montana. Though it still boasts just a few remaining residents, this small town today is a far cry from the bustling activity it displayed more than a century ago.
Elk river books abaa is a collaboration by poet marc beaudin and journalist andrea peacock. Geology and mineral deposits, east flank of the elkhorn. Elkhorn mountains in montana elkhorn mountains oregon, a subrange of the blue mountains wikipedia. This website is rich in resources for teaching and learning about montana history. The history of the mining industry of this district is therefore the history of this mine. Elkhorn, montana the rich history of a once booming. Elkhorn cemetery, in the southwestern part of montana, is high in the mountains east of boulder, off of i15. Ghost children in elkhorn, montana ebook written by colleen clancy hansen. The fraternal hall in elkhorn state park is one of the greatest ghost town buildings in the west. Author don spritzers love of montana in all its diversity shines through in each vignette as he introduces readers to montanas independent, adventurous, and often eccentric people.
Elkhorn mountain is the site for an authentic ghost town that has been dead for threequarters of a century. Weeks abstract the elkhorn mountains are an ovalshaped mountain mass in westcentral montana that is located between the city of helena and the valley of the jefferson river. The first third of book is history of these counties and the rest is biographical of important people at this time. Roadside history of montana goes well beyond cowboy stories to tell of the struggles of dryland farmers, the rowdy antics of mining town denizens, and the heroism of smoke jumpers and park rangers. The community is considered a ghost town, and two of its buildings are preserved as elkhorn state park. Situated in the elkhorn mountains of montana is the once prosperous mining.
This book has no cover and is in poor condition, most all pages are except the last couple of pages. Elkhorn mt abandoned houses, ghost towns, old western towns. Holter, a virginia city pioneer started the elkhorn mine in 1875. Unfortunately, time, weather, fire, and capitalism have reduced it to what it is today. People still live in elkhornindeed more now than when i last visited 25 years ago. Although local lore says that an argument over a dance led to a murder at fraternity hall, the true incident actually began at a thanksgiving eve dance in 1889 at gilliams hall. Roadside history of montana roadside history paperback. If it werent for gillian hall and fraternity hall, which constitute the smallest state park in montana, elkhorn wouldnt be included in this book. Elkhorn mountains is a mountain in montana and has an elevation of 4944 feet.
Their book, 18671967 elkhorn, nebraska, the first century of progress can be found at the bess. We have posted much of the material as pdf files, which can be. Jardine, montana located in park county about five miles west of gardiner, montana, gold was first discovered in bear gulch in 1866. The western montana ghost town preservation society purchased the two structures for preservation because the wooden buildings are considered to be one of western americas most.
Fifty years as a montana hunter nebraska 2007 and sketches from the ranch. Today, summer cottage residents watch over the jefferson county town, and the montana ghost town preservation society has stabilized the deterioration of fraternity hall and the adjacent gillian hall. Though elkhorn is located just eight miles northwest of boulder, montana, it is 18 miles by road. The town boasts of over 50 original buildings that still stand. Bill roe was said to have given the mine its name of a result of having found a pair of elk horns in the area.
Montana college of mineral science and technology, butte. The most famous remnant of montanas mining era is the ghost town at elkhorn. We invite you to orient yourself by taking a guided tour or by reading through this introduction and exploring the site on your own. The range is surrounded by the cities of helena, montana city, townsend, whitehall, and boulder. This is the view of elkhorn, montana as you walk up the elkhorn cemetery. Living up to its name how controversial hunting regulations restored big bulls to the elkhorn mountains. Of course the phrase ghost town is a brand name, not reality. If you look hard you can see the backside of the fraternity hall and gillian halls.
Take a virtual tour of bannack, montanas first territorial capital. The mine was first open and worked by a company financed in the east. List of books and articles about montana history online. Its principal mine, the elkhorn, was discovered around 1872 by peter wys, a native of switzerland, and has changed hands repeatedly. We hand pick our regularly rotating stock, so theres always something new. In 1888 the montana corporation sold out to a new company organized in. Elkhorn mountains disambiguation elkhorn mountains may refer to. Elkhorn and pictures of the fraternity hall and the gillian hall both on the national register of historical places and owned by montana fish and parks are in every ghost town book and many articles about elkhorn are found on the internet. This story is featured in montana outdoors novemberdecember 2010 issue. A history of two centuries first appeared in 1976 and immediately became the standard work in its field. Through the eyes of pansy, a young girl who escaped the fate of so many other elkhorn children, we experience the tragedy that devastated the once prosperous town in the harsh year of 1889. Coolidge tumbling in the forest legends of america.
The montana mint is proud to bring to you the greatest books ever written about montana. The community of elkhorn, nebraska was platted and in existence in 1867 pictured at right when nebraska became a state. Our online shop features a curated selection of our finer books. Walter harvey weed 1901 in his report on the district discusses the elkhorn mine almost exclusively. Elkhorns history was first documented in the book, 18671967 elkhorn, nebraska, the first century of progress, which was compiled and produced by the elkhorn womens club centennial book committee. Elkhorn, montana abandoned houses, abandoned places. Sarah put it this way, i read way too many western horseman magazines and wanted to step into that world. Montana gained much popularity only after gold was discovered there in 1862. Our goal is to provide a community gathering place for. Use this interactive map to discover ghost towns near you. Elkhorn montana ghost town dating from the second wave of montanas gold and silver rushes, elkhorn has survived as one of the better ghost towns in the west. Elkhorn, montana survives today legends of america. Kelley, the manager of the property, from the companys books. Panning started in 1870 and soon changed to hard rock mining when the quartz lodes were discovered.
It is an inactive volcanic mountain range with the highest point being crow peak at 9,414 ft 2,869 m, right next to elkhorn peak, 9,381 ft 2,859 m. This history of elkhorn valley, nebraska, this includes counties of dodge, cuming, stanton, madison, antelope and holt. However, until the turn of the century, only small placer mine operations worked in the area. In 1967, the elkhorn womens club, compiled the citys history to commemorate the towns centennial year. Montana became a territory of united states of america in 1889. After graduating from college with a business major, she took a leap of faith and looked for guest ranch jobs out west. Go 7mi south on hwy 69, turn left over a small bridge then right onto gravel road miles, bearing left at each of two forks in the road. Through the eyes of pansy, a young girl who escaped the fate of so many other elkhorn children, we experience the tragedy that devastated the. Score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. Fraternity hall has endured time, neglect, and heavy snows to become one of montanas most photographed buildings. Ghost children in elkhorn, montana by colleen clancy. Being a correct and impartial narrative of the chase, trial, capture, and execution of henry plummers road agent band, together with accounts of the lives and crimes of many of the robbers and desperadoes by thomas j.
Books we strive to provide great reads and rare treasures with a wide range of outdoor literature, western history, arts and montana authors. Located in the heart of the elkhorn mountains in jefferson county, elkhorn represents one of the most prosperous silver mining camps in montana. It is a wellpreserved mining town much like bannack and virginia city. Mining began in what became known as the elkhorn mining district when rich veins of silver were discovered high in the pioneer mountains in 1872 by a man named preston sheldon. Elkhorn, montana the rich history of a once booming silver town. Transportation to and from the town was difficult until 1889 when the northern pacific railroad ran track to elkhorn. The elkhorn mine dominates the history of the district. Six years later, anton holter, a pioneer capitalist from helena, began developing the mine.
The elkhorn mine, located high in the pioneer mountains, was discovered on october 24, 1873 by mike steel and f. As the mine developed during the 1870s the town of elkhorn grew up around it. Other than topography it is its rich history which has been bestowed to date. Fully twenty percent of the text is new or revised, incorporating the results of new research and new interpretations dealing with prehistory, native american studies. Public comment on the rtp grant applications is open through monday, march 9 at 5pm.
Elkhorn today today elkhorn is a classic silver mining ghost town. Stories of the land companion website and online teachers guide. The elkhorn district was prospected early in the history of the state and numerous. From the boulder exit on i15, travel south on state highway 69, about 7 miles, to a wellmarked county gravel road.
Colleen clancy hansens story ghost children transports you to montanas elkhorn of the past, when it was a thriving mining town. Photographs of elkhorn taken in the 1970s show an extensive townsite with dozens of deserted wooden buildings. Praise the admiration for roosevelt, montana hunting and all things outdoors is evident in dan aadlands wellwritten in trace of tr. A history of its discovery and settlement, social and commercial progress, mines and miners, agriculture and stockgrowing, churches, schools and societies, indians and indian wars, vigilantes, courts of justice, newspaper press, navigation, railroads and statistics, with histories of counties, cities, villages and mining camps. Situated in the elkhorn mountains of montana is the onceprosperous mining camp of elkhorn. The museum has 100 buildings from early montana history and a huge artifacts collection. The park is open to visitors who want to learn about the history of the place. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read ghost children in elkhorn, montana. Just a generation ago, a hunter would have been hardpressed to find a. The elkhorn mining district is located in the pioneer mountains northwest of.
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