Ghosts of the Past

October may traditionally be the season of ghosts, but Montana’s landscape is lined with ghosts year-round. Echoes of old pioneer dreams, mining failures and successes, and vigilante justice permeate the state as outcroppings of buildings once home to bustling workers and families are scattered across the mountains and plains. Although some of Montana’s earliest towns have withered into nothing with the hands of time, many of the Treasure State’s earliest settlements remain standing, abandoned, a visual reminder of the state’s hearty ancestors. The following are just a smattering of the hundreds of ghost towns found throughout Montana.

Wickes Ghost Camp
I-15, 20 miles south of Helena.

Remains of huge smelters and refineries are all that are left in the ghost town of Wickes. Once a thriving mining town that produced $50,000,000 in gold and silver before operations ceased in the early 1890s. Folks continued to live there for a number of years, until most of the town was destroyed by fire. The road to Wickes is easily traveled by car. Also nearby is the Alta Mine and the Corbin camp.

Diamond City
Diamond City, which emerged in Confederate Gulch on the east side of present day Canyon Ferry Lake, was the hub of the area’s gold activity and became one of Montana Territory’s most populated early communities. Its population once reached more than 10,000 but dwindled to 255 by 1870. Eventually it slid into obscurity leaving barely a trace. Placer gold, remarkable for its incredible wealth, was discovered in the area by two former Confederate soldiers. The gravels here were among the richest washed anywhere in the world. Single pans were said to contain more than $1,000 of gold at a time when gold’s worth was $20 an ounce. Most remarkable was that these gravels existed within only a two-acre area which by its end yielded over $16 million (over two and a half tons) of gold in 1860s standards of money. Weekend prospectors and some commercial placer miners still work the same areas in hopes of hitting paydirt.

Just like the ghost towns created by the gold rush era, evidence of much earlier activities can be found at various locations throughout the area. Ancient tepee rings, campsites, underground ovens, arrow heads and spear heads have been found throughout the region, some of which have been calculated to be 10,000 years old. A collection of such artifacts is displayed at the Broadwater County Museum in Townsend.

Silver Bow
15 miles south of Butte on Rte. 2

Also known as Highland City, many of the several hundred miners cabins that were built still exist near the graveyard. The city once had a fierce reputation for wild gun play and rich with gold during its boom years between 1865 and 1875. The site is accessible on a good Forest Service logging road.

Nevada City
A celebrated ghost town, Nevada City recreates the mining era so authentically that it has been filmed in western movies such as Little Big Man and Return to Lonesome Dove. Buildings include five streets of shops, homes, a schoolhouse, and Chinatown. The most popular exhibition is the Music Hall which contains one of the world’s largest collections of mechanical music machines.

Bearmouth Ghost Town
I-90 between Clinton and Drummond

Bearmouth was a stopover point for stage coaches and depended on the survival of other towns that were mining camps. Coaches traveled old Mullan Road between Fort Benton, Montana and Walla Walla, Washington. When the nearby mining camps of Garnet and Beartown died, so did Bearmouth. The beautiful Inn that provided accommodations for travelers still stands. Also nearby is the ghost camp of Coloma, that lasted until the 1930s and a few other standing buildings.

Partially reprinted from the Ultimate Montana Atlas and Travel Encyclopedia

The Beauty of Montana

Vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow line the Montana landscape each fall, making it one of the prettiest (and least crowded!) times to visit the Treasure State. Whether you’re just passing through, taking a hunting trip to Montana’s backcountry, or planning one last outdoor adventure before the snow flies, don’t leave home without The Ultimate Montana Travel Atlas and Encyclopedia. This best-selling book offers more information than dozens of other guidebooks combined and has received rave reviews from travelers across the U.S. and Europe! Not just a reference guide to big-name attractions, this must-have guidebook also uncovers some of the hidden treasures that make Montana so special. Learn about scenic drives, historical sites, attractions, and recreation while gaining access to hundreds of hotels, restaurants, outfitters, and more. Join the ranks of early explorers, and discover the beauty of the Treasure State with The Ultimate Montana Travel Atlas and Encyclopedia!

The Gauntlet

What do you get when you combine 400 large straw bales weighing more than 160 tons, one scary hay monster called Marvin, and a peaceful Montana farm setting? Nothing less than The Gauntlet. Created in 2003, The Gauntlet is a winding hay maze located a few miles from Bozeman at the Lazy B Farm. The maze caters to both children and adults with its towering stacks of hay, large and small tunnels, and clues that maze-goers search for in an attempt to solve a weekly riddle. The riddle focuses on a particular theme each year, with the 2005 theme focused upon “The Chronicles of Narnia.”

In addition to the maze itself, the Gauntlet offers several special events during its operation from September through October. Hayrides, pumpkin picking, and a Chronicles of Narnia Dress Up Night add to the autumn fun. Quickly becoming a favorite fall tradition in southwestern Montana, the Gauntlet is open to the public for a small admission fee on Friday and Saturday evenings, with private group reservations available during the week. Don’t forget to watch out for Marvin the hay monster. He may be lurking right around the next corner!

HatchFest: Hollywood Meets Montana

Think Hollywood is just for California? Think again. Since 2004, Montana has welcomed the international and American film community with open arms. Held annually in early October, HatchFest and a myriad of Hollywood stars descend upon Bozeman for five days of audio, visual, arts, and mentorship appreciation. The festival was created to provide inspiration, education, recognition, and mentorship to the next generation of creative innovators.

To achieve this mission, a celebrity jury selects the world’s ten most talented student filmmakers, flies them to Bozeman, and gives them the chance to work closely with fifty mentors representing all facets of the film, music, and art industry. As an added bonus, these promising filmmakers have their works showcased to the public in Bozeman’s historic Ellen Theater, providing much-deserved recognition and exposure. The festival includes live music performances, VIP parties, screening parties, education panels, and more, with everything culminating at the Hatch Awards. This ceremony, which is quickly gaining recognition around the world, hands out the film award for the “Outstanding Groundbreaker,” the “Gibson Guitar New Musician Award,” and cash prizes.

Although the ten student filmmakers invited to showcase their works at HatchFest may be relatively unknown in the mass media circle, they are held as peers by their celebrity mentors. This year’s celebrity guests include Peter Fonda, Johnny Depp, Kevin Bacon, Jeff Bridges, Liam Neeson, Jackson Browne, and more.

Don’t miss your opportunity to catch the best of tomorrow’s film producers! Tickets are limited. For more information, visit www.hatchfest.com.