Bannack, Ghost town and gold mining site in Beaverhead County, Montana, United States.
Description
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.
History
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.
Culture
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.
Practical
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.
Did you know?
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.
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The United States have hundreds of abandoned towns. This selection includes 100 of these places where time seems to stand still. Most grew rich in the 19th century through gold or silver finds. They attracted miners, traders, and whole families. When the veins were empty, people left. They left...
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