Elkhorn, MT

An American Classic

ELKHORN, MT

Elkhorn, Montana is one of those extremely rare “CLASSIC” Ghost Towns that are so rapidly disappearing. To reach it, head southeast from Boulder (27 miles south of Helena and 35 miles north of Butte) on State Highway 69. At mile 6.4, turn left (north) on the marked turn-off to Elkhorn. This 11.5 mile long graded dirt road is often filled with washboards, but is passable in passenger cars.

Elkhorn sits in a forested bowl and was laid out around 1870, after rich silver outcroppings were discovered in the area. Elkhorn grew slowly until the early 1880s when it boomed. Businesses included churches, six fraternal organizations, two hotels, a post office (1884-1924), 14 saloons, stores and enough other amenities to support a population of 2500 folks. There was also a community of 500 or so French and Norwegian woodcutters.

At first, access to the town was via a rough wagon road from Boulder up Elkhorn Canyon, but the Northern Pacific Railroad did serve the town from 1889-1931.

Elkhorn’s boom years ran through the 1880s and 1890s. Fortunately for the community, the 1893 silver price crash and national depression that followed did not affect the mine as much as in other locations. After the 1890s when the town did begin to fade, because of its isolation and small resident population, it didn’t suffer the fate of many mining towns -- the twin scourges of vandalism and fire remained at bay. Today, over 50 buildings still stand, all except two of which are privately owned. The town is well posted, buildings are identified, and all visitors are asked to stay on the roads and view the structures from those roads.

The two largest buildings are owned by the state, and make up Elkhorn State Historic Park. They ARE both open to the public. Walk through ‘em, smell the ancient wood and touch the well-worn banisters and gaze out the bubbled glass windows. But, please don’t do as many visitors have done and write your names on the walls. Also please don’t smoke in the buildings or near the dry grass around them.

On the right is the fraternity hall, a magnificent piece of mining camp architecture purchased in 1972 and lovingly preserved by the Montana Ghost Town Preservation Society, then turned over to the state. On the left is an old hotel, the Gillian Hall. At least that’s what the sign on the building says. It too was purchased in 1972, stabilized and preserved by the MGTPS. Some sources call it a hotel, while others a saloon. I don’t know which it really was.

Signs point out other buildings and sites where various businesses once stood. Many other unidentified cabins and former commercial structures spread out below.

At the picnic area at the south edge of town, a map and sign tell a little about the history of the town. The information presented differs slightly from what I’ve discovered in other sources. In all honesty and fairness, I mention this to you for balance. Yes, it somewhat contradicts what is presented above, but who knows the truth? That’s what makes ghost town research so enjoyable. There is always something new to discover.

This is one of the towns featured in my newest book, GHOST TOWNS: Yesterday & Today^TM^.

· Latitude: 46.2746506 / 46° 16’ 28” N

· Longitude: -111.9458238 / 111° 56’ 45” W

· NW¼ Sec 14, T6N, R3W, PM (Principal Meridian)

SEE a 2000 era PHOTO of Elkhorn.

This was our GHOST TOWN OF THE MONTH for Jun 2004.

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