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 S.R. Buford & Company- Rounded arches and a tall false front characterize Virginia City’s first brick building, built by clothing merchant E.J. Walter in 1875. It is said that construction using locally produced bricks was accomplished as a test before the building of the Madison County Courthouse. Backed by banker Henry Elling, Simeon R. Buford opened the region’s largest grocery store here in 1878. Buford’s was the supply point for most of southwestern Montana, including the infant “Butte City.” In later years Butte’s huge warehouses would, in turn, supply Buford’s own business. Most of the merchandise displayed, including the canned goods, came from Buford’s Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz inventory. -National Register of Historic Places in cooperation with https://mhs.mt.gov/ The town of Brandon, Montana was located at the mouth of Mill Creek near Sheridan. The mining camp was established in 1864 but never did gain a post office. The area was first prospected a couple of years earlier. Many mines were soon in operation. The town was most active between 1903 and 1904 but would see three mining booms in its time. At it’s peak it had a few hundred residents, a boarding house, a dance hall, saloons, a schoolhouse, two blacksmith shops and the Brandon City House Hotel. Brandon even appeared on the ballots for the title of new territorial capital although, that seemed to be more for amusement than anything else. However, Brandon only lost by a single vote… Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz My/Donor Information: SUBSCRIBE TO THE GHOST TOWNS AND HISTORY OF MONTANA NEWSLETTER! Renewal? Y/N Send a Gift to: NAME____________________________________ NAME___________________________________ ADDRESS__________________________________ ADDRESS_________________________________ CITY______________________________________ CITY_____________________________________ STATE__________________ZIP________________STATE_________________ ZIP________________ Yearly subscriptions are $19.95 (published monthly). Please make checks payable to Ghost Towns & History of MT, LLC and send with this clipping to P.O. Box 932 Anaconda, MT 59711
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