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 and then Henry Villard, drove its last spike at Gold Creek east of Missoula. Just four years later, a second transcontinental, James J. Hill’s Great Northern, cut across the Hi-Line to Havre, then southwest to Helena and Butte. Provided Courtesy of: Harry W. Fritz | University of Montana | Department of History 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 S a n d P a r k C e m e t e r y As I drive up to Garnet on the Garnet Range Road, there is a sign that says “Sand Park Cemetery” and I am intrigued as to why there is a lone cemetery along the side of the road. I park the vehicle and see a sign that tells of the miners that were buried there in the very early 1900’s. As I glance up the hill I see some graves, a jack link fence and a path. The graves sit high on the ridge to the west, in a pretty little sloping meadow. A little less then four miles northwest of the preserved ghost town of Garnet. Sand Park primarily served Coloma. I grabbed the camera and off I go to see what is there. There are four weathered wooden grave markers sitting among wild flowers and dead tulip plants. Frank Hamilton (1905) , William Ross (1898), William Scheenan, (1906) and Tom Williams (1898) Frank Holmes (1915)These are remote graves that offer a glimpse into Montana’s gold mining past. But, who are these men? Frank Holmes was simply called Frank. Turns out Holmes led a reasonably nondescript life as a quartz miner and saloonkeeper. A 20 year old immigrant from Sweden in 1880, he lived in Garnet when the 1900 and 1910 censuses were taken. Holmes never married and was probably roomed in the Ivernson Hotel when fire leveled it and most of the rest of downtown Garnet on Oct 1, 1912. Holmes died “very suddenly” of heart failure at age 54 on March 11, 1915, not in 1914 as his grave marker suggests. His assets were related to his saloon business, including a dozen quarts of Budweiser beer, 332 gallons of whiskey, several hundred cigars, various taxidermied animal heads and an Edison Graphophone with 40 records. He left an undivided one half interest in and to the Lucky Star Mining Claim and a two room frame house near the claim. These items were purchased by F.A. Davey at a public auction. Photo Courtesy of GPA
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