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
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