Near Virginia City in Madison County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
Adobetown
Alder Gulch at peak population numbered ten thousand souls and the colorful mining camps that enjoyed the limelight were so numerous that contemporaries named it the Fourteen-mile City. Adobetown was one of the many settlements that lined the gulch. Centrally located a mile below Nevada City, it took its name from the dwellings miners built of adobe bricks they fashioned from mud and grass. The small settlement lay in one of the richest sections of the gulch. In 1864 alone, it was a hub of activity that reportedly yielded $350,000 in gold. In its heyday the area around Adobetown and Nevada City supported some 75 to 100 placer claims that each employed 5 to 12 men. Salaries ranged from $5 to $8 a day.
Irish-born Nicholas Carey walked from Denver to the Alder Gulch gold fields with his possessions on his back. But Carey's future was not in mining. In 1865, he built a log mercantile at Adobetown. He and partner David O'Brien added a post-express office and soon stages from Salt Lake City and the Northern Pacific railhead at Corinne, Utah made regular stops for passengers and mail at the Adobetown store. Adobetown once boasted a store, blacksmith shop, two hotels and a school. The school, built in 1873, served Adobetown's youngsters until 1923. The building was moved to Virginia City in 1960 where it stands today.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1864.
Location. 45° 18.847′ N, 111° 58.814′ W. Marker is near Virginia City, Montana, in Madison County. Marker is on State Highway 287, half a mile north of Brown's Gulch Road, on the left when traveling north. Marker is located in a pull-out on the west side of the highway. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Virginia City MT 59755, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Gold in Alder Gulch (here, next to this marker); Finney House (approx. 0.7 miles away); Montana’s Oldest Standing School (approx. 0.7 miles away); Site of the Trial and Hanging of George Ives (approx. 0.7 miles away); Gallows Barn (approx. ¾ mile away); Nevada City (approx. ¾ mile away); History Wins! (approx. ¾ mile away); An Important Era in Railroad History (approx. ¾ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Virginia City.
More about this marker. Marker is a large, composite "billboard-style" marker, suspended from a heavy wooden frame, and in good condition.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 23, 2021. It was originally submitted on May 2, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 620 times since then and 36 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 2, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 3. submitted on August 17, 2021, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.