Bannack, Montana – Gold to Ghost
Bannack, Montana, a name that echoes through the annals of American West history, stands today as a preserved ghost town, a testament to the fleeting fortunes and rugged lives of those who sought their dreams in the heart of the Montana Territory. Its story is one of rapid boom and gradual decline, a narrative etched in the weathered wood and silent streets of a town that once pulsed with the energy of a gold rush.
The genesis of Bannack can be traced back to July 28, 1862, when John White and his fellow prospectors, seasoned veterans of the Pikes Peak gold rush, struck gold in the waters of a previously unremarkable creek. This discovery was not just a personal triumph for White and his party; it marked the beginning of Bannack, Montana, and played a pivotal role in the development of the state itself, a region then considered one of the last true frontiers of the American West. Interestingly, the creek where this transformative discovery occurred had been noted by the Lewis and Clark Expedition during their epic journey in 1805, initially named Willard Creek. However, a plague of grasshoppers in 1862 led to its less flattering, but more descriptive, renaming as Grasshopper Creek.
The Colorado prospectors promptly filed one of the first gold claims in this area, which at the time was part of the vast Idaho Territory, predating the establishment of Montana as a separate entity. News of this strike, the discovery of gold in Bannack, Montana, spread like wildfire, igniting a frenzy that rivaled the legendary California Gold Rush of 1848. A mining camp swiftly materialized, almost overnight, a haphazard collection of structures that reflected the urgency and impermanence of the situation. Most miners, driven by the allure of quick riches, made do with rudimentary shelters: tents pitched hastily on the uneven ground, caves carved into the hillsides, dugouts offering minimal protection from the elements, shanties cobbled together from scavenged materials, simple huts, and even their own wagons serving as makeshift homes.
Rumors began to circulate, adding to the excitement and drawing even more hopefuls to Bannack. The gold found in Grasshopper Creek was of exceptional purity, reportedly between 99 and 99.5% pure, surpassing the typical 95% purity found in most gold deposits. This unique characteristic propelled Bannack to international fame, earning it the moniker "New Eldorado of the North." By October of that same year, the burgeoning camp had already become home to more than 400 prospectors, all seeking their share of this exceptional treasure.
The rush to Bannack, Montana attracted a diverse population, far beyond just miners. Deserters from the still raging Civil War, outlaws seeking refuge and opportunities for illicit gain, and shrewd businessmen eager to capitalize on the influx of newcomers all converged on the settlement. These early settlers arrived through various means: by wagon, braving the arduous journey across the plains; by stagecoach, a faster but often uncomfortable mode of transport; on horseback, covering long distances in relative independence; by steamboat, navigating the waterways when possible; and even by foot, driven by desperation and the unwavering hope of striking it rich. Many, however, arrived unprepared for the harsh realities of the Montana winter, lacking adequate supplies and provisions, leading to immense hardship for these early pioneers.
As was typical in many mining towns of the era, Bannack’s population was predominantly male, with the exception of the saloon girls and "painted ladies" who provided entertainment and companionship. For the few wives who had accompanied their husbands to the camp, dances served as the primary form of social activity, offering a brief respite from the demanding and often monotonous household duties.
By 1863, Bannack, Montana, had swelled to approximately 3,000 residents. The burgeoning community formally applied to the U.S. Government for official recognition, intending to name the town "Bannock" in honor of the neighboring Native American tribe. However, a clerical error in Washington D.C. resulted in the name being misspelled as "Bannack," a mistake that stuck and remains to this day.
Alongside its reputation for abundant gold, Bannack quickly gained notoriety for its pervasive lawlessness. The roads leading in and out of town became notorious haunts for road agents, and killings were tragically commonplace. In January 1863, Henry Plummer, a figure shrouded in controversy, arrived in Bannack. In a surprising turn of events, he was elected sheriff just months later, seemingly tasked with restoring order to the lawless settlement. Unbeknownst to the citizens of Bannack, Plummer would later be suspected of being the leader of the largest gang of road agents operating in the region.
This group of bandits, known chillingly as "The Innocents," grew to encompass over 100 men. According to Plummer’s accusers, his position as sheriff provided him with invaluable intelligence regarding the movements of people transporting their gold, information which he allegedly passed on to his gang to facilitate their robberies.
In May 1863, another significant gold discovery occurred in Alder Gulch, approximately 80 miles east of Bannack. Miners who brought their gold to Bannack to purchase supplies inadvertently revealed the news, prompting many prospectors to relocate to Alder Gulch, which would soon evolve into the thriving settlement of Virginia City.
The road connecting Bannack and Virginia City became increasingly dangerous as road agents relentlessly targeted travelers journeying between the two mining camps. Sheriff Plummer, allegedly, extended his operations to Virginia City when he was appointed U.S. Deputy Marshal for the region of Idaho Territory east of the mountains in August of 1863. Violent holdups became even more frequent, resulting in the murders of approximately one hundred men throughout 1863.
As the population of the West continued to grow, President Abraham Lincoln appointed Sidney Edgerton as Chief Justice of the Idaho Territory. Edgerton, accompanied by his wife Mary and their four children, arrived in Bannack in September 1863. Shortly thereafter, Edgerton’s niece, Lucia Darling, began teaching the first school children in the settlement, holding classes in the Edgerton’s living room with an initial enrollment of 12 children.
By December 1863, the citizens of Bannack and Virginia City had reached their breaking point with the rampant violence. Concerned citizens from Bannack, Virginia City, and nearby Nevada City secretly convened and formed the Montana Vigilantes. These masked men began to visit suspected outlaws in the dead of night, issuing warnings and posting posters adorned with a skull-and-crossbones or the enigmatic numbers "3-7-77." While the precise meaning of these numbers remains a subject of speculation, some believe it represented the dimensions of a grave: 3 feet wide, seven feet long, and 77 inches deep. Intriguingly, the Montana State Highway Patrolmen still wear the emblem "3-7-77" on their shoulder patches today.
The vigilantes dispensed swift and often brutal justice, hanging approximately twenty-four men. When one such man, Erastus "Red" Yager, facing imminent execution, implicated Sheriff Henry Plummer as the leader of the outlaw gang, chaos erupted.
The residents of Bannack were deeply divided on whether or not Plummer was complicit in the murderous activities. However, one fateful night, after heavy drinking in a local saloon, the vigilantes reached a verdict of guilty and hunted him down. On January 10, 1864, a group of 50 to 75 men apprehended Plummer and his two principal deputies, Buck Stinson and Ned Ray. The three were marched to the gallows, where the two deputies were hanged first. According to legend, Plummer desperately offered to reveal the location of $100,000 worth of buried gold in exchange for his life. However, the vigilantes disregarded his plea and proceeded with his execution.
Interestingly, even after Plummer and several of his alleged henchmen were hanged, the robberies did not cease. In fact, the stage robberies exhibited even more evidence of organized criminal activity, a greater number of robbers involved in the holdups, and more sophisticated intelligence passed to the perpetrators. This has led many historians to speculate that the story of Plummer and his gang was fabricated to conceal the true source of lawlessness in the Montana Territory: the vigilantes themselves.
By May 1864, Sidney Edgerton, recognizing the rapidly growing population of the region, advocated for the creation of a new territory. He successfully convinced President Lincoln, and on May 26, 1864, it was officially established, with Edgerton appointed as its governor. Bannack became the first territorial capital, and the Legislature of Montana convened in Sidney Edgerton’s cabin.
During the summer of 1864, the number of school-age children had significantly increased, and the Edgerton home could no longer accommodate the growing classes. A simple log cabin was constructed to serve as teacher Lucia Darling’s schoolhouse.
By the fall of 1864, nearly ten thousand people crowded along the hillsides surrounding Bannack, living in a variety of makeshift dwellings, including tents, shacks, lean-tos, and eventually, more permanent housing. The settlements were so numerous and scattered that the area became known as the "fourteen-mile city." However, for these thousands of people, the readily accessible gold was becoming increasingly scarce.
By 1866, Virginia City in Alder Gulch had grown sufficiently large to claim the title of territorial capital from Bannack, a position it held until 1877 before the capital was permanently relocated to Helena.
In the meantime, the vigilantes continued their activities, and three years after Sheriff Plummer’s execution, they effectively ruled the mining districts. Finally, prominent citizens of Montana, including Territorial Governor Thomas Meagher, began to openly criticize the ruthless group. In March 1867, the miners issued their own warning, stating that if the vigilantes hanged any more people, the "law-abiding citizens" would retaliate "five for one." Although a few more lynchings occurred, the era of the vigilantes was coming to an end.
By 1870, the easily accessible gold deposits had been depleted, and within a few years, the population of Bannack dwindled to just a few hundred.
In 1874, recognizing the need for a proper school building, the Bannack Masonic Lodge No. 16 constructed a combination lodge and schoolhouse. Classes would be held in this building for nearly 70 years.
In 1875, the Beaverhead County Courthouse was built, a structure that still stands in Bannack today. In August 1877, the courthouse played a significant role in one of the most dramatic events in Bannack’s history when the town faced the threat of an Indian attack.
Chief Joseph and his warriors had recently defeated General Gibbon at the bloody Battle of the Big Hole. Word reached the isolated community that the Indians were on the rampage and headed directly for Bannack. People from surrounding areas sought refuge in Bannack, hoping for protection. Two lookouts were established on the highest points of the hills overlooking Hangman’s Gulch to provide early warning. In anticipation of a siege, the local water supply was barricaded, and the women and children were gathered within the brick fortress of the courthouse. Some accounts suggest that the children were hidden inside the safes located within the courthouse. Although the Indians killed four settlers in Horse Prairie, they never approached Bannack.
At the time, Bannack lacked a church, and a Methodist circuit preacher named William Van Orsdel seized the opportunity presented by the Indian scare to persuade the townspeople to build a church as an act of thanksgiving for God’s deliverance. The Methodist Church still stands in Bannack today.
In 1881, nearby Dillon became the county seat, leading to the abandonment of the courthouse. The building remained vacant until 1890, when it was purchased by Dr. John Meade, who remodeled it into a luxurious hotel. However, by this time, Bannack’s population had declined to approximately 400 people, and the hotel was closed and reopened several times over the years, experiencing brief revivals whenever mining activity experienced a resurgence.
In 1895, Bannack experienced a temporary revival with the invention of the first electric dredge. Grasshopper Creek soon supported five of these machines for the next decade. Unfortunately, these dredging operations resulted in the destruction of several hundred of the buildings that had been constructed during the town’s heyday in the 1860s.
By the 1930s, businesses and the social community had largely departed from Bannack, leaving behind a dwindling population. By the 1940s, the number of students had dwindled to the point where the school was forced to close, effectively transforming Bannack into a ghost town.
Bannack survives today thanks to the efforts of the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, which preserved the town from the elements and vandalism by establishing it as a state park on August 15, 1954.
Today, over sixty structures remain standing, most of which are open for exploration. The park staff employs a preservation approach, rather than restoration, allowing visitors to experience the authenticity of the American West.
Bannack State Park is open year-round, with winter operating hours from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm and summer hours from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm. The Visitor Center is open seven days a week from 10 am to 6 pm during the summer months.
Bannack Days, a celebration featuring historic displays, activities, and events, is held annually on the third weekend in July. The visitor center operates from mid-May through September. A group picnic site is available. The park is situated at an elevation of 5,800 feet and encompasses 1154 acres. The campground offers 28 sites with vault toilets, grills/fire rings, firewood, picnic tables, trash cans, drinking water, and access to Grasshopper Creek for fishing. Flush toilets are located in the visitors’ center, and both escorted and unescorted tours are available. This preserved ghost town of Bannack, Montana offers a unique glimpse into a pivotal period of American history.