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 OLD MINING CAMP OF CASTLE MAY BOOM AS RESULT OF A RECENT RICH DISCOVERY- OCT 7, 1926 By Jos. Gehrett, Editor and Publisher of the Laurel, Montana, Outlook. Ghosts rattled their bones and the practically abandoned old mining town of Castle, which had its boom in the nineties, took on sudden life recently, equal to the days when Castle was producing silver in large quantities. The old town is situated in the Castle mountains, east of White Sulphur Springs, Meagher county, where one of the richest strikes ever recorded in Montana was made recently, says the Meagher County Republican, when some of the engineering force of the Brophy interests at Castle uncovered a rich deposit in the town proper, in the rear of an old saloon at that place. The day was a rainy one, and due to the fact that they could not work in the timber, they came down to the old town, to find a piece of wide, white pine lumber, with which to make a draughting board. Moving rubbish in the back end of the building, they exposed one of the richest pay streaks yet reported. The discovery consisted of 10 gallons of Three Star Hennessey brandy in a barrel, where it had reposed since the closing of the saloon sometime shortly after 1893. It is claimed that one of the discovery party tried to keep the find secret, and maintained it should be used for strictly medicinal purposes. The voters, however, refused to be mislead a second time by that companion, and stood unanimously for a division of the resources. After a long and voluble meeting, it was decided to divvy with every man in camp, and that Whispering Johnson could keep his for medicinal or social purposes, as he should see fit, the enforcement squad willing. Caption on Photo: This picture shows old Castle in its heyday when it was producing silver in large quantities. Silver prices subsequently slumped and then the town slumped, too. Now it is mostly a setting for memories, its buildings unoccupied and falling into decay. The photograph was taken more than 30 years ago, and is reproduced through the courtesy of Mrs. C.L. Morris of Laurel, whose father, Dr. Rhoades, practiced medicine in Castle when the camp was booming. Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz
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