Bannock State Park

Saturday morning we set out for Bannock State Park.  It is an historic ghost town that has been preserved by the state.  It isn't one of those touristy spots like Virginia City, MT that is filled with the usual tourist trap attractions.  Bannock is in its original condition.  You walk the streets like they did when it was inhabited.  Most of the buildings are open for you to explore.

Main Street

Bannock was the first territorial capitol of Montana.  Abraham Lincoln established the Montana territory in an attempt to bring law and order to the area.  Bannock was first a gold rush town in the frontier.  It drew the usual people seeking to get rich with a gold strike.  Merchants and tradesmen followed.

Site of the first Governors Mansion.  I guess they didn't think too much of him.

The community had a strong Masonic influence.  One of the most striking buildings in town is the Masonic Temple.  The building also housed the school.  The second floor of the building still has the Masonic carpet on the floor that was there when the building was built.  Masons still maintain the temple.  It is closed to the public but you can view the room through the windows.

Masonic Temple and school.

A circuit preacher known as Preacher Van came to the town, walked into the saloon and asked the bartender if he could quiet the place down for a minute.  The bartender whistled and the place when silent.  Preacher Van began to sing a hymn.  Everyone was taken by it.  The bartender said the place was closed for business for one hour while Preacher Van sang and preached.  Entertainment was hard to come by in this remote area so all the patrons were happy for the singing and religion.
Later Preacher Van was instrumental for having the Methodist Church built.

Methodist Church.

The town elected a man by the name of Henry Plummer as sheriff even though he was wanted for murder and had spent a few years in San Quentin prison.  Sheriff Plummer pretty much ran things with a bunch of thugs as deputies.  One day he was in the saloon when a patron was making a big ruckus about something.  Plummer got tired of listening to the argument and shot the guy in cold blood.  The community didn't hold it against him.

The Saloon

He and his deputies were responsible for robberies and other crimes in the area.  Finally a group of vigilantes formed to put an end to the Sheriffs reign of terror.  Sheriff Plummer had built a gallows and a jail house.  The gallows were the only sight prisoners could see out the little window on the jail.
When the vigilantes caught Plummer and his deputies, they hanged him from the gallows he built.  His last request was that they would give him a good drop.

Jailhouse

A county courthouse was built in 1875 but in 1881 the county seat was moved to Dillon.  Dillon had experienced growth and influence when the railroad came though the area.   The Bannock courthouse remained vacant for over ten years until it was bought and converted to a hotel.

County courthouse.  Later the Meade Hotel

Eventually, the gold ran out.  Most people left town but many stayed on.  The town had occupants as late as the 1950s.  Concerned Montanans wanted to preserve the historic town.  Property was bought up and donated to the state as long as the town was kept in its original condition and not turned into a tourist attraction like other nearby ghost towns.

Old mining equipment

Pan old tailings.  Found two specks and a half dozen garnets.

We enjoyed our look into life on the Montana frontier.  We didn't see any ghosts but in your mind you could hear the sounds of a gold rush town in its prime.

Darlie had to visit the dentist at the drug store.

The kids are having a ball.  New smells and adventures.

Kids say howdy.