Montana Ghost Towns
Montana had a gold rush all its own and with each boom and bust a ghost town was left behind. Below are some of the most interesting ghost towns in MT waiting for you to explore.
Bannack
It was here that gold was first discovered in 1862, and with this find the town’s population went from zero to 3,000 within one year. Today, you will find more than 50 of the original buildings, some of which are a church, a hotel, Montana’s first jail, a courthouse, and numerous homes.  While visiting Bannack, you feel as though time has stopped and expect to see a stagecoach or tumbleweed come rolling down the street. To see Bannack at its busiest, visit during July for the Bannack Days Festival. Fun includes stagecoach rides, old-time dancing, panning for gold and staged gunfights on Main Street.
Castle
Also known as White Sulphur Springs, this former lead producing and silver mining camp once had 14 saloons. Today you can wander its buildings and imagine life as it was 100+ years ago. For a while it was home to Calamity Jane as she attempted to run a restaurant and live the life of a lady. At its peak, there were around 2,000 residents; however, its location required that everything had to be hauled in. Castle began to go downhill when silver strikes declined in 1893. People left for more promising fields, leaving behind those determined to make it by mining lead. Unfortunately, the price of lead dropped and the town was finished. There were, however, two old timers who stayed on until 1938.
Marysville (Helena)
When in 1876 Thomas Cruse discovered gold in the Drumlummon Mine the town grew to 3,000 residents and during the 1880s an 90’s it was Montana’s premiere gold producer with approximately $50,000,000 worth of gold fond in its depths. It now consists of abandoned churches, buildings, saloons and a baseball field with bleachers that still stands. There is also a fully equipped restaurant that is open Tuesday-Saturday during the summer and Wednesday –Saturday the rest of the year. 
Anaconda
Ghost towns and sapphire mines are located near Georgetown Lake on the Pinther Scenic Route. Area ghost towns include Gold Coin Mine, Southern Cross, Old Georgetown, Garnet, Coolidge, and Racetrack.
Emigrant Gulch (Livingston)
When gold was discovered in 1862, Chico and Yellowstone City’s population exploded then quickly dissipated due to the small quantity of gold and the forcefulness of the Crow Indians.
Elkhorn
Although it looks like a Hollywood movie prop, it is the real thing and one of America’s best. Most of it is privately owned but there are 2 buildings which have been preserved in a state of arrested deterioration which preserves the structures to prevent additional decay. The town boomed from 1872 into the 1890s.
Granite
Over $40 million in silver was mined here during 1883-1893 as well as 1898 to 1904. Today the town consist of aging wooden buildings that once housed saloons, general stores, hotels and several thousand people.
Other Montana ghost towns include Absher, Aldridge, Basin, Electric, Maiden, Red Bluff, Ruby, Pony, Kirkville, Lorine, Jardine, Strawberry, Tower, Yogo and Zortman.
Photo Credits: Banner Photo by Seamus Murray; Wagon Wheel by Feet you Wear; Bannack Through Window by Chippee |
