If you interested in seeing a bit of what it was like in the old west, or exploring old ghost towns, you might want to get off of I-90 when you are driving through Southwest Montana and go to Bannock State Park. There are many old buildings that were there in the 1860's to the 1930's. Bannock's first residents hoped to strike it rich when gold was discovered at nearby grasshopper creek. They were disappointed, but the town still became Montana's first territorial capital in 1864. Very little has been restored in the town, and most doors are open to explore.
See a bit of the town through our eyes.
They insulated with whatever they could get their hands on. Can't you imagine how this housewife felt when she was able to have fresh pink walls with a little insulation over those rough pine boards?
This is all that remains of someone's store bought lace. The woman who lived here must have felt like a queen in her kitchen, with painted board shelves to boot.
I wonder if this picket fence was ever white? It must have made someone feel at home.
A fine barn and wagon.
Some of the ladies worked hard to find a minister to come and "bring religion" to this town that sorely lacked morals. A lovely Methodist church was built, and used for many years.
Water conveniently flows by in the creek.
An infamous sheriff, Henry Plumber, had a jail and gallows built. Turned out he was involved in a crime ring that raided stage coaches coming through the area. The vigilantes put a stop to that, and hung him on his own gallows.
The Hotel Meed was the largest building in town, and at one time was a very fine building. They have recently done some restoration work on it, but the rest of the buildings are left as is, to preserve the feeling of an abandoned town. It is a very interesting place to visit.
See a bit of the town through our eyes.
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| Some homes were rough boards, some had painted muslin walls, some even had wallpaper. |
They insulated with whatever they could get their hands on. Can't you imagine how this housewife felt when she was able to have fresh pink walls with a little insulation over those rough pine boards?
This is all that remains of someone's store bought lace. The woman who lived here must have felt like a queen in her kitchen, with painted board shelves to boot.
I wonder if this picket fence was ever white? It must have made someone feel at home.
A fine barn and wagon.
Some of the ladies worked hard to find a minister to come and "bring religion" to this town that sorely lacked morals. A lovely Methodist church was built, and used for many years.
Water conveniently flows by in the creek.
An infamous sheriff, Henry Plumber, had a jail and gallows built. Turned out he was involved in a crime ring that raided stage coaches coming through the area. The vigilantes put a stop to that, and hung him on his own gallows.
The Hotel Meed was the largest building in town, and at one time was a very fine building. They have recently done some restoration work on it, but the rest of the buildings are left as is, to preserve the feeling of an abandoned town. It is a very interesting place to visit.
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