׉?4ׁB!בCטہu׉׉ 7cassandra://HMe7ib8ch3Jjgy1cCuEWLRBY4-KrycgX89WnuUe_xmM`׉ 7cassandra://pGEvJgYpFBiJSd4dl_ueZ2TjQoumiq69NIT9mpOFSJk͏f`{׉ 7cassandra://FR_GYmIDctY9DVEJTUGL9-jO0bHamK_IwbsELZ8aKDU+`׉ 7cassandra://6J5vn6k0EvbGAbb_Fu4QaL9vu-A1H0vFFmjrmzjwKv4 ̄͠|bEO#r #טہu׈frJנbEO#r 'S̋ 9ׁH!http://chroniclingamerica.loc.govׁ ׁ ЈנbEO#r &j9ׁHhttp://www.gaׁ ׁ Ј׈EbEO#r ׉E>MARCH 2022 Ghost Towns and History of Montana Newsletter From the Glasgow Courier March 16, 1917 Gal l a tin Coun ty His t or y of Rees e Cr eek John Reese and family were among some of the first people to permanently sele in the area now known as Reese Creek. Originally from Wales, the family migrated to the Uned states in 1840, starng in Pennsylvania and then heading toward Utah following their congregaon as part of the Mormon church. Differences developed between the church creed and the Reese family, they decided to leave the area. General Conner of Fort Douglas near what is now Salt Lake City offered to escort the family to the Montana territory. It was an offer the family couldn’t refuse. Photo Courtesy of www.gallanhistorymuseum.org The family followed the gold rush and temporarily set up in Virginia City where Mrs. Reese set up a successful washing business, they connued on to the Gallan Valley and seled near what is now known as Reese Creek. The men of the family set up a homestead and Mrs. Reese used the money she made in Virginia City to purchase cows. They built a church and established a community called Courts. Accessed via: hps://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov Throughout his life, John Reese was a staunch member of the Reorganized Laer Day Saints Church, where he served as a leader. They became prominent pioneer cizens of Gallan County. John died in 1900 (just sixteen months aer his wife) and they are both buried in the Reese Creek Cemetery. Many of the decedents of John and Mary Reese sll call Gallan County home. ׉ 7cassandra://FR_GYmIDctY9DVEJTUGL9-jO0bHamK_IwbsELZ8aKDU+`bEO#r bEO#r בCטفu׉׉ 7cassandra://0bLlJryKBColdDZ5ClDOvlp37_xWG9jGlYojgrynwGco`׉ 7cassandra://QU9Sq6aoE5hywV9kL78qGRocxb2uizXULFvgGQGtnkMͅ`{׉ 7cassandra://_rTREOzbM_SLzCnzUVN61zNhnhd8Njb0oEBRmsUAiyU$d`׉ 7cassandra://H42nogZq5oFixM2d1Ltgg_sK5qZ6MkRHvplPFbC7FpE9P͠zbEO#r (טہu׉׉ 7cassandra://d46eQb4iZekGlGxicRrv3qRoA0hgDK9yVBchfCr3EyAj`׉ 7cassandra://rzK2fqG8EK0Ll_lUjr_94iMRlanGzoZXLRzvX_DZYxc͊`{׉ 7cassandra://2mFFWqAWHUI6O5-r7rSHZdAaRHJ8Ufsrc01cE5OsSUE `׉ 7cassandra://mVUUqlyfE0DOJsC_eEUwQhFB6Qb_vw26EYbCFPE6j9E_t͠|bFO#r )נbFO#r ,Z9ׁHhttps://www.blogger.com/ׁ ׁ Ј׉EPa g e 2 Gho s t T o w n s a n d Hi st o r y o f Mo n t a n a N e w s l e t t er A VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF MEADERVILLE, MONTANA AND LYDIA'S My dad, Rudy Giecek, was born and raised in Butte, Montana, specifically Meaderville, Montana which was an mostly Italian-American suburb of Butte. Meaderville was named after Charles T. Meader in 1880. Meaderville was swallowed up by the Berkeley Pit, an open pit mine, in the late 1960s, early 1970s, lost forever except in stories and fading memories of its past citizens. Meaderville was in its own right a story upon itself with its abundance of restaurants, taverns, night clubs and specialty grocery stores. So much so, that it earned the nickname “Little Monte Carlo.” Lydia, a world famous Italian style restaurant in Butte, began its life in Meaderville before moving to the Flats in 1946 where it is still currently operating in still much the same way it was back in its early days, good food and plenty of it. A year ago, I was going through my parents’ belongings in preparation for moving out of the house (a long story in its own right involving the state taking said house after my parents’ passing) and discovered one of the cookbooks that my grandmother had given to my mom. Inside it was a couple of pieces of paper with some handwritten notes, some looking like my mom’s and the rest in some hard to read script. “What the hell,” I thought, “It’s been a few days since I wrote a blog!” and settled down into some translations. THE RAVIOLI RECIPE ~DOUGH~ 3 Cups of Flour 3 Eggs 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1/2 Tablespoon Salt About 2/3 Cup Warm Water (NOTE FROM ME: No instructions on making the dough. We assume you know what to do! If you screw up, the spirit of my grandma will come back and kill you! Just kidding, she was a sweet lovely lady, my grandfather though will kill you!!!) ~FILLING~ 1 Cup Lean Ground Pork 1 Cup Cooked and Ground Chicken 1 Cup Cooked and Ground Veal 1 Cup Cooked chopped Spinach 1/2 Cup Parsley 1/2 Cup Ground Celery 1/2 Cup Ground Onion 1 Cup Bread Crumbs (soaked in chicken broth) 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon Allspice 1/4 teaspoon sage 3 Extra Large Eggs 2 cloves of ground garlic ׉ 7cassandra://_rTREOzbM_SLzCnzUVN61zNhnhd8Njb0oEBRmsUAiyU$d`bEO#r ׉EPa g e 3 Gho s t T o w n s a n d Hi st o r y o f Mo n t a n a N e w s l e t t er Melt in saucepan 1 cube of butter, 4 tablespoon Extra Virgin olive oil then add above ingredients except for the eggs, spices and breadcrumbs (NOTE FROM ME: Basically throw all the meat, spinach, probably the garlic into the butter and oil. Doesn’t say this but, well. I’d throw the garlic in first, give it a nice base for the meat and such to do its thing!) and let cook for about 15 minutes. Remove from stove and cool. Then add soaked bread crumbs and the three eggs and mix well. Add the spices and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (NOTE FROM ME: Ingredient list does not include the cheese! But who cares! Just add it! What do you mean you don’t have any cheese?! GO GET SOME!!!! I’ll wait!!!) ~SAUCE~ Place in sauce pan 1/2 cube real butter, 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 clove crushed garlic, 1 small onion, “ground” 1/2 pound ground beef (NOTE FROM ME: 1st ground is in quotation marks in original recipe – don’t ask me, just do it!). Cook for about 15 minutes then add 1 can large tomatoes, 1 can tomato paste diluted in 1 cup of water. Add 1 cup dry ground mushrooms and a can of sliced mushrooms. 1/2 teaspoon of salt. 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. 1 teaspoon of oregano. 1 teaspoon of thyme. 1/4 cup ground parsley. 1/4 cup ground celery. Simmer slowly for 2 hours. ~FINAL PREPARATION~ Roll out dough and place filling in mounds. Cover mounds with dough and cut around each one with a pastry wheel. Boil for 15 to 20 minutes in salted water. Drain thoroughly, place on platter, and cover with sauce and a heavy sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese. ~FINAL WORDS FROM THE BLOGGER~ Hopefully it all works out for you. If it doesn’t, buy a plane ticket to Butte, Montana and go to Lydia’s (ain’t too far from the airport!) and tell ‘em I sent you. You’ll leave stuffed. –Jason Giecek ~SOME LINKS JUST CAUSE~ LYDIA’S: A MONTANA TRADITION LYDIA’S SUPPER CLUB MEADERVILLE, MONTANA – FLICKR Jason gained his love of Montana history through his father, Rudy Giecek, A Meaderville boy and former owner of the Dumas Brothel. All of Jason’s intriguing blogs can be found at: https://www.blogger.com/ profile/03479843019869265467 ׉ 7cassandra://2mFFWqAWHUI6O5-r7rSHZdAaRHJ8Ufsrc01cE5OsSUE `bEO#r bEO#r בCטفu׉׉ 7cassandra://79fJawKADwoizicd6RhZ5M_uf1HaM2nOL6stAWmCBv4B`׉ 7cassandra://TRux773m6LuAG-cnGZ__d9g1t-kv4ktwWziP0eGmgy8ͥ`{׉ 7cassandra://7K3iCbo5td_VIvk44h2BHy-rXpY67QvYD6VdUTrhOz40`׉ 7cassandra://ICcEqxx6Ic36B_1S6LNrp7N-4rJlDK8_y2iYwNCBpLIJ\͠zbFO#r -טہu׉׉ 7cassandra://GIW4iClgVpG_ElP8GFqr28YzhWSYtZRhWZ-lD0pnkeck_`׉ 7cassandra://e5bhG5Xj5LzoiWdl0qTsholQqE-Hxec7oos_2SXMMoQ͛h`{׉ 7cassandra://IAHtwO7OjIJXeTtlPQwg9zIVJmLZvTcj5ZbR7PySXKM*5`׉ 7cassandra://NqpoAFlc3gEXfTJpoYu0diPDkhPZr9FkMIcIdRuRFS8̀͠|bFO#r .נbFO#r 11݁v9ׁH,http://www.frontiertownmontana.com/index.htmׁ ׁ Ј׉EPa g e 4 Gho s t Remember Frontier Town? Frontier Town, Montana was a remarkable Old Westthemed tourist attraction, and masterpiece of American folk art. It was located 15 miles west of Helena Montana, just below the summit of MacDonald Pass, on the eastern slope of the Continental Divide. It operated commercially from 1948 to 2001, and is now a private residence. Map coordinates: 46°34'9.24"N 112°18'23.80"W Constructed primarily of native logs and stone, Frontier Town was built almost singlehandedly by one determined and talented man -- John R. Quigley (1915-1979). With the help of his wife Sue Quigley, his children Jack, Peter and Kitty Ann, John operated and continually upgraded Frontier Town for over three decades. John & Sue Quigley, 1956 The rambunctious history of Frontier Town is wonderfully preserved in many rare photographs and documents from the collection of John's daughter, Kitty Ann Quigley Taaler. I’ll be sharing stories and photos in our upcoming newsletters, a big thanks to our friends at: http:// www.frontiertownmontana.com/index.htm for sharing their family legacy with us! A main attraction at Frontier Town was undoubtedly the 50-foot-long split log bar, made in 195152 from a single Douglas Fir. "I split the log during twenty below zero weather with a chain saw. It took two days to accomplish. The bottom of the log sits on stone pillars while the upper half is over head, held up by log supports from the same tree. The bar top, which has a mirror-like finish from sanding and polishing, I did by hand. You will find two carvings in the bar top, the first being two elk fighting over the female portion of the herd. This I carved during the fall and winter of 1956, putting in more than 300 hours. The carving of a mountain lion is on the lower end of the bar in front of the saddles -- eight good riding saddles placed for bar stools. " -John Quigley T o w n s a n d Hi st o r y o f Mo n t a n a N e w s l e t t er ׉ 7cassandra://7K3iCbo5td_VIvk44h2BHy-rXpY67QvYD6VdUTrhOz40`bEO#r ׉E Pa g e 5 Gho s t History Of Alder Gulch Virginia City and Nevada City lie along Alder Gulch, the site of the richest placer gold strike in the Rocky Mountains with an estimated total value of 100 million dollars throughout the 18th and 19th century. In the early 1860s, during the first three seasons, an estimated $30 million worth of gold was removed from the gulch. In the following years, gold was extracted from placer as well as lode mines. From 1848 through the 1860s Alder Gulch was part of a broad expansion of mining from California into many parts of Western North America. The western gold rushes of the 1860s led Congress to create five new territories. Experienced miners traveled to the successive mining frontiers, bringing with them mining technology and social traditions. Alder Gulch was in Idaho Territory until May 1864, when the Montana Territory was created. Bannack was the site of the first placer gold strike within the Montana territory in 1862 and shortly thereafter became the first territorial capital. T H E D I SC O VER Y On May 26, 1863, Barney Hughes, Thomas Cover, Henry Rodgers, William Fairweather, Henry Edgar and Bill Sweeney camped along a small stream fringed with alder trees. Fairweather and Edgar went to prospect a place of rimrock. Fairweather dug the dirt, filled a pan and told Edgar to wash the pan in the hope of getting enough gold to buy tobacco. When the first pan turned up $2.40, they knew the gulch had great potential. Word spread like wildfire. Miners covered the hillsides with tents, brush shelters and crude log cabins. On June 16, the Varina Town Company platted the town. Supporters of Jefferson Davis and the Confederacy, intended to name the new town after Jefferson Davis' wife, Varina. However, Dr. G. G. Bissell, the newly elected miners' court judge, was an equally stubborn Unionist. When it came time to file the official documents, he submitted the name Virginia instead. Virginia City was designated as the new territorial capital of Montana in 1865 when Alder Gulch had gathered most of Montana's population. At its peak, 10,000 people flooded the area named "Fourteen-mile City" for the numerous settlements that lined the gulch. Virginia City became the largest settlement with an estimated population of 5,000 by mid-1864. It rapidly became the territory's first social center and transportation hub. T o w n s a n d Hi st o r y o f Mo n t a n a N e w s l e t t er ׉ 7cassandra://IAHtwO7OjIJXeTtlPQwg9zIVJmLZvTcj5ZbR7PySXKM*5`bEO#r bEO#r בCטفu׉׉ 7cassandra://KNvPb12cM4nAnMyOCxeNjA2Ytu87gXDhQs2lPFN_Vn4`׉ 7cassandra://tevPA20FtbY1Nl5O_wcekc7_HecLJtQsH7TcGN0NMkoͺ5`{׉ 7cassandra://S59W5Sy9CREzSjF6zlX3CQ40DH0Ck_aISZIRje2WfG0/`׉ 7cassandra://6U5V6ktSEhqXvv_p-KOKg3ONP0F-mkKwZjgdKcRN9vAͦH͠zbFO#r 2טہu׉׉ 7cassandra://rqb0FU7wQet8eYHCWmVb6L8LoJANGT8_Cxr3e5bsaXMu`׉ 7cassandra://X0bGqR58JUCyBkpJmlBvfyEOu0kXqnXT2pb5BsGCOI4۫`{׉ 7cassandra://HPeGE4SLjwuftesuVPsT11cAxLVjvTSP8KhTib8L4A8-`׉ 7cassandra://dZY0DcwsVautCty6QyDP6ucgHPbCyd7-zVLGiE_2jKUTP͠|bFO#r 3נbFO#r 6oo+9ׁH$https://www.virginiacitymt.com/indexׁ ׁ Ј׉E Pa g e 6 Gho s t T o w n s a n d Hi st o r y o f Mo n t a n a N e w s l e t t er For the first several years of placer mining along Alder Gulch, miners used hand tools such as sluice boxes to separate the gold from the gravels. In 1867, hydraulicking was introduced to the area. Jets of pressurized water washed down the dirt, leaving behind piles of rocks and hydraulic cuts. The timber on the surrounding hillsides was clear-cut to provide building materials, mine timber, and fuel. From 1898 through 1922, large floating dredges chewed up the ground, destroying several communities in their path and leaving behind distinctive tailings and dredge ponds as far upstream as Virginia City. Smaller dryland dredges returned to the gulch in the 1930s, after a rise in the price of gold. The town of Virginia City itself, unlike many other mining communities, was never dug up and destroyed because it had not been established on top of gold-bearing gravels. All of the original town of Nevada City west of the Highway was eradicated by dredging operations in the early 1900s. Today many historic cabins have been moved to the site where Nevada City once existed. You can get an idea of what it would have been like to live in the Alder Gulch area during the 1860s by visiting the Nevada City Museum on weekends during the summer months where daily life is reenacted through the Living History program. Lode mining in the upper section of Alder Gulch began at the community known as Summit. A number of mills concentrated ore from these mines in the 1860s and 1870s. Lode mining was never as productive as placer mining but it was somewhat revitalized in the years following 1881, due to the arrival of a railroad to Montana; the introduction of improved milling processes; and an increased demand for silver. By 1910 most of the lode claims were being worked by small crews of leasers. A branch-line railroad reached Alder in 1901, but it did not extend the additional ten miles to Virginia City because the tracks would have interfered with the dredging operations underway at that time. Lode mining revived again in the 1930s when the price of gold rose significantly. All mining for gold in Alder Gulch closed down temporarily in 1942, however, because of a war-time prohibition on gold mining. The mining activity along Alder Gulch had far-reaching effects. It stimulated the formation of government on all levels, the increase in settlement and use of the northern Rockies, and the evolution of regional transportation systems. Gold from Alder Gulch contributed to the national economy both during and after the Civil War. The town of Virginia City moved quickly through the phases of settlement, camp, and town, having around 5,000 inhabitants at its peak. These phases encompassed tents, log cabins, vernacular frame buildings, and commercial buildings with false fronts, plus (at least in Virginia City) high-style residences and commercial buildings. Substantial business blocks reflected the residents' belief in the permanence of the mining district and the towns along Alder Gulch. The layered remnants of each phase are evident in the buildings that remain today. Remodeling, additions and other modifications bear witness to the town’s unfolding history. ׉ 7cassandra://S59W5Sy9CREzSjF6zlX3CQ40DH0Ck_aISZIRje2WfG0/`bEO#r ׉E Pa g e 7 Gho s t T o w n s a n d Hi st o r y o f Mo n t a n a N e w s l e t t er Virginia City served as the hub of a vast transportation network until 1875, with supplies coming in from Salt Lake City, Portland, Omaha, and Fort Benton. The "Social City" was also the cultural focal point of the territory. The population of Alder Gulch was diverse in the early years, including Euroamericans, Chinese (in 1870, about one third of the residents of Virginia City were Chinese), Lemhi Shoshone Indians, Mexicans, and African Americans. The community remained a service center until the 1880s. While many of the miners may not have struck it rich, some of the merchants did attain financial rewards from their time at Alder Gulch. A wide variety of businesses clustered along lower Wallace Street and South Jackson Street, and residences were built along Idaho Street and on the South slopes. In 1868, Virginia City had some 1,200 buildings (it has 237 major structures today). Social organizations flourished. A number of newspapers were published out of Virginia City over the years, and several schools were established. In 1866, Virginia City became the first town in Montana to get a telegraph. The discovery of gold in Last Chance Gulch (Helena) in the summer of 1864 foretold the coming decline of Virginia City. Many residents soon moved to Helena. Virginia City's population collapsed to only a few hundred in the early 1870s and never recovered. In 1875, the territorial capital was relocated to Helena. After 1900, few new buildings were constructed in Virginia City and many old structures collapsed. Some were destroyed by fire or torn down. Interest in preserving and memorializing the history of Virginia City solidified in 1899 at an annual meeting of the Montana Historical Society. Henry Edgar, one of the discoverers of gold at Alder Gulch, led a crowd to the site where the first gold had been found. In 1907, the graves of the five road agents buried on Boot Hill were exhumed, identified, and reburied, and new headboards were erected. More tourists began to make their way to Virginia City in the 1920s, as the popularity of automobiles grew. The Thompson-Hickman Museum was built in 1918 and the Vigilance Club, founded in 1938, maintains the collection. In 1928, a massive marble marker was placed at the discovery site. Rank's Drug in Virginia City housed a drugstore museum for many years. In 1937, just two years after Congress assigned the National Park Service responsibility for surveying historic properties of national significance, that agency prepared a report on Virginia City that concluded that the town warranted consideration of national recognition. At that time, some 6,500 visitors came to the community each summer. Today, Virginia City is considered the best preserved example of the many placer mining camps that flourished during the 1860s throughout the Rocky Mountain West. It provides an exceptional sample of commercial architecture of the mid-nineteenth century. The greatest concentration of historic buildings dates to the 1870s, but some of the buildings' later modifications also have historical significance. Virginia City today has approximately 150 year-round residents and about 300 summer residents. It sits at an elevation of 5,680 feet, in a bowl along the edge of Alder Gulch. Approximately 500,000 visitors come through Virginia City annually. Help preserve this great historic site by becoming a member, donating, or volunteering today. Courtesy of the Montana Heritage Commission, https://www.virginiacitymt.com/index ׉ 7cassandra://HPeGE4SLjwuftesuVPsT11cAxLVjvTSP8KhTib8L4A8-`bEO#r bEO#r בCטفu׉׉ 7cassandra://ULjfbKdQG00avGVw6R2qHiEC63WUr5OYsUGnTcAfxYM`׉ 7cassandra://zAON3jUF7Vi-yhql3qtKLov_fC9mMo3dqMCepp5HGfc͜)`{׉ 7cassandra://z5BU4NSA4SK-1g-P4I68-_gQrI870taL6qFYR-tZgA8*`׉ 7cassandra://Hn7VV09WmgyuVDwpHOA8pnTJoGLSuzv4tO7zXed27N4ͫmL͠zbGO#r 7טہu׉׉ 7cassandra://zxj8Sdwy45NjAk6yf7DEcMZbMo3FgAflcCEawd541hIB`׉ 7cassandra://WchUyJdwJaV0d7_5-mJAEtuKKatIxddRxoLNsyrTy0o͞]`{׉ 7cassandra://EfUfU9EK2PUkYYWU_LnKzlqQJygb8x99C3Om8EI2HlA)`׉ 7cassandra://ckuXcUyqCPTRaJV1d7sWY63zV2FlI9JRGDQnPxkMomgd%X͠|bGO#r 8נbGO#r ;T9ׁH%http://ellenbaumler.blogspot.com/p/myׁ ׁ ЈנbGO#r :n%̇9ׁHmailto:trail@interbel.netׁ ׁ Ј׉E Pa g e 8 Gho s t History of Eureka, Montana At the turn of the 20th Century the Tobacco Valley had scarcely been discovered by cattlemen and a few homesteaders. For centuries before it had been one of the main habitués of the Kutenai Indians. Although there were some minor incidents, for the most part the Kutenais settled peacefully on reservation land immediately north of the International Boundary. The Great Northern Railroad pushed through to the west coast in 1892, but they chose a route far south of Tobacco Plains country. In 1904 they rebuilt over a longer, but easier route through the Tobacco Valley and the town of Eureka was born. Prior to the coming of the railroad the only ways in were by an ancient Indian trail or a treacherous trip up the Kootenai River by sternwheeler boats. The railroad changed everything. Not only did it enable homesteaders to easily reach the valley, but it provided a means of exporting products. Some dreamed of producing various agricultural products. Others combed the mountains looking for minerals. But the only product that ever left the valley in profitable amounts was lumber. Founded in 1906, the Eureka Lumber Company thrived for the next 18 years. Initially they floated logs down the Tobacco River from logging camps around Trego and Fortine. When the easy to access timber along the river was exhausted they built a railroad up to Frank Lake around 1918. The coming of World War I coincided with growing labor problems with the loggers, river drivers, mill workers and lumber company officials. The IWW attempted to organize the workers and federal troops were called for in the spring of 1917 to protect infrastructure. Patriotic fervor blunted the IWW’s efforts to organize, though discord continued after the war until 1924 when the mill closed and the IWW was no longer a factor in the area’s economy. It was about this time that roads were built into the Tobacco Valley and people had another way to travel in and out. Some of the first to take advantage of these new roads were the rumrunners and bootleggers. With Eureka’s proximity to Canada where there was a readily available supply of alcohol and with homesteaders who were skilled in the making of moonshine, the era of prohibition contributed significantly to area history. Things quieted during the 1930s and the local economy became almost dormant. The coming of World War II saw many young men leave the peaceful little valley for once-in-a-lifetime advenT o w n s a n d Hi st o r y o f Mo n t a n a N e w s l e t t er ׉ 7cassandra://z5BU4NSA4SK-1g-P4I68-_gQrI870taL6qFYR-tZgA8*`bEO#r ׉E Pa g e 9 Gho s t T o w n s a n d Hi st o r y o f Mo n t a n a N e w s l e t t er tures in Europe and Asia. Following the war, the lumber industry, now fitted with machines that enabled loggers to reach previously inaccessible timber, took off again. Another new industry also flourished. In the regrowth that followed the logging of the previous decades came an abundance of Douglas fir trees that found a market as Christmas trees. Through the 1950s and 1960s Christmas trees left the valley by the train load, so many that Eureka became known as the Christmas tree capitol of the world. The next change to be wrought on Eureka and its surrounds was the flooding of the Kootenai River Valley by Libby Dam. The railroad now reaches Eureka as a spur line and though the production of timber flourished into the first years of the 21st Century, the major mills eventually closed. Eureka and the Tobacco Valley now depend largely on the influx of tourists who come to enjoy its relatively unspoiled environment. –Gary Montgomery Gary Montgomery is a local historian and publisher who found a home in the Tobacco Plains country many years ago. For the last 29 years he has published The Trail, a quarterly magazine that features interviews with old-timers, vintage photographs, diaries and other tidbits of northwest Montana history. His book, "Tobacco Valley", appeared as part of the Images of America series by Arcadia Publishing. Although The Trail is no longer in publication, you can request past issues at: trail@interbel.net THE LOST MINE OF THE YELLOWSTONE A golden secret lies in the shadow of Emigrant Peak south of Livingston. Somewhere along the trail to Yellowstone Park, among the gulches where countless winter snows and spring floods have scoured the landscape, lies the fountain of gold, the mother lode, the source of the golden veins that brought miners by the hundreds to Yellowstone City and Emigrant Gulch. David Weaver panned the first gold in Emigrant Gulch—Montana’s fih great gold discovery—in 1864. He, David Shorthill, Frank Garre, and others from the States named Emigrant peak, creek, and gulch. These early miners found Jim Bridger’s calling card: twenty elk antlers stuck in a lone pine tree. They assumed that these meant Bridger had been there at some me in the past. Two years later, with a party of other miners, Weaver made an incredibly rich find in the mountains near Emigrant Peak. But the danger of Indian aack made the miners’ work extremely hazardous, and so when the first snow began to fall, the miners were forced to abandon their diggings. Two years later, two of the men returned to find their discovery, but two winters and springs had erased all familiar traces. The miners francally searched and searched, but the mine was not to be found. Weaver had taken samples of the ore and had them assayed. They proved to be worth $5,000 to the ton, a spectacular amount. Over the years, members of Weaver’s party returned to search the area, but the mine was never found. It is remembered today as the “Lost Mine of the Yellowstone.” -Ellen Baumler Ellen Baumler is an award-winning author and Montana historian. A master at linking history with modern-day supernatural events, Ellen's true stories have delighted audiences across the state. She lives in Helena in a century-old house with her husband, Mark, and its resident spirits. To view and purchase Ellen’s books, visit: http:// ellenbaumler.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html Courtesy RootsWeb ׉ 7cassandra://EfUfU9EK2PUkYYWU_LnKzlqQJygb8x99C3Om8EI2HlA)`bEO#r bEO#r בCטفu׉׉ 7cassandra://M0w0paV1oYunGa783BCTj0m-s9W05wnZFy4qiCAtFNko`׉ 7cassandra://VapWJZw9vmEkl9obMthTrNOxETYIfJBc2IzVYUt8rxM͕`{׉ 7cassandra://Ejbh7vxt894FmBemyKPQV1kJOqpWlqKM-mTJMhZieCE'`׉ 7cassandra://tuLW6PHh6rpPY4pq719SITx-WHfFgoLr_rJ3KVuHrekٽX͠zbGO#r <טہu׉׉ 7cassandra://UKssoaC3jCs7tgk7htErEAnwHnatpzEr5xx6GB5dvME`׉ 7cassandra://h0lCW9cMe_AdAq1ywtMzt0TOjOGTPTz7x4B33I4pHb0͛>`{׉ 7cassandra://GLcSYIHIHnblW2FCYz5rh8g45w6WJ9H1xI1iBCTvhIo*|`׉ 7cassandra://HQ7G8qq9WOQVYAFgD1698TUTW2j74jgS8XFC7Grdrrgh͠|bGO#r =נbGO#r B9ׁH'http://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_buׁ ׁ ЈנbGO#r AU̻9ׁH"http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ׁ ׁ ЈנbGO#r @ǁZ9ׁHhttps://www.amazon.com/Carolׁ ׁ ЈנbGO#r ?ǁ9ׁH$http://carol-buchanan.com/index.htmlׁ ׁ Ј׉E Pa g e 10 Gho s t Hell Gate, Montana The little settlement of Hell Gate had been established as a trading stop for travelers heading east or west along the Mullan Road. The wagon train led by James Liberty Fisk stopped there on the way from Minnesota to the Salmon River (Idaho) gold fields. Captain John Mullan’s bright idea, linking the Missouri and Columbia Rivers by a wagon road, paid off for settlers in (then) Washington Territory. Hell Gate never had much of a population. Historians number only 14 permanent residents, but it was important in early Montana history, because some notable names at one time or another during its brief life stayed there for varying periods. Hell Gate, Montana, May 10, 1909. Photographer unidenfied. MHS Photo Archives #PAc 75-78.14. T o w n s a n d Hi st o r y o f Mo n t a n a N e w s l e t t er Typical of Montana settlements, it had a saloon (owned by Peter J. Botte), a blacksmith shop, and Worden & Co.’s general store, owned by Christopher P. Higgins and Frank L. Worden. Atypically, however, it also had a church. Father DeSmet founded St. Mary’s in 1861. You can see the log church, the oldest building in Montana, at Old Fort Missoula, where it was moved to prevent it from rotting away or being demolished by the growth of population spreading out from modern Missoula. A gas station now stands on the site of Hell Gate. The names “Hell Gate” and “Missoula” come from the same Native word meaning an opening to a mountain pass or canyon and implying to a place of dread or darkness. With the nearest post office at Walla Walla (450 miles west), and the seat of government for Washington Territory at Olympia, nearly 800 miles away (as roads went in 1862), people in the Hell Gate region were pretty well left on their own to administer justice if conflicts arose. Conflicts did arise. One resulted in the first trial in what would be Montana. Adolphe Dubreuil, aka “Tin Cup Joe,” accused Cornelius C. “Baron” O’Keefe of malicious destruction of property and animal cruelty for shooting his horse. Two versions of the case differ in what the horse did, but they agree that the animal ate grain or hay that O’Keeffe needed for his own use. One version says that O’Keeffe, an Irishman of uncertain, quick temper, drove the horse out of his barn with the result that the panicked animal fell into a partly dug root cellar and died of its injuries before it could be hauled out. The second version has O’Keeffe blasting away at the frightened creature. A jury of 12 men was empaneled in Botte’s saloon, the only space large enough to hold a trial. O’Keeffe defended himself, saying that he shot the horse in self-defense. Frank Woody represented Tin Cup Joe, and ׉ 7cassandra://Ejbh7vxt894FmBemyKPQV1kJOqpWlqKM-mTJMhZieCE'`bEO#r ׉E Pa g e 11 Gho s t T o w n s a n d Hi st o r y o f Mo n t a n a N e w s l e t t er painted a horrifying picture of how people would be frightened away from the region for fear of desperadoes like O’Keeffe. Not surprisingly, O’Keeffe with “blood in his eye” (according to McAdow), attacked the judge, Henry R. Brooks. O’Keeffe demanded, “Say, old Brooks, who in hell made you Judge?” Brooks said that he had been commissioned by the authority of Isaac I. Stevens, Governor of Washington Territory. McAdow reports that O’Keeffe called Brooks a “fraud,” and said, “You’re nothing but a squaw-man living with two squaws at the present time. You and Frank (Woody) are a disgrace to the community and should be driven out.” There was more, but Woody started for O’Keeffe, intending to break a chair over his head, and the fight soon involved every man in the place until the saloon owner, Peter J. Botte, managed to make himself heard. (A club may have helped quiet things, too.) The trial proceeded. Judge Brooks instructed the jury to go quietly to the shack behind Higgins’s and Worden’s store, examine the evidence carefully, and bring in a verdict in favor of the plaintiff. O’Keeffe, restored to his usual bonhomie, treated everyone to a drink on him, but it had no effect. He was fined either $40 or $10 (depending who tells the story) and costs (perhaps for broken furniture) of the trial. Neither account of the trial mentions James Stuart, Granville’s older brother, who had been elected sheriff of Missoula county. In the fall of 1862 word spread by word of mouth, or bush telegraph, that a group of men led by John White had made big gold strike on Grasshopper Creek, in the Beaverhead country, almost 200 miles due south of Hell Gate. There a settlement named Bannack, for the Bannock Indians that claimed the ground, mushroomed like most mining towns. As word of the gold strike spread, men left the Bitterroot and rushed to Bannack. Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz Hell Gate settled down, but nearly two years later, it was the scene of a much larger drama, involving the Vigilantes of Montana. –Carol Buchanan Carol and her husband, Richard live in Northwest Montana and enjoy the daily views of the Swan Range Mountains. Carol writes historical fiction primarily set in Montana between 1862 and 1920, about people forced to make dangerous choices to survive. Some of them were her own ancestors. You can check out more of Carol’s work at: https:// carol-buchanan.com/index.html and purchase her books at: https://www.amazon.com/Carol-Buchanan/e/ B0028OJX9K?ref_=dbs_p_pbk_r00_abau_000000 “There had been a reign of terror in Hell Gate. The robbers did as they pleased and took what they chose. A Colt's revolver was the instrument ever ready to enforce the transfer. Brown, a Frenchman, living in the neighborhood, stated to the Vigilantes, that he was glad to see them, for that the robbers used to ride his stock whenever they pleased, and that they always retained possession of such steeds as they especially fancied.” -Excerpt from The Montana Post, January 13, 1866, Accessed via: hps:// chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ Like what you see? We truly appreciate your donations to help us keep history alive! hps:// www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_buon_id=QPXY2JWST8YR2 ׉ 7cassandra://GLcSYIHIHnblW2FCYz5rh8g45w6WJ9H1xI1iBCTvhIo*|`bEO#r bEO#r בCטفu׉׉ 7cassandra://raJgCQEB--TMjtvGchlwwVJomwfzvJGtvkOcU6XSitM`׉ 7cassandra://eUf25pbGcTFTIItp8FDisQdt2bps4jvw1a9MP4Nm9dIͥT`{׉ 7cassandra://i6b2DfAGeE4KKUtt-H0sNtx3LkCvYMBpvSPwW3aHBYM/z`׉ 7cassandra://Kwypd5hAxN2sQiRaSK6e_gnrGPahIRHhho8CsCIt3ec ̨͠zbGO#r CנbGO#r F̨9ׁH https://www.mgtps.org/membershipׁ ׁ Ј׉EcPa g e 12 Gho s t Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz T o w n s a n d Hi st o r y o f Mo n t a n a N e w s l e t t er Elk Park, Montana was once home to several Italian-Swiss Dairies that served the Butte area. It also served the mining operations in the area by providing housing for miners, a school for the children and necessary supplies for the work day. In addition, the valley was known for cattle ranching, logging and ice making. Many residents had a “copper cow” in the early days, meaning they had stills for making liquor. The three local ponds collected spring water and in the winter, men would chip the ice to be shipped by rail to locations all around the state. The first post office opened in 1889. Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz Become a member today and help us preserve history! VISIT: https://www.mgtps.org/membership Join me in my quest to help this much needed and appreciated organization. As a member you’ll receive our quarterly newsletter of which I have become the editor. Thank you! Founded in 1970, the Montana Ghost Town Preservaon Society is a 501c3 nonprofit organizaon dedicated to educang the public to the benefits of preserving the historic buildings, sites, and arfacts that make up the living history of Montana. My/Donor Informaon: Renewal? Y/N SUBSCRIBE TO THE GHOST TOWNS AND HISTORY OF MONTANA NEWSLETTER! Send a Gi to: NAME____________________________________ NAME___________________________________ ADDRESS__________________________________ ADDRESS_________________________________ CITY______________________________________ CITY_____________________________________ STATE__________________ZIP________________STATE_________________ ZIP________________ Yearly subscripons are $19.95 (published monthly). Please make checks payable to Ghost Towns & History of MT, LLC and send with this clipping to P.O. Box 932 Anaconda, MT 59711 ׉ 7cassandra://i6b2DfAGeE4KKUtt-H0sNtx3LkCvYMBpvSPwW3aHBYM/z`bEO#r !׉E- tz - - - tc - y bEO#r "bEO#r !,'Ghost Towns & History of MT- March 2022sEnjoy our latest newsletter with stories, photos and tidbits all about the ghost towns and/or history of Montana! b?frJ¿