In 1882, Knippenberg added the Greenwood Concentrator halfway down the mountain and laid four miles of narrow-gauge tramway to move the ore from Hecla to the mill. The mine operations also continued to expand and by 1885, the plant consisted of three blast furnaces, two crushers, a large roaster, two powder houses, warehouses, and numerous other mine buildings.

Unfortunately, the Hecla Mining District, like many others, was hard hit when the Sherman Silver Purchase Act was repealed in 1893. Though operations continued on a smaller scale, the ore was dramatically played out by the turn of the century. The company’s major producing mine, the Cleopatra shut down in 1895 and in 1900 the Glendale Smelter was torn down. Only the Atlantis and Cleve Mines continued to operate but by 1904, all operations of the Hecla Consolidated Mining Company ceased.

But, for Henry Knippenberg, was not convinced that the district’s heydays were completely over and that same year, he bought the operations at a sheriff’s sale. Knippenberg then leased the properties to the Penobscot Mining Company, who continued to mine the area for several years. Finally, in 1915, the mines closed forever, but still more ore was to be worked in the old slag piles, which continued until 1922.

For the next several decades, the property changed hands numerous times, as new developers attempted to work the old mines and tailings. Though small amounts of ores were recovered, these ventures were unprofitable.

Though its prosperous times were finally over, and its mining camps abandoned, the Hecla Consolidated Mining Company was one of the more successful, paying dividends to its investors for more than two decades.

Today, all signs of Trapper City are long gone but Glendale continues to display the smelter stack, the remains of the old stone office building, and a few old buildings. Lion City and Hecla also sport just a few remaining buildings and mining remains. The old charcoals kilns can also be seen about five miles beyond Glendale on Canyon Creek Road.

The district can be reached from I-15 near Melrose at Exit 93 on Trapper Creek Road. Glendale is about five miles and Lion City and Hecla, another 7 miles or so.  A four wheel drive or ATV is recommended.  

For More Information:

Glendale Montana.com

© Kathy Weiser/Legends of America, updated November, 2011.