A publication by Ghost Towns & History of Montana Aug. 10th –Aug. 16th 2025 Montana Stories, Photos & Fun! Please share this with a friend New Chicago Photo Courtesy NPS Town Site of Cinnabar, Montana In 1932, Yellowstone National Park increased in size by 7,609 acres to the north, on the west side of the Yellowstone River. Most of what are called the “boundary lands” was purchased from willing owners; the rest was taken by eminent domain. But the town of Cinnabar had been abandoned long before. New Chicago, first called West Chicago, was located on the west bank of Flint Creek. However, the town site was established on the east side of Flint Creek because this was where the junction of the Mullan Road and the road to Philipsburg were located. In other words, New Chicago was established as a commercial trade center. The town had many amenities, including a Post Office, of which founder John A. Featherman was the postmaster. New Chicago also included two hotels, two stores, two saloons, a flour mill, a telegraph station, several stables, a stage station, and a Wells Fargo office. In 1874, a village school was built which was later restored and currently stands in Drummond. With the arrival of the railroad to Drummond (Edwardsville) in August of 1883, the hopes and dreams of New Chicago slowly ceased to exist, as did the town. – Courtesy Philipsburg Chamber of Commerce Weird Montana Laws The next time you head out to your favorite fishing hole ladies, here’s a good laugh for you. Married ladies are only allowed to go fishing alone on Sundays and single ladies aren’t allowed to go fishing alone at all! Thankfully, these rules are of course not enforced. It’s also illegal to use a lasso to catch a fish so don’t try that either! ©2025 Ghost Towns and History of Montana, LLC. All rights reserved. Construction of the branch line from Livingston in 1883 made Cinnabar a hub for passengers and freight until the last three miles to the park entrance were built 20 years later. Nothing remains of the town today except archeological evidence from which something can be learned about the lives of its residents in the late 1800s. To prevent impacts to archeological resources during a native plant restoration project planned for the boundary lands area, it was necessary to document where such resources were located. The Montana-Yellowstone Archeological Project (MYAP), a collaboration between the University of Montana and the National Park Service, surveyed about 3,000 acres and confirmed the location of the Cinnabar depot, excavated the blacksmith shop, and a likely foundation of a hotel. Historical artifacts on site included a railroad sign and revolver bullets. The MYAP team also documented sites with prehistoric components, including a tipi ring cluster approximately 5,000 years old—one of the oldest known in the Northern Plains. They identified a total of 18 stone circles and salvaged five prehistoric fire pits that were eroding out of the banks of the Yellowstone River downstream from Cinnabar. These were probably last used by the Pelican Lake culture that lived there 2,000 years ago.Courtesy of nps.gov OUT AND ABOUT Black Diamonds - Speaker Series - Talk & Field Trip Thursday, August 14, 2025 •4:30PM 7:30PM •Carbon County Historical Society & Museum (map) August 14, 2025 at 4:30 PM This is a Speaker Series & a Field Trip! Please wear good footwear and protective clothing. Bottled water strongly encouraged. *FREE for Members *$5 for General Admission *Personal Transportation Required Join author Robert Schalla as he delves into the fascinating story of Frank Avery Hall; an entrepreneur from Wisconsin who arrived in Montana in 1898 with the dream of building a tourist railroad to Yellowstone National Park. He later joined forces with Billings civil engineer Phillip M. Gallaher to build a rail line to Cooke City, following the Clarks Fork River... More Details Bonner Milltown History Center 9397 MT-200 E, Bonner, MT 59823 (406) 540-4046 info@bonnermilltownhistory.org The Mission of the Bonner Milltown History Center and Museum is to keep our local area and timber heritage alive for the enjoyment and education of the public. The Vision of the BonnerMilltown History Center and Museum is to inspire a sense of place of a no-longer existing company town by collecting, preserving, and sharing the area’s cultural heritage. The major focus is stories of the mill, its timberlands, community. Our stories include, but are not limited to employees, families, transportation, religion, recreation, women, environment, and Native American and minority-based history as it relates to the Bonner area. Hours: Tues. 9 am - noon coffee group meets (everyone welcome) Wed.10am - 2 pm public hours Fri. 10am - 2 pm Roads and Rabbit Holes group meets 10am - noon (everyone welcome) Or call for appt. Tidbits
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