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 headed east in January 1864. Meanwhile, the Idaho Legislature at Lewiston obligingly petitioned Congress to carve a new territory named Jefferson out of Idaho, with the dividing line along the Continental Divide and the 113th meridian, locating Idaho’s new eastern boundary just west of the Deer Lodge Valley. Edgerton’s friendship with President Abraham Lincoln led to his appointment as the first governor of Montana Territory on June 27, 1864. Facing the job of creating a government for the territory, his first order of business was to name Bannack the “capital.” The choice was simple – Bannack was where Edgerton lived, and he didn’t want to move. With the designation of the new territory, a Legislature was needed – another task for the governor. At noon on Dec. 12, 1864, Gov. Sidney Edgerton presided over the 20 newly elected representatives in Bannack for the first meeting of the Montana Territorial Legislature. After a joint session, the 13-member House reconvened in a two-story log building, and the seven-member Council (the future Senate) met in a smaller structure nearby. The precise location of the original “chambers” is not known, but early accounts place them in the vicinity of the Hotel Meade, which wasn't built until 1875. Even as the historical first session was nearing a close, Bannack’s political future looked bleak. The once easy-to-find gold was playing out, and folks were leaving. On Feb. 7, 1865, the lawmakers voted to move the capital to Virginia City, which grew out of the biggest gold strike ever in Montana at Alder Gulch on May 26, 1863. Virginia City retained first city status until April 19, 1875, when it too lost population and finally relinquished its title to Helena. During the territory’s initial 16 months of existence, Montana had no territorial secretary who could sign federal warrants. This meant the governor could not spend federal funds. As a result, Edgerton, hoping to someday be reimbursed, paid for much of the cost of establishing a government out of his own pocket. In late September 1865, a secretary finally arrived. Thomas Francis Meagher was appointed by Lincoln's successor, President Andrew Johnson, to be secretary of Montana Territory with an office in Virginia City. Edgerton turned the reins of government over to the new secretary, effectively making Meagher acting governor. Edgerton then left Bannack immediately to attend to personal business in Ohio and Montana concerns in Washington, D.C. President Johnson intensely disliked Republicans like Edgerton and seized this opportunity to get rid of him. Montana owes its size and name to the efforts of this gentleman from Ohio. Bannack would not have enjoyed its reign as first territorial capital and the distinction of serving as the foundation for the territory and future state of Montana if Sidney Edgerton hadn’t chosen it. Whatever followed in terms of government had its roots in the little mining camp on Grasshopper Creek. Catch next month’s newsletter for Part 4! Provided Courtesy of: University of Montana | Department of Geography | Rick and Susie Graetz Originally published on THIS IS MONTANA, an uncommon website. By means of photography, essays, maps, and much more, the University of Montana presents a vivid portrait of the beauty and uniqueness of the Montana. Check out more at: https://www.umt.edu/this-is-montana/ default.php
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