Montana’s Ghost Towns – a Snapshot of the Wild West Frontier

By Donnie Sexton
Senior Writer

If the weathered walls of ghost towns could talk, I can only imagine the secrets they held about life on the frontier.

Imagine an existence without running water, electricity, and only fire for heat and cooking in these simple structures. Envision an abscessed tooth with no dentist to help, or an appendicitis attack with no doctor around –oh, the pain! 

One thing is certain — these prospectors who came in droves to Montana in the 1860s seeking their fortunes in gold and silver were tougher than sixteen penny nails.

Populating the West

Boomtowns sprang up, providing the services needed for these miners and their families – hotels, saloons, schools, general stores, livery stables, assay offices, brothels, churches, and jails for those troublemakers who couldn’t behave by the code of the West.

When the gold and silver deposits dried up, the miners moved on to promises of greener pastures, often leaving the towns deserted. These abandoned places are keepers of Montana’s early history, where preservation efforts have made it possible to wander through the dusty streets and timeworn buildings. Some visitors claim to see ghosts, hear voices, or feel an eerie presence following them. You be the judge.

Montana’s Historical Society lists 62 ghost towns, some nothing more than scraps of decaying wood or discarded mining equipment. Others have several buildings intact and are worthy of a stop, especially when a celebration of sorts is taking place. These are my top picks, all located in Southwest Montana.

Bannack State Park

The granddaddy of Montana ghost towns has to be Bannack, named after the local Bannock Indian tribe that frequented the area.

The town started when gold was discovered in Grasshopper Creek in 1862.  The gold rush was on, with 3,000 folks settling in Bannack by 1863. 

Bannack briefly served as Montana’s first territorial capitol in 1864, until the capitol was moved to Virginia City.  Eventually, the mining dwindled, and townsfolk sought out new opportunities.

The post office closed in 1938, and the school shut down in the early 1950s, turning Bannack into a ghost town.

Today, Bannack is a well-preserved state park with over 50 buildings worth exploring and a seasonal visitor center. Wander on your own, or take a guided tour to learn about the notorious sheriff Henry Plummer and his gang of outlaws known as the “Innocents”. Bannack Days, the third weekend in July, is a lively celebration of the town’s glory days, complete with living history reenactments, gold panning, music, wagon rides, and a stagecoach holdup by bandits looking for the goods.

During October, you might feel something go bump in the night during the nighttime ghost walks.  If you fancy ice skating, during the winter months head to Bannack’s frozen dredge pond. Loaner skates and a warming house are available.

Nevada City

When gold was discovered in Alder Gulch in 1863, the sister towns of Nevada City and Virginia City sprung up. The population along the Gulch would swell to 10,000 people.  It is estimated that this area in Southwest Montana yielded $100 million worth of gold during the 19^th and 20^th centuries.

Saloons, dance halls, hotels, general stores, a post office, a train station, schools, banks, and a Chinese laundry filled the dirt streets of both towns.

Today, Nevada City is an open-air museum with over 100 buildings, complete with living history demonstrations on the summer weekends.

The museum is open from Memorial Day through mid-September. Self-guiding maps detail the history behind each of the structures.

Not to be missed is the Nevada City Music Hall at the museum’s entrance, with its colorful display of antique music machines, some still in working order. Basic accommodations are possible (summer only) in the Nevada City Hotel and Cabins, but be aware: there have been many reports of ghostly encounters.

Virginia City

Virginia City, 1.6 miles from Nevada City, is both a ghost town and a lively summer destination, with historical accommodations, entertainment, eateries, and stagecoach tours. The Virginia City Players offer vaudeville and melodrama productions during the summer, which are suitable for families, while the Brewery Follies offers a risqué, bawdy, and hilarious show best suited for adults.

Wander the streets of this historic town, where you can step inside many of the buildings, complete with artifacts, to see how life unfolded over 130 years ago. Not to be missed is Cousin’s Candy Shop with hundreds of old-timey candy, and the Virginia City Creamery for all sorts of ice cream treats. Head to the Bale of Hay Saloon, Montana’s oldest bar built in 1863, and try a local microbrew.

The annual Grand Victorian Ball mid-August is chock full of folks dressed in period clothing, parading through the boardwalks of Virginia City before heading to the dance hall for traditional waltzing and other period dances. If you fancy joining in, rent a costume, sign up for the afternoon dance lessons, and strut your stuff in the ballroom in the evening.

Granite Ghost Town

Granite Ghost Town owes its beginnings to a prospector named Holland, who discovered silver in the Flint Creek Range in 1872. In its heyday, Granite proved to be the richest silver mine on earth, but it might never have been discovered if a telegram from the east hadn’t been delayed.

Learning that the mine wasn’t yielding much, wealthy easterners funding the efforts ordered an end to the operations. But because the message was delayed, the miners worked on and the final blast on the last shift uncovered a bonanza, which yielded $40,000,000 in silver.   

Not much is left of Granite, but it’s worth a short side trip up a steep, winding road from my favorite Montana town, Philipsburg. Pburg, as the locals call it, is pure delight. Shift through a bag of gravel for sapphires at the Sapphire Gallery, stock up on homemade fudge and saltwater taffy at the Sweet Palace, try a local brew at Philipsburg Brewery, and stroll the boardwalks in search of antiques, boutique clothing, and outdoor gear.

Garnet Ghost Town

Tucked deep into the Garnet Range is another gem of a ghost town, Garnet, named after the semi-precious stone found in the area. Now under the care of the Bureau of Land Management, Garnet sprung to life after gold was discovered in 1897.

By 1898, the town grew to 1,000 strong with four hotels, four general stores, two barber shops, a union hall, a school, a butcher shop, thirteen saloons, and numerous other buildings.

Many buildings remain intact today, with a few showcasing artifacts, making Garnet well worth exploring and easy to reach from Hwy 200, 30 miles east of Missoula. The visitor center should be your first stop. Garnet is open year-round, with winter access possible by snowmobiling or cross-country skiing.

Reeder’s Alley

If your travel plans take you to Montana’s capital city of Helena, don’t miss a stroll through Reeder’s Alley at the edge of town. The stone and brick alley was crafted in the 1870s by a Pennsylvania brick and stone mason named Louis Reeder. Rather than prospecting for gold, he made his fortune by building housing for the miners.

Interpretative signage details the history behind this peaceful neighborhood. At the gateway to Reeder’s Alley is the Pioneer Cabin, the oldest standing building in Helena, having been built in 1864. During the summer the Cabin functions as a museum. Time your visit to be there on Friday or Saturday and stop in at Cotton Top Pastries next to the cabin for exquisite, mouth-watering treats.