Granite Ghost Town State Park
Granite Ghost Town State Park preserves the ruins of a silver mining settlement from the late 1800s near Philipsburg, Montana. The site includes the Granite Mine Superintendent's house and remnants of the miners' union hall, along with stone foundations and building remains scattered across the landscape.
Hector Horton discovered silver in the area in 1865, and Holland later uncovered the Granite mine in 1872, which became one of the world's richest silver mines. The town declined rapidly after the silver market crash of 1893, when the mine shut down and residents abandoned the settlement.
The town's name comes from the granite mining area where silver was discovered. Diverse communities lived and worked together here, and you can still see traces of how different neighborhoods and districts were organized across the site.
The access road is steep and winding and requires careful driving; RVs and buses are not recommended. The park typically opens from late May through late September during daylight hours, though spring snow may block the road.
Miners uncovered a massive silver vein during a final blast in the mine's closing moments, saving the fortune and reputation of the operation. This dramatic discovery illustrates the determination and risk miners faced in their daily work underground.
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