׉?4ׁB!בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://Yrjl7OTx2le4KdacMqqxn1uR8gwkGninX7SF4XGlvVo)`׉ 7cassandra://Qo3MSiX0YR5TD2Sq3TmudeRWDTHLIzmlWLsk9BlhCfY͈`s׉ 7cassandra://BzRg2FA_mncxihKkJZ0XNhSYsIkuLXpsBTznzp3fTbM+ `gbh =ט(u׈}\נgbh Bv̏ 9ׁH#https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ׁ ׁ Ј׈Egbh %׉ENOVEMBER 2024 Ghost Towns and History of Montana Newsletter From The Harlem News, Oct. 13, 1911 , Bannack– Part 1 In early September 1862, freighters from Utah were heading for customers in the Deer Lodge Valley when they heard of this latest gold strike. Realizing they could shorten their trip and sell the goods in Bannack, they made an impromptu detour. This decision no doubt helped many of the miners survive the coming cold months. When winter arrived, the camp wasn’t exactly what could be labeled a town. Those who came first had no intention of staying. Get the gold and move onto Accessed via: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ another place was their motto. Few “buildings” had any semblance of permanency. New provisions arrived erratically as wagon trains were often delayed by the weather. Getting to Bannack from anywhere was an enormous effort. Those brave or desperate enough to chance fate had to contend with long distances over rugged terrain, wild and unpredictable weather such as fierce blizzards and monumental snowstorms, and Native Americans who were unhappy with this latest invasion by the white men. By spring 1863, 3,000 people found their way to Bannack. Another 2,000 were living up and down the gulch in four other settlements: Marysville, Bon Accord, New Jerusalem and Dogtown. Girls in period dress play before the Bannack Masonic Hall and first school house. (Photo by Rick and Susie Graetz) ׉ 7cassandra://BzRg2FA_mncxihKkJZ0XNhSYsIkuLXpsBTznzp3fTbM+ `gbh &gbh %(בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://8RY0Bw5at-jr4VjawPlZ9OOr5pIi7Jyiey5lFU-fz8Q,`׉ 7cassandra://Z1A62Lba8QEt-6yF33w_-7tEydjrGI_FD0l-Yk32fSU͍2`s׉ 7cassandra://AEBNB9k42xLqHI1dSpoohxKFdA8j36P68EnLJw_dXIE/-`gbh Cט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://JJQBwkw7jJAvE7H1-9lWvlQou71SodZ7lxKAQEhzDFs3`׉ 7cassandra://JSOMz04M3hzREU_zRUmHsoi7c9mS9XDCKPakVrmPC94͋J`s׉ 7cassandra://W-uDVh-9X9f6h_4PCwHMJhM1jIZpbSVXZ6L0R_-9nmQ&`gbh Dנgbh @9׉H/https://www.umt.edu/this-is-montana/default.phpGׁ ׁ rנgbh AHK9׉H/https://www.umt.edu/this-is-montana/default.phpGׁ ׁ rנgbh HHE 9ׁHhttp://default.phׁ ׁ Јנgbh G 9ׁHhttps://www.umt.edu/thisׁ ׁ Ј׉E cP a g e 2 G h o s t T o w n s a n d H i s t o r y o f M o n t a n a N e w s l e t t e r Granville Stuart felt Bannack was the place to be. But instead of digging for gold, he and his brother had its commercial possibilities on their minds. In November 1862, they arrived in town – James to open a store and Granville a meat business with the cattle he drove to Grasshopper Creek. Granville didn't stay long, though. By April 1863, he had closed his business, sold everything except some land and a couple of houses and returned to the Deer Lodge Valley, which was more appealing to him. Like the Stuart brothers, others saw profits in providing goods and services. Less than a year after White’s discovery, the main street was lined with saloons, stables, meat markets, general stores, two bakeries and several hotels. Brothels, dance halls, a bowling alley, a Chinese restaurant and a brewery added to the mix, as did doctors’ and lawyers’ offices. Tailors, carpenters and blacksmiths also were part of economic development in Montana’s first capital. For the first seven years, merchandise was shipped to Bannack in one of three ways. Steamboats loaded with goods from St. Louis and points east plied the Missouri River as far as Fort Benton, where supplies were transferred to wagons that forged a 300-mile road to the town. Provisions also came overland from California to Lewiston, Idaho, then by pack string to the mining camp. Finally, land freighters made the long haul west from St. Louis to Salt Lake City. To connect from Salt Lake City to Bannack, freighters blazed a rough 300-mile road across the prairie country of southeast Idaho. On May 10, 1869, the tracks of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railways met at Promontory, Utah, the “golden spike” was driven, and the nation's transcontinental railway was completed. The nearby town of Corrine, Utah, 70 miles north of Salt Lake, grew as a transfer point for passengers and freight to be loaded onto wagons and stagecoaches headed to the gold camps and towns of Idaho and Montana. The time it now took to get to the Rockies from St. Louis was greatly diminished. Traffic over Bannack Pass increased steadily as the freight road became a favored route. During the height of its life, five well-spaced stage stations provided food and shelter to travelers within the 60-mile stretch between Bannack and the pass. By 1873, though, 11 years after its inception, use dwindled as the area’s gold began playing out. Today, the old wagon ruts of the Corrine-Bannack route can still be seen as they point southward up the hill out of Bannack. Modern-day explorers are able to trace the old road, most of which is now a wellmaintained gravel and dirt county road that is impassable in wet weather and snow- clogged in winter. Where the original trail crossed through the bottoms in Nicholia Basin, the route is yet visible. The county road somewhat parallels the old path, then rejoins it before reaching the Continental Divide.—Catch next month’s newsletter for Part 2! Provided Courtesy of: University of Montana | Department of Geography | Rick and Susie Graetz Originally published on THIS IS MONTANA, an uncommon website. By means of photography, essays, maps, and much more, the University of Montana presents a vivid portrait of the beauty and uniqueness of the Montana. Check out more at: https://www.umt.edu/this-is-montana/ default.php ׉ 7cassandra://AEBNB9k42xLqHI1dSpoohxKFdA8j36P68EnLJw_dXIE/-`gbh )׉E 'P a g e 3 G h o s t T o w n s a n d H i s t o r y o f M o n t a n a N e w s l e t t e r MINES AND MINING IN PARK COUNTY-continued From The Livingston Enterprise, January 1, 1900: The Mogul has sufficient development to show very good ore, while the Little Bonanza presents a similar proposition. These brothers have about two dozen claims and, besides their assessment work, are only waiting the investment of capital from the outside world to prove the wealth of their district. Owing to the fact that these camps are of low grade ore, a smelter or roaster, with a concentrator, is necessary for working to advantage; but as the quantity of ore covers an immense tract, and the coke and railroad facilities are in close proximity, it is predicted that in the near future this will be one of the stable and paying camps of Park county. Just above Maguire's claims is located the King Solomon, of J. W. Nelson & Co., and has only been located about three years. The assessment work, which consists of a 40-foot tunnel, is all the development that has been done, but the lead shows a good proposition in gold, silver and copper. Furthermore, it can be said that the above mineral locations are surrounded by an abundance of timber and have sufficient water the year around to work any proposition that presents itself. Placer claims have been located, but as bed-rock has never been struck, it is impossible to describe the prospects. Ethan H. Cowles' Organized Mining Camp, Cowles, Montana. Among the many mining districts of Park county none are attracting the public attention more than the recent discoveries on Baboon mountain on Basin creek, a tributary of the Boulder river, and about fifty miles southeast of Livingston. The records show that the first gold was discovered in this locality in 1872 by Professor Hayden and his party; but locations were not made until 1879, when William Langford, Seth Porter and Albert Schmidt, attracted thither by such reports, were successful in opening up some very good leads. Little work was done until 1882, when by the opening of the Crow reserve many new locations were made and development work progressed for a time, but like hundreds of other productive western districts, it has experienced the ebb and flow of prosperity. During the period from 1888 until 1892 there were no less than seven mills in running operation in this district and the neighboring camps on Independence mountain, while a flourishing town of several hundred population was located at the foot of this mountain. The records state that a lead The Revenue Tramway, Bear Gulch ׉ 7cassandra://W-uDVh-9X9f6h_4PCwHMJhM1jIZpbSVXZ6L0R_-9nmQ&`gbh *gbh )(בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://e-uBySKVxunZdBU27EibrWhUbdmmMr4DPwPPsZ5SUNA 7`׉ 7cassandra://MBbvFttiVfMPMEeYgSyDyPgMxb9Fk1S8bUOzs2t7ESg͝v`s׉ 7cassandra://kNW_sbDLJCFk6t_a4735PVC21CvP2lSCnH1KzGE33hc)j`gbh Iט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://ZE4NocF5dcAtRwGwgODeLm0M-u2bvYIwOfRihulP8ds8`׉ 7cassandra://w1y870Tdlt1xSIDJbeGHfX7sQbWMFRyAAjuW1yfcMu0͕`s׉ 7cassandra://-E0qDHAn-XrD3IllS2UXsF-P_pP-sKNjpEWXmArE28w'v`gbh Jנgbh P?̻9ׁH"http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ׁ ׁ Ј׉E :P a g e 4 G h o s t T o w n s a n d H i s t o r y o f M o n t a n a N e w s l e t t e r of ore, assaying $20,000 per ton, at one time flourished, and while another proposition yielded $92,000, the management was so gross that $120,000 was expended in obtaining it. From such facts everything was abandoned, not on account of any fault in the ore, but by a misplaced confidence in the workings. From days of placer excitement to the more somber but not less profitable era of quartz mining, such has been the story of the evolution of these camps up to the 13th of June, 1897, when Ethan H. Cowles arrived at the camps, having purchased the Poorman and Yellow Jacket in the Boulder Organized district for $30,000—both patented mines— and a five-sixths interest in two placer claims, which has since developed into his ownership. Some time during the summer of 1897 the Livingston National bank of Livingston sold to Mr. Cowles at receiver's sale the Hidden Treasure mine, together with a tenstamp mill and some improvements, for about $1,000, the mill alone costing originally $10,000. Cowles’ Placer Mine In working his placer mines during the latter part of September, 1898, Mr. Cowles discovered a lead to his Hidden Treasure, calling it Hidden Treasure No. 2. Up to date he has uncovered this vein 48 feet wide and 200 feet long, not knowing its depth—the deeper into the earth, the richer it becomes. During the summer of 1899 he took up a fractional claim between Hidden Treasure and The Daisy, calling it Hidden Treasure No. 3, also making a relocation of an abandoned claim, calling it Hidden Treasure No. 4. The entire property of Cowles' Camp should have been named "Visible Treasure" instead of Hidden Treasure, as its entire surface is either paying placer or gold-bearing rock, including twelve quartz and three placer claims. When first purchased, the ten-stamp mill was situated some distance from the mine, and Mr. Cowles at once began to lay plans for removing it nearer to the mine and thereby lessen the expense of working the ore, finally concluding that the proper place would be 110 feet down the hill from the Hidden Treasure mine. This mill when completed and in running order will be fitted up with the most modern machinery, the ore needing no handling until it comes out as concentrates. Among his latest improvements is the Eureka process for treating pulp, and a Cammett concentrator. As the property has exceeded the wildest expectations of its owner, he is now drawing the plans for an additional forty-stamp mill fitted upon the same plan as the present active one. When Mr. Cowles took possession of this mining proposition it can be said that he knew nothing of the mining industry; but owing to his perseverance and decisive method of procedure, it is evident that he now has a well-assured fortune at his feet. Authorities on mining came from afar to examine the property, and his mines have already received a wide reputation. Its startling possibilities were brought about by no expert or none other than Mr. Cowles himself, who has triumphed in spite of the many failures before him. ׉ 7cassandra://kNW_sbDLJCFk6t_a4735PVC21CvP2lSCnH1KzGE33hc)j`gbh +׉E P a g e 5 G h o s t T o w n s a n d H i s t o r y o f M o n t a n a N e w s l e t t e r Cooke City, or the New World Mining District. Among the greatest possible mining camps in the world today is that of the New World Mining district. As early as 1864 Peter More, George Huston and other prospectors came up to this locality, but were unsuccessful in their search for gold. Owing to the hostilities of the Indians to white men trespassing into the Crow reservation, the latter did not venture into this region until 1870, when James Gourley, Ed. Hibbard, Horn Miller and Bart Henderson discovered some float galena ore in Soda Butte creek but, on meeting the obstacles of yore, were forced to return to the agency at Fort Parker. In 1871 the same party returned and Horn Miller discovered a vein of argentiferous ore. Soon several lodes were discovered by them, but in the fall they were forced to return on account of the snow, the altitude being 7,800 feet. The news of these discoveries flew like wildfire, but capital could not be induced to invest until the millstone of the Crow reservation was removed in 1882. By further prospecting an area of nine miles in length by three in width, shows a constant succession of veins filled with high grade ores, while beyond this limit a great number of claims have been located, thus an immense area of the richest mineral lands are embraced in this one region. With Cooke City as a central camp, and acting as the axle to a wheel-of-fortune, the rich mineral veins penetrate the surrounding country in every direction. During the year 1882 Major Geo. O. Eaton, ex-surveyor general for Montana, purchased the Great Republic group of mines and formed the Republic Mining company. They spent some $300,000 in the development of their mines and in the erection of a water jacket smelter. This mass of machinery only continued in operation for a short time, owing to a failure in securing a railroad by way of the northern limits of the National Park, which was considered forbidden ground for this form of internal improvements. The camp now remained inactive until 1885, when the owners of the plant deemed it advisable to renew their mining operations—this time running for about one hundred days. During this run 440 tons of silverlead bullion were produced which sold in Pennsylvania for more than $95,000; but owing to the great expense of freighting coke into this camp, a distance of about sixty-five miles, and the bullion out for nearly the same distance, did not net sufficient profit for the encouragement of active operations. Since 1886 other mining companies have been in operation off and on, only to close with the one hindrance—excessive freight and no railroad. Experts estimate today that there is over 100,000 tons of ore on the dumps ready for immediate shipment, in the event of better transportation. –Read more in next month’s issue! Accessed via: https:// chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ Cooke City, Montana ׉ 7cassandra://-E0qDHAn-XrD3IllS2UXsF-P_pP-sKNjpEWXmArE28w'v`gbh ,gbh +(בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://6hEk8plKNskBZaNNnGMoBazB0HWMA0ZWl1vjJpdigiI_`׉ 7cassandra://8DOGMiEWG-KRINUc2b29KxsJl3JFGpp-GMN_J_dMykU{`s׉ 7cassandra://4Fl09iF3TzUWzLyHVnEM2_Y9-q99m4Gpff6lVdLKRAU#`gbh Qט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://3OSR-0eqIZANCEnd2-1zWsk-qQZRvmb-B1C2anF3GBs+`׉ 7cassandra://zwawpNGvr8svcoYA5VnUG4g-rvDv9yXPfIp7SWmdEtQ͔`s׉ 7cassandra://hFPUJw2LWcutriZjKVZCZVNgRGskXc6c5XvYjxYczjM'`gbh Rנgbh L29׉H:https://www.nps.gov/home/black-homesteading-in-america.htmGׁ ׁ rנgbh MP9׉Hehttps://glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx?accession=173165&docClass=SER&sid=d043qasz.jprGׁ ׁ rנgbh Nn09׉H9https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/91683499/bright-wattsGׁ ׁ rנgbh Ot9׉Hhttps://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fchroniclingamerica.loc.gov%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3TrVMVwyno-yjpMMPK_-Mo7wkj9dEs1aWXvsCM5ED-TGWNcXDtHaUtHqc_aem_FZieS_EQV0nluG1MfKJBxQ&h=AT0c6x7ZVqlVDVv4LVirsmV-uBdH0h2B6us-btFuJn9QTsCow8iPwLHlBKGaAv1DsdGׁ ׁ rנgbh ^t9ׁH"https://chroniclingamerica.loc.govׁ ׁ Ј׉E .P a g e 6 G h o s t T o w n s a n d H i s t o r y o f M o n t a n a N e w s l e t t e r Bright Watts Gilbright "Bright" Watts was a black homesteader in Montana who was cited as a kind, hard-working, respectful man. Born and raised in Taylorsville, North Carolina, Bright Watts and his uncle Thomas Watts traveled to Belt, Montana in the early 1900s. It is believed that they came to the area because of Mattie Castner, the "Mother of Belt." Mrs. Castner made several trips to North Carolina to seek out family members separated by slavery. Mattie Castner was able to locate her sister Mary, who had married Allen Watts and was living in Taylorsville, North Carolina. In 1903, Bright Watts testified against a desert entry claim that was not improved properly. Doing so may have spurred him on to homestead his own land because on October 12, 1904, Bright Watts filed homestead entry #1959 at the Great Falls Land Office. He applied for 154.12 acres, the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter, and the south half of the southeast quarter of Section 18 in Township 19 North of Range 7 East of the Montana Meridian, Montana. Cascade County Montana Homesteaders Ken Robison/Overholser Historical Research Center Bright Watts never married nor had children, but he was not without family. His uncle Thomas decided to expand his own holdings with a homestead claim next to Bright. The two would frequently help out on each other’s homesteads. For the next six years, Bright Watts made great efforts to prove up his land near the Little Belt Creek. He constructed a house, a stable, a granary, and 1½ miles of fencing. Bright Watts also farmed 60 acres of hay, oats, wheat, and vegetables. Two years after filing his claim, coal was found in the township and any unclaimed land was withdrawn from potential homesteading use. Bright elected to continue his homestead claim on the condition that he would not have rights to any potential coal deposits. On May 4, 1910, Bright Watts, Thomas Watts, and their neighbor Peter Thompson, testified as witnesses to Bright’s proof at the Great Falls Land Office. His patent, #173165, was issued on January 26, 1911. The following year, Bright Watts went on a trip back to North Carolina to visit family along with Mattie Castner and a Miss Mamie Dutriueille. Bright Watts died in 1916 at the age of 44 following several weeks of illness caused by liver cancer. – Courtesy of nps.gov L E A R N M O R E A B O U T B L A C K H O M E S T E A D I N G I N A M E R I C A . S O U R C E S : Patent Details - BLM GLO Records Homestead claim • Land Entry File (see below) • 1880 U.S. Federal Census (Taylorsville, NC) • 1910 U.S. Federal Census (Belt, MT) • Testimony will be taken. Great Falls Tribune. 4 July 1903, p. 5. • Belt Special Correspondence. Great Falls Tribune. 31 Aug 1904, p. 3. • Travel out East. Belt Valley Times Weekly. 4 Jan 1912, p. 5. • "Bright Watts is Called." Belt Valley Times. 4 Jan 1917. • Montana State Deaths, 1868-2018, State of Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services • Bright Watts (1872-1916) - Find A Grave Memorial ׉ 7cassandra://4Fl09iF3TzUWzLyHVnEM2_Y9-q99m4Gpff6lVdLKRAU#`gbh 1׉EP a g e 7 G h o s t T o w n s a n d H i s t o r y o f M o n t a n a N e w s l e t t e r ALL FOR TURKEYS-RANCHMEN BRAVE BLIZZARD IN A RIDE FOR A FEAST: MEMORABLE THANKSGIVING DAY Two men by the name of Lund and Osmanson ride their horses during a winter of the early 1900s in Eastern Montana. Photo by Evelyn J. Cameron, Courtesy of The Montana Memory Project Anaconda, Nov. 29, 1901—Among a group of old timers at the Montana Hotel last night, the beautiful weather that preceded Thanksgiving day gave rise to a train of thought, the result of which was some very interesting stories of Thanksgivings in the days of the early settlement of the Northwest. “In the year 1870," said one of the party, “I was a youngster punching cattle in Southeastern Montana. As Thanksgiving approached the boys began to wonder if there was not some way in which they could secure a change of diet and get hold of a turkey or two, in order that a prosperous year might be fittingly celebrated.” "So far as we knew there was not a turkey for miles around, but one of the boys said he knew where two could be got. It was a distance of 90 miles from the ranch but nevertheless the foreman started the other fellow and myself after the birds. Prior to that we had been having some very severe weather, and there was considerable snow on the ground, but when we started on our 180-mlle ride for a turkey the sun had turned out warm and everything pointed to a pleasant trip and a warm Thanksgiving.” "We started six days before Thanksgiving so as to have plenty of time without hurrying. We secured the turkeys and started homeward. On the first day of the return trip the weather suddenly changed. It grew cold and began to snow. My partner said a blizzard was coming up and I did not dispute his word. We began to make tracks toward a ranch about 20 miles distant as the nearest place of refuge from the storm. We were at that time fully 75 miles from our home ranch.” “As the storm increased our progress grew correspondingly slow and darkness found us still 10 miles from our objective point. We kept on, however, and were making good headway when my partner, who was riding in front, suddenly disappeared as though the earth had swallowed him up. I had just time to be surprised when I followed him and fell into a deep gully, landing horse and all on top of my partner.” "When we got righted he discovered that his right arm was broken near the elbow. We couldn’t climb out of the ditch so I tied my pal fast to his horse and started to ride down the ravine, hoping to reach some point where we could get out. My partner was suffering from his injury and fainted three times in as many miles.” "To make a long story short we finally got out of the ditch and found a deserted dugout. There we stayed four days, while the storm raged. When it ceased we had lost our bearings and did not know which way to turn for the ranch. It took us five days more to find the place and by that time we had eaten up the two turkeys we had to keep from starving to death. They were eaten raw, too.” "Our horses were so weak they could scarcely stand, and the boys missed their Thanksgiving dinner, but my pal and I were glad to get out of it alive. I had set his arm the best I could and it had begun to heal. As there was no doctor to be had, we let it go and he will carry a crooked arm to his grave as a memento of that ride after a Thanksgiving turkey. He owns a large ranch now and I'll bet he has not forgotten his experience."- The Butte inter mountain Newspaper accessed via https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov ׉ 7cassandra://hFPUJw2LWcutriZjKVZCZVNgRGskXc6c5XvYjxYczjM'`gbh 2gbh 1(בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://rBfb1H-gA84LI0FKOCGEWYQirtBfPXJtpOkvmt5yotUa;`׉ 7cassandra://bDMHfJ1r0XthuiR_wcTIe56FsnWQ1H8ygMvUjktfRg8͌`s׉ 7cassandra://5DeKeCFiOPl9jql7MfvHgnSMDFAHABMeSZjgTqygidA(`gbh _נgbh Uoс́9׉HAhttp://ellenbaumler.blogspot.com/2011/11/wilbur-fisk-sanders.htmlGׁ ׁ rנgbh VK*9׉H0http://ellenbaumler.blogspot.com/p/my-books.htmlGׁ ׁ rנgbh WL9׉H0http://ellenbaumler.blogspot.com/p/my-books.htmlGׁ ׁ rנgbh X<Łw9׉H$http://montanahistoricalsociety.org/Gׁ ׁ rנgbh Yׁ/9׉H$http://montanahistoricalsociety.org/Gׁ ׁ rנgbh Z"ׁ̂9׉H=http://mhs.mt.gov/research/library/collections.asp#PhotographGׁ ׁ rנgbh [̧̠9׉H$http://montanahistoricalsociety.org/Gׁ ׁ rנgbh \G79׉H2http://mhs.mt.gov/research/library/collections.aspGׁ ׁ rנgbh bY%9ׁH$mailto:ghosttownsofmontana@gmail.comׁ ׁ Јנgbh aL 9ׁH%http://ellenbaumler.blogspot.com/p/myׁ ׁ Ј׉E P a g e 8 G h o s t T o w n s a n d H i s t o r y o f M o n t a n a N e w s l e t t e r Mining Camp Thanksgiving Abraham Lincoln set a precedent during his presidency proclaiming the national observance of Thanksgiving the last Thursday in November. In 1863 Harriet and Wilbur Sanders, the soon to be famous vigilante prosecutor, spent their first Montana Thanksgiving at Bannack. Goods were scarce, freight was slow arriving, and no one even thought about serving a turkey. Near neighbors invited Harriet and Wilbur along with Henry Edgerton, Sanders’ uncle, to Thanksgiving dinner. This neighbor wanted to make a good impression on the family. Edgerton was the newly appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Idaho Territory, which then included present-day Montana. Their host offered the invitation well in advance. He miraculously procured a turkey—an unheard of, unbelievable luxury—for thirty dollars in gold dust, and paid a fortune to have it freighted all the way from Salt Lake City. Harriet wrote later that their Thanksgiving meal was as fine and beautifully cooked as any meal she ever enjoyed in New York City’s finest restaurant. Unfortunately, their host failed to make a good impression. In early January, just weeks later, Sanders and the vigilantes saw to the hanging of Sheriff Henry Plummer, the same man who had hosted their Thanksgiving Day feast. –Ellen Baumler Wilbur Fisk Sanders. R.A. Lewis, photographer Montana Historical Society Photograph Archives Bill for the coffin and burial of Henry Plummer Montana Historical Society Archives Ellen Baumler was 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. The legacy she left behind will be felt for generations to come and we are in debt to her for sharing her extensive knowledge of Montana history in such an entertaining manner. To view and purchase Ellen’s books, visit: http:// ellenbaumler.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html Would you like to receive our digital quarterly magazine for free? Just send an email with MAGAZINE in the subject to ghosttownsofmontana@gmail.com My/Donor Information: SUBSCRIBE TO THE GHOST TOWNS AND HISTORY OF MONTANA NEWSLETTER! Renewal? Y/N Send a Gift to: NAME____________________________________ NAME___________________________________ ADDRESS__________________________________ ADDRESS_________________________________ CITY______________________________________ CITY_____________________________________ STATE__________________ZIP________________STATE_________________ ZIP________________ Yearly subscriptions are $19.95 (published monthly). Please make checks payable to Ghost Towns & History of MT, LLC and send with this clipping to 99 Lampert Ranch DR, Anaconda, MT 59711 ׉ 7cassandra://5DeKeCFiOPl9jql7MfvHgnSMDFAHABMeSZjgTqygidA(`gbh ;׈Egbh <gbh ;(,&Ghost Towns & History of MT- Nov. 2024OStories and Photos on the Ghost Towns and History of Big Sky Country, Montana! g«}\<: