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 MacFarland or Pineau Placer Also known as the Pineau Placer, the MacFarland placer is one of the largest producers in the Gold Creek district as well as being the best documented. The placer was located on the upper middle fork of Gold Creek around 1870, but development of the placer did not occur until 1896. Gus Pineau, Eugeen McFarland and Green Dudley discovered the Friday placer mine in 1895. Shortly thereafter McFarland and Pineau, along with two new partners, began mining the other nearby claims. McFarland is credited with the camp associated with the placer. The camp is credited with $35,000 in gold dust and nuggets between 1896 and 1913. The gold was coarse, about the size of No. 8 buckshot. It has yielded large nuggets, typically 10 ounces, but the largest weighed in at 27 ounces. The gold is valued Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz at $16 to $17 per ounce while the gravel was said to carry about 40 cents gold per yard. – Courtesy of: https://deq.mt.gov/ The history of Danielsville starts way back at the turn of the 20th century when an old Frenchman made a discovery of gold outcroppings in the district. The Kendall Chronicle reported that “The country was hard to get into. On one of the highest peaks, the hardy old man worked away. He found plenty of float and finally found a vein.” He would later lead a party of local men to his discovery but, as the snow started to fall and the cold, miserable weather set in, even the old man became disoriented as to the treasure’s location. Everyone gave up the search but the determined old Frenchman went on alone. His body would be found high in the mountains the following spring. In 1901, the three Daniels brothers along with Frank Jones and Dick LaCerse would rediscover the lode. The news reached Deer Lodge and prospectors arrived for the loot. The townsite of Danielsville was born in 1902 and soon included a genPhoto by Jolene Ewert-Hintz Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz eral store, saloon, hotel and blacksmith shop, among several miners’ cabins.
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