JANUARY 2023 Ghost Towns and History of Montana Newsletter From the River Press, Jan. 20, 1892 Tidbits of Farlin, Montana Local company predicts Farlin to be “One of the best camps in the state.” - 1903 as reported by the Dillon Examiner As mining camps started to boom, so did the dangers involved with attaining those payouts. Fourteen miles west of Glen and north of Bannack, the camp of Farlin would grow to a population of about 500. The Indian Queen mine was a great producer for a period of time and treated her workers well. But, the pioneers of this camp would face many trials and tribulations along the way. Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz Several miners working the night shift on June 6 of 1904 underwent quite an experience. According to the Dillon Examiner, an exhaust pipe leading from the gasoline engine was somehow disconnected and by midnight, it Accessed via: https://montananewspapers.org had reached the lower levels of the mine. As panic set in, some of the men made it out just by the skin of their teeth. Fortunately, no serious results were reported. Poor old Thomas Williams, a well known miner of Farlin, would meet his maker while working in the Indian Queen. It was August 8th, 1906, a Monday morning. Thomas was working down in a winze with fellow miner Reme Coyner and for most of the day, things ran smoothly. But, when buckets Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz
P 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 stopped coming up, Coyner went to check on Thomas. He would find him slumped over and breathing heavily. When he could not rouse his fellow worker, he went to get help. Unfortunately, by the time help arrived, Thomas would be dead. The Examiner reports that his death was due to heart failure. Many friends mourned the death of the man who was described as a “good citizen and a man whom everybody liked and admired.” Not all accidents were mining related. In the winter of 1906, Ed Nyhart was hauling hay when one of the boards broke on his wagon. Ed said he got lucky to only have suffered an injured arm. On an occasion or two, a wild animal would wander into town and create a stir. The good times also flowed freely through the camp, like when a Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz fishing party returned from the Big Hole with a load full of trout. Or, when the local hunters came home with 13 fine deer. Many dances and wedding took place. A win from the baseball team caused all to cheer. A 15-11 win over the Dillonites in the summer of 1904 made for a pleasant afternoon. As the social scene also started to boom, Mrs. Emma Stanfield saw the need to organize a Whist Club. On November 15th of 1903, she did just that. After drafting rules and regulations and electing officers, the “Farlin Whist Club” was born. At meetings, members would enjoy a few rounds of the trick-taking card game and then enjoy some music and dancing. The hostess would then serve delicious refreshments before the evening came to an end. Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz A building boom took place in 1904. The camp would eventually grow to house miners’ cabins, stores, a school, a butcher shop, a smelter and a post office that opened in 1905 with Gertrude Black serving as the postmaster. Mrs. Willoughky led the Farlin Choir that provided many hours of entertainment at various gatherings. A visit from the stork always brought joy to the camp. The name “Farlin” was chosen to honor O.D. and W.L. Farlin who discovered a claim in the 1860s. Although it was J.A. Kline who found rich ores here even before that. It would take several years for the Farlin brothers to start working the area. Progress was slow at first with a small boost arriving with the Utah and Northern tracks being laid to Dillon in the early 1880s. The mining camp really took off at the Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz
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 turn of the century as claims changed hands again. Between 1905 and 1906, the Indian Queen produced half a million pounds of copper along with some silver and a bit of gold. The future still looked bright in 1908 when the local newspaper reported that a man from Dillon, Dug Newcomer had visited Farlin and decided to build a “Kentucky Hardware” business. Even though the smelter had been closed a year prior, the new owners found more than enough ore after blowing out the mine and Dug believed Farlin would become “the liveliest camp in Beaverhead County.” The success wouldn’t last. The ore continued to decline in the years to come and in 1923, the mine closed. No longer will the town come to life on payday, no longer will school children perform recitals for their families and friends, no longer will a load of produce be seen coming Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz down the street. The camp may have gone silent but it still has plenty to say… Elkhorn, Montana– Historic Mining Town The Elkhorn Mine's first rich silver deposits were discovered in 1870 by Peter Wys. In 1872, the mine was purchased by Anton M. Holter. A.M. Holter was a pioneer from the Alder Gulch mining camp who later became a successful business man residing in Helena, MT. The newly purchased mine became known as the A.M. Holter Lode, or even more popularly known as the Elkhorn Mine, named after Elkhorn Gulch in which it was built. As the mine flourished the new town of Elkhorn grew. Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz By 1888 A.M. Holter thought the best ore had played out, so he sold the mine to an English syndicate, the London-Swansea Developing Co., for a half a million dollars. The English company made more improvements to the mine and mill, and the mine did well until the collapse of silver prices in 1896. The Elkhorn Mine was up for sale again. In 1901 three men from Helena, John, Henry and Frank Longmaid, reopened the mine. They pumped the water out of the mine and revamped the mill. They collected ore from the mine as well as reworking the waste dumps. Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz The Town of Elkhorn's population was 2,500 for a short time during the 1890's. This was while the mining production was going strong. Elkhorn was booming!! The ethnic diversity of Elkhorn during this time was significant. Fortune seekers had come from all over the world to participate in the mining booms of the western United States, and now they were in Elkhorn. Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz
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 In addition to its many saloons, Elkhorn also had a meeting hall, schools, doctors office, post office, butcher shop, newspaper office, livery stable, barbershop, jewelry store, candy store, and several hotels, general stores, and boarding houses. True to the times, hardship was a way of life for the people of Elkhorn. Between the winter of 1888/89 and the following summer, an epidemic known as brain fever, diphtheria, broke out in Elkhorn. Unfortunately the children felt the brunt of the epidemic. The cemetery above town tells the sad story with the headstones of children whose birth and death dates are very close together. The Elkhorn Mine was not the only mine near or around Elkhorn, at the time. Several other mines operated successfully, but their significance paled in the shadow of the big Elkhorn Mine. Some of these other mines were the C & D, Golden Curry, Queen and Elkhorn Skyline. During its most productive years the Elkhorn mine produced 14 million dollars in silver. It's known that considerable amounts of silver, gold, and lead were taken from the mines. By 1900 - 8,902,000 Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz ounces of silver, 8,500 ounces of gold, and 14,000,000 pounds of lead were produced. In 1889 the Northern Pacific Railroad built a railroad system up the steep grade from Boulder to Elkhorn in order to ship ore to the East Helena smelter to provide passenger service, and to bring coal for the mine and mill because wood was being depleted around the town. The economic impact was hard felt in 1918, due to the decline of Elkhorn's and the Boulder Valley's prosperous activities. The rail service was cut, and by 1931 the tracks had been removed. One old time resident of Elkhorn is reported to have said, "When the train whistle was finally stilled the end of an era was at hand." The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks acquired two buildings on the main street of Elkhorn in the early 1980's, Fraternity and Gillian Halls. During the summer of 1993 the Department stabilized these two buildings. Both buildings have been recorded in the Historic American Buildings Survey and are now designated as a state park. At the present time only a handful of residents still occupy the Elkhorn Historic Mining Town. The current residents welcome you to visit their town which has seen many a busy day in the past. Visitors can wander the streets and enjoy the remnants of this once booming town. Interpretive signs are present on significant buildings and sites. Out of respect for their privacy please remain on Main St. It is important that visitors know that other than the two buildings owned by the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Fraternity and Gillian Halls, the rest of Elkhorn is privately owned. Respect for this private property is demanded! Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz
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 Fraternity Hall is a picturesque two story building on main street., and at one time was the community's gathering place for certain social activities. It was built during the 1890's. Dances were held on the second floor, while people interested in eating could do so on the first floor. Certain fraternity groups or lodges like the Masons, Knights of Pythias, 1.0.0.F., and the I.O.G.I also held meetings on the second floor. Another activity that occurred in Fraternity Hall was prize fighting. Such professional boxers as Ike Hayes, Maurice Thompson, and Lloyd Locker were known to box in Fraternity Hall. Fraternity Hall also hosted public meetings, basket socials, concerts (held by the Cornish Glee Club singers), school programs, and vaudeville performances. Fraternity Hall was the site of an isolated shooting death in Elkhorn. Because of Fraternity Hall's high profile in many newspaper and magazine articles, its castellated cornice and suspended balcony has become a known symbol for the town of Elkhorn. Gillian Hall was acquired at the same time as Fraternity Hall by the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. It was built during the early boom years of Elkhorn. It stands next to the larger Fraternity Hall, but its structural uniqueness gives Gillian Hall its own personality. The hall is faced with large windows and the remains of an upstairs balcony. Unfortunately there is very little written down in the history books about Gillian Hall. It is thought that Gillian Hall served either as a store or saloon, and its purpose for the old residents of Elkhorn is left to the imagination. It is also possible to enter and enjoy the first floor of Gillian Hall. The hall does have a second floor, but the staircase that once led upstairs has submitted to the harsh elements of time and climate. Elkhorn Historic Mining Town is a truly unique place, and you are invited along with family and friend to come visit Elkhorn State Park. Remember to respect the buildings and private property. Please don't smoke in either of the old buildings as they are highly susceptible to fire. Primitive camping facilities are provided just outside of town by the U.S. Forest Service. Trails leading into the Elkhorn Mountains, on the Deer lodge National Forest, are nearby. Come visit and enjoy!! Location Elkhorn is found by following Interstate 15 to the Boulder exit. Travel seven miles south on Highway 69 towards Whitehall. Tum left at the Elkhorn sign, and travel eleven miles north on the gravel road to Elkhorn. -Courtesy of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
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 1) TOM BELL'S CABIN (Private) Tom Bell was the great grandson of Fred Bell. Fred Bell owned and ran the livery stable across the street. Tom, his grandfather Fred W. Bell and his great grandfather Fred are all buried in the Elkhorn cemetery. this well preserved building is a good example of the log structures built to house the men and families of early Elkhorn. 2) THE ELKHORN SCHOOL (Private) was built as the town 's population grew, and the people recognized a need to provide education to the children of Elkhorn. This building was the first school of Elkhorn before 1880. In 1884 the building behind this one was built as another school. At one time the Elkhorn school's student body, first through eighth grade, reached 200 students and three separate school buildings were in use. Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz 3) FRATERNITY HALL is owned by the Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks. 4) GILLIAN HALL, along with Fraternity Hall is currently owned by the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, which in the summer of 1993 contracted a stabilization and preservation project to extend their structural lives. 5) ELKHORN TRADING COMPANY STORE, (Private) was also known as the trading post. This store sold the necessities to the residents of the town, like coffee, flour, eggs, nails, camp oil, overalls, material, tobacco, etc. 6) HOFFMAN'S BARBERSHOP (Private) In the early years due to the scarcity of water, was the only place one could buy a tub full of water to bathe in. During the boom this little shop was quite busy with people seeking a bath and a shave. 7) & 8) FORD'S CANDY STORE AND JEWELRY SHOP (Private) have long been overtaken by the elements, and only interpretive signs mark their places on main street. Still their presence in Elkhorn shows that at one time the residents could afford the small and large luxuries these absent buildings once provided. 9) SHRINER'S GENERAL STORE (Private) like the Elkhorn Trading Co. Store, furnished needed articles to the people of Elkhorn. Traditionally, the general store was a place of gossip and loitering. People could buy things they needed; and at the same time pick up a few pieces of personal information about another resident or happening to share with a neighbor or friend. 10) THE METROPOLITAN HOTEL (Private) was one of the several hotels in Elkhorn. This big structure was able to sleep 30 to 40 people at one time. The hotel later became a boarding house for those who needed a more permanent place to stay. (Dismantled) 11) THE SALOON (Private) was one of the many that operated in Elkhorn. These saloons were usually segregated according to ethnic and occupational differences. Disputes that occurred between the different groups were settled by the Marquis of Queensbury rules for boxing. These segregated saloons offered a gathering place to the men after a long day of hard work. (No longer standing) 12) THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE (Private) due to the times, was very busy with residents suffering from illness and injury. Though health care was primitive, the doctors did their best to treat the ailments of the residents of Elkhorn. The building was also used as a school house in the 1930s. (No longer standing)
P 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 13) THE SHOEMAKERS SHOP (Private) was originally owned by N. Norem. This shop provided new shoes and shoe repair for the residents of Elkhorn. The booming town needed such craftsmen like the shoe maker. A blacksmith, butcher, jeweler, and other craftsmen were also present in Elkhorn at one time. 14) THE COMMUNITY CHURCH (Private) became the place of worship required by the town. Many of the men working in Elkhorn were family men, and part of a family’s activities included attending church services as often as possible. The church, which burned in 1912 a victim of dreaded fire, is only a vacant place on main street. 15) & 16) THE MINER'S CLUB HOUSE AND THE SALT HOUSE (Private) that once stood near the shoe makers shop are also only sites marked by signs. The Miner's Club House held private meetings and social gatherings of the miners, while the salt house was originally a residence and was later used to store salt. 17) THE MINE WATCHMAN'S CABIN (Private) served as the first doctor's office for Elkhorn, but due to its proximity to the Elkhorn Mine, it became the live-in quarters of Ed Rattell, the mine watchman. From this cabin Rattell kept a close eye on their “goings on" around the mine. 18) THE ELKHORN MINE (Private) first discovered by Peter Wys in 1870, was the namesake for the town of Elkhorn. A.M. Holter turned it into the dominant producing mine of the area after its purchase in 1872. It was owned by such people as A.M. Holter, the London-Swansea Developing Company, John Henry and Frank Longmaid, and several others. The big mill is gone now, along with many other of its old buildings. Its tailings and a few remaining buildings are the only remnants. 19) THE CEMETERY Picket wood and iron rod fences border several grave sites. Stone and wood headstones are present to mark the unfortunate one's resting places. Many headstones belong to small children and teenagers who lost their lives in the diphtheria epidemic that struck Elkhorn in the late 1880's. A) Mark Moreau's - "Dog House" (private) B) Mobeck's Cabin (Private) C) Old Boarding House - Spruile Brader birthplace. (Private) Bannack, Montana- "We had extremely cold weather here the week before last. The mercury in the thermometers after going forty degrees below zero froze in the bulb. I never knew such cold weather. I was so afraid that the children would freeze their noses or ears that I got up a number of times in the night to see that their heads were covered. Their beds would be covered with frost."- Mary Edgerton, Winter 1863-1864 Photo: Old cabin on a cold winter's day in Bannack. P.S.- when I took this photo it was only about -23 but it was still pretty cold! Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz GRAPE CATSUP —Take five pounds of grapes and stew over a slow fire until soft; then rub through a sieve. Add two and a half pounds of sugar, one tablespoonful of allspice, one of pepper, one of cinnamon, one of cloves, half a tablespoonfull of salt, and a pint of vinegar. Boil slowly until thick and smooth, then bottle. -From The Ismay Journal, November. 14, 1913
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 Ben Greenough The life of Red Lodge pioneer Ben Greenough was one adventure after another. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and arrived in Billings penniless and hungry in the winter of 1886. He courageously walked into the Headquarters Hotel, asked for a job, and was hired as the hotel’s yard man and porter. In this capacity, he met Martha Jane Canary, otherwise known as Calamity Jane. One of Greenough’s jobs was to build fires in the hotel rooms before the guests arose in the morning. He bought the cordwood from Calamity Jane who cut the wood and sold it for eight dollars a cord. Greenough would pay her, and Calamity would then give half of it back to Greenough for safekeeping. She would hit the saloon and drink up the four dollars, and when it was gone, Greenough would give her back the other half. Library of Congress, LC-USF34-058658-E Greenough later went to work for cattleman Nelson Story and then worked at a sawmill on Willow Creek. Here Greenough learned one of his trademarks—how to swear. This came about when he had to drive two stubborn bulls into the timber for several months. Greenough drove the mail stage from Billings to Red Lodge, worked on the railroad, ran cattle on the Crow reservation and learned to speak the Crow language fluently. He was good friends with Plenty Coups and knew Sitting Bull. In 1900, Greenough married and settled down, more or less, on a ranch on Rock Creek near Red Lodge. His seven children learned to ride by breaking horses. There were so many rocks in the corral, the kids didn’t dare fall off and all became exceptional riders. His son Turk and daughters Margaret and Alice were rodeo champions. –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
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