P a g e 7 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 Elkhorn Mine and Coolidge Ghost Town- Located 6 miles off the Pioneer Mountains National Scenic Byway, the Elkhorn Mine was discovered on October 24, 1873, by Mike Steel and F.W. Panish. Bill Roe was said to have given the mine it’s name as a result of having found a pair of elk horns in the area. The mine was first opened and worked by a company financed in the East. Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz Silver ore, which was the mine’s primary metal, was hauled by bull teams as far as Corrine, Utah, where it was loaded on railroad cars and transported to San Francisco. At San Francisco the ore was transferred to ships sailing for Swansea, Wales, where it was treated and made into metal. In 1911, Mr. William R, Allen had begun buying claims in the area and in 1913, he formed the Boston Montana Mining Company, who hired S. W. Hall to come to the mine and examine the Elkhorn properties. Hall spent forty days investigating the claims. Impressed, he urged the company to begin operations which had every indication of a big return. At this time, the seeds of Allen’s dream must have surely begun to form. William R. Allen was born in French Gulch near Anaconda, Montana, in July of 1871. He received his early education in the Deer Lodge county school, then attended the Helena Business College, where he graduated with honors in 1891. As a young man he was employed by Marcus Daly in the early development of the Anaconda smelter and was in charge of Mr. Daly’s lumber business. In 1893, Mr. Allen marPhoto by Jolene Ewert-Hintz ried Eliza Berkin, and they had four children together. Following his wife’s death in 1917, Allen married Ethel Louise deMar, with whom he raised three children. In 1902, Allen was elected to the legislature, representing the Republican party from his county. He served in the capacity until 1908, when he was elected lieutenant governor, serving in this office under Governor Edwin L. Norris until 1913. When he retired from politics, he decided to devote his time to raising money for the de
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