More Montana Ghost Towns

More Montana Ghost Towns & Mining Camps

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Laurin - Another of the many historic towns along Alder Gulch, Laurin was established in 1863 around a trading post ran by a Frenchman named Jean Baptiste Laurin. The settlement, was first called Cicero, but later renamed for the Frenchman. Laurin is pronounced locally as "La-ray." Jean Baptiste Laurin not only operated the first trading post, but also bought up much of the surrounding agricultural land and he and his wife operated the mercantile and ranched in the area for almost four decades. The town began to profit from the many riches of Alder Gulch, as it became a supply center for area miners and fur trappers. Later, when it became home to a railroad station on the Northern Pacific line between Sheridan and Alder, it really began to grow. The supply center soon boasted several retail businesses, a post office, a hotel, saloons, and an ice cream parlor.

Laurin's 1901 Catholic Church is still in use today,

July, 2008, Kathy Weiser.

On January 4, 1864, Laurin gained notoriety when two road agents named Erastus “Red” Yager and George Brown were hanged from a cottonwood tree that still stands outside of Laurin.

A shrewd businessman, Jean Baptiste Laurin and his wife prospered tremendously in the town, building an empire that was said to have been worth some $500,000, which included several stores, land, and a money lending business. But, they were also generous, adopted several area children and building the magnificent Catholic Church in 1901, that still stands today.

Today, this quiet little community still boasts several historic buildings including the old schoolhouse, which is now a private residence, the old Morse Bros. Mercantile, the 1901 St. Mary Assumption Church, picturesque barns, and more.

Princeton - Situated at the junction of Princeton Gulch and Boulder Creek Canyon, the Princeton Mine was the first discovery in the Boulder Creek District in 1868. Though the claims were worked on a small scale for several years, the major mining activity wouldn’t start until the early 1880s. The lode was bought by the Princeton Mining Company in 1882 and was then actively developed, employing about 50 men extracting primarily silver ore. The small camp that grew up around the mine soon boasted a post office, school, hotel, store and about 20 homes. The area mines continunued to operate intermittently until early after the turn of the century, retrieving about approximately $1.25 million in silver, gold, lead, and phosphate. Today, all that is left are a few dwellings, now occupied primarily by summer residents. The old townsite is located about 16 miles northeast of Phillipsburg. Travel north on Montana Highway 10A about 10 miles to Maxville, then east on Maxville Road for about 6 miles.

Red Bluff - Red Bluff was first settled in 1864 as a mining town and stage station on the Bozeman Road. During its heyday it sported two gold mills, various businesses, 12 saloons, a post office, school, and about 500 people. The town thrived until 1890 when the Northern Pacific Railroad made its way to the Alex Norris Ranch some three miles to the west. Soon, the town of Norris was formed and within no time, most people moved there. By 1901, all the businesses, the school and post office were closed. Today, there are just a few scattered remains of the once prosperous community, including the ruins of the old Tanners Hotel on the north side of Highway 84. To the northwest stands the old Red Bluff-Norris Cemetery. South of the highway is a stone structure that was once the school.

The old Red Bluff school sits south of the highway.

July, 2008, Kathy Weiser.

The area mines were also located south of the town site in the Tobacco Root Mountains. Here, many mining remnants can be seen by driving southward on a county road. The old town site is located about 34 miles west of Bozeman on Highway 84.

Southern Cross, Montana, July, 2008, Kathy Weiser.

Southern Cross - Sitting at some 7,000 feet high on Cable Mountain, looking over the snow-capped peaks of Montana's Continental Divide, are the few remains of the once popular mining camp of Southern Cross. The area got its start when gold was first discovered in 1866, but it would be several years before the claim was worked. However, that changed in the early 1870s when the Southern Cross Mine began to be developed. The camp that grew up around it took the name of the largest lode, but other claims, including the Oro Fino, Orphan Boy and the Holdfast-Short Shift-Golden Wedge Mines were also worked. The first ores were hauled by wagon to anaconda for smelting, but in 1907 a new modern mill was built in the camp.

When the Southern Cross Mine was sold to the Anaconda Copper Mining Company in 1910, extensive development took place including the construction of a spur railroad line to the mine from Brown's Siding.

Though the vast majority of hard rock mining occurred during the time from the 1870's through 1910, it would continue periodically for almost 80 years. The Anaconda Copper Mining Company ceased to operate the Southern Cross Mine in 1919. In its heydays, the mining camp boasted about 500 people and numerous buildings, including boarding houses, stores, saunas, a dance hall, post office and a school. The district produced more than five million dollars in gold, silver and copper.

Though several mining buildings and a few old cabins are still present, what’s left of the old town site is buzzing with bulldozers and other heavy equipment to redevelop the site.

Southern Cross is located off of Montana Highway 1 (Pintler Scenic Route) at the turn off to the Discovery Basin Ski Area in Georgetown. The road continues about one mile beyond Georgetown to a three-way split in the road. The middle road (Southern Cross Road) continues to the old town site of Southern Cross.

Vipond Park/Quartz Hill - Located high in the northern Pioneer Mountains, at an elevation of some 8,000 feet, Vipond Park got its start when John Vipond discovered the Mewonitoc Lode here in April, 1868. The following year, John’s brother, William staked another claim which would become the Gray Jockey Mine. Though other prospectors soon followed, production of the mines would be slow due to the high elevation, rugged terrain, and lack of transportation. However, in 1872, a third Vipond brother named Joseph, gathered several miners and began to build a road to the town of Dewey in order to move the ores.

Other rich finds were made and soon the area sported the Lone Pine, Queen of the Hills, Faithful, and numerous other mines. The camp that grew up around the mines was called Vipond Park, for the brothers that had discovered the first lodes. Producing chiefly silver, but also copper and gold, a three mills were soon built at nearby Dewey to process the ores.

In 1900, the Queen of the Hills Mine was sold for $75,000 by Charles W. Clark and E. L. Whitmore, who hired about 50 men and began to develop the mine and built a 10-stamp mill. Just two years later, the operation was sold again, but the mine never produced what the owners hoped for. Renewed production occurred at several of the old mines during the 1920s and ‘30s, but this, too, was short lived.

Numerous old mining sites and a few remaining buildings can still be seen in the area. Vipond Park is about one mile northwest of Dewey. Take Forest Road 187 south up into the Pioneer Mountains.

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