Bannack, Ghost town and gold mining site in Beaverhead County, Montana, United States.
Bannack is an abandoned gold mining settlement in Beaverhead County, Montana. About sixty wooden buildings still stand along the main street, including a courthouse, a Methodist church, and several houses from the 1860s.
After gold was found in 1862, the settlement grew quickly and became the first capital of Montana Territory. When mining stopped, people left and the town emptied.
The name comes from the Bannock people who once traveled through the Grasshopper Creek valley. Visitors today see wooden houses with open doors, letting them look at 19th-century furniture and tools inside.
The site opens daily from 8 AM to 5 PM between October and May, with longer hours until 9 PM from late May through August. You can walk freely between the buildings, and some are open to enter.
During the third weekend in July, a festival here shows historical activities like gold panning and wagon rides. Some of the old houses still hold personal items left by former residents.
Location: Beaverhead County
Inception: 1862
Website: http://bannack.org
GPS coordinates: 45.16134,-112.99644
Latest update: December 13, 2025 18:13
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