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 ing the waning years of the Great Depression. The camp housed from 137-200 young men. They performed a variety of work on the Helena NF, including campground improvements, road maintenance and fire hazard reduction. Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz World War II soon led to the closure of Camp Rimini in 1942. It was quickly transformed into an army dog-training facility—or War Dog Reception and Training Center. It accommodated some 235 military personnel and 700-900 dogs of various breeds. The dogs were to be used for the proposed Allied invasion of Nazi Europe through Norway. When these plans were abandoned for an alternative plan to invade through northern France (Normandy), the camp refocused on training dogs and men for Artic Search and Rescue units. Forest Service personnel stationed or working out of Moose Creek RS also indirectly helped in the management of this facility (i.e., laying out dog sledding trails, rescue of lost men, bear control). The Camp Rimini dog training facility was closed in March of 1944. The Forest Service held a public sale of many of the portable buildings at Camp Rimini. Because ranger district headquarters had been moved to Helena, the old Moose Creek RS was also sold. The building complex (cabin, garage and cellar) had a succession of private owners (who used the cabin under a Special Use Permit Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz authorization) until 1998, when the cabin came back into FS ownership. In 2001, the Helena National Forest began restoring the old ranger station for use as summer educational facility and winter rental cabin.- Courtesy of https://www.fs.usda.gov/ Many a paycheck was lost on drinks and card games in Garnet's 13 saloons. Liquor was seen as one of life's necessities. One story that is told is about a miner on his death bed who wished to be buried in sanctified ground, the closest which would be Deer Lodge. A group of men after his death loaded his casket in a wagon and proceeded to Deer Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz Lodge through the mountain pass. They made a few drinking stops before and during the trip. When they reached Deer Lodge the casket was missing. Though the men looked they never found the casket and the man never got his final wish... Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz
7 Publizr Home