A publication by Ghost Towns & History of Montana July 27th –Aug. 2nd 2025 Montana Stories, Photos & Fun! Please share this with a friend Maurice Family NPS Photo A view from above of Hillsboro showing Hulbert's cabin (prerestoration) and the milk house (center right). Historic Hillsboro Joe Maurice arrived from Belgium in 1883 at the age of 13. He married young and established a homestead here in the Gold Creek drainage. A horse kicked the sight out of his right eye, but he still scratched out a living raising some cattle and panning a little gold. During the harsh winter of 1905 his wife died of diphtheria; that spring, his two little children died of typhoid fever. It is believed he buried them in the graveyard on this hill. His remaining eyesight steadily dimmed but he stuck it out here, close to loved ones until 1963 when friends persuaded him to move to a nearby rest home. Joe Maurice passed away in 1967 at the age of 97. Thanks to their perseverance, early homesteaders like Joe and his family left a legacy of courage, adaptability, and faith, paving the way for those to come. According to Guinness World Records, The greatest temperature variation in a single location in a 24-hour period is 57.2°C (103°F), recorded in Loma, Montana, USA, on 14-15 January 1972. Over the course of a day, the town experienced a rise from - 47.7°C (-54°F) at 9 a.m. on 14 Jan to 9.4°C (49°F) by 8 a.m. on 15 Jan. The extreme plunge in temperature in Loma was caused by a downslope chinook wind event. Puzzle made at puzzle-maker.com There are eight historic structures at the ghost town of Hillsboro, Montana. These structures are listed together in the National Register of Historic Places as Cedarvale, the first dude ranch in the area. A Visionary Place Cedarvale was the brain child of Grosvener W. Barry. Barry was the first to recognize the recreation potential of the Bighorn Canyon area. As such, Barry, his family, and close friends built the ranch to host dudes who came from as far away as Maine and Texas to enjoy the western lifestyle. Activities at the ranch included fishing, hunting, and boating trips. Barry died in 1920, but the dude ranch continued on for another decade. After that, his son Claude St. John and metalworker Eddy Hulbert became the main caretakers for the structures up until 1960. Following the designation of Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area in 1968, the National Park Service began management of the properties. Over the last decade a concerted effort has been made by the park’s Cultural Resource Management team to stabilize structures and renovate them to their historic condition. -Courtesy of https://www.nps.gov/ Sandstone Obsidian Pumice Gold Diamond Cleavage Quartzite Gabbro Gneiss Marble Luster Shale Limestone Magma Emerald Ruby Opal Granite Igneous Topaz Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz BANNACK STATE PARK MILL TOUR SATURDAY, 8/2/2025 721 Bannack, Bannack, MT Phone: (406) 834-3413 The mill tour at Bannack State Park offers a unique window into Montana’s gold mining past. Constructed in 1918, the Hendricks/Apex Mill is one of only two remaining intact mills in the state open to visitors. It played a key role in gold extraction, using cyanide processing—a common technique during the gold rush. Today, the mill is a well-preserved landmark of Montana’s industrial era, maintained as part of the park’s dedication to preserving its historic legacy. ©2025 Ghost Towns and History of Montana, LLC. All rights reserved. CLICK FOR MAP OUT AND ABOUT Helena History ToursDiscover Helena’s Hidden Histories! Engaging walking and Trolley tours available June-Oct. For more info visit https://www.mthistory.org/tours or email: helenahistoryhelena@gmail.co m Meagher County Arts & Cultural Trail This driving route was a project approved by the Chamber of Commerce in January of 2017, intended to offer a new way to see all the amazing communities in our county. In less than 2 hours, you can visit new areas and view 5 different mountain ranges. Just follow the barn quilts! Tidbits
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