Gilman in Lewis and Clark County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
Augusta and Gilman
Photographed By Doreen Thomson, July 25, 2015
1. Augusta and Gilman Marker
Inscription.
Augusta and Gilman. . Named for the daughter of a local rancher, Augusta was established on Fred Walrath's homestead in 1884. It prospered as a trade center for a vast cattle and sheep ranching area. By the 1890s, Augusta's main street included dwellings, hotels, saloons, mercantiles and Manix and Vaughn's famed general store. Today, many of those buildings and homes still stand, symbols of Augusta's colorful history. In 1912, the Great Northern Railway announced plans to build a branch line westward from Great Falls into this area. Instead of extending the line to Augusta, the railroad established a station and community near here and named it Gilman. Many people abandoned Augusta and moved to Gilman. Businesses, including the bank, also relocated to Gilman, precipitating a decade-long feud between the two communities. Even though Gilman flourished, Augusta stuck it out and refused to die. By 1923, draught, hard times, and the extension of the railroad to Augusta, caused the Gilman State Bank to close and the town to fade away. Many buildings in Gilman were physically relocated to Augusta. All that remains of Gilman are concrete sidewalks and the bank building, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Named for the daughter of a local rancher, Augusta was established on Fred Walrath's homestead in 1884. It prospered as a trade center for a vast cattle and sheep ranching area. By the 1890s, Augusta's main street included dwellings, hotels, saloons, mercantiles and Manix & Vaughn's famed general store. Today, many of those buildings and homes still stand, symbols of Augusta's colorful history.
In 1912, the Great Northern Railway announced plans to build a branch line westward from Great Falls into this area. Instead of extending the line to Augusta, the railroad established a station and community near here and named it Gilman. Many people abandoned Augusta and moved to Gilman. Businesses, including the bank, also relocated to Gilman, precipitating a decade-long feud between the two communities. Even though Gilman flourished, Augusta stuck it out and refused to die. By 1923, draught, hard times, and the extension of the railroad to Augusta, caused the Gilman State Bank to close and the town to fade away. Many buildings in Gilman were physically relocated to Augusta. All that remains of Gilman are concrete sidewalks and the bank building, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1884.
Location.
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47° 30.634′ N, 112° 21.928′ W. Marker is in Gilman, Montana, in Lewis and Clark County. Marker is on U.S. 287, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Augusta MT 59410, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 1 other marker is within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Quinn's Garage (approx. 1.7 miles away).
Credits. This page was last revised on October 14, 2020. It was originally submitted on October 6, 2020, by Doreen Thomson of Calgary, Alberta Canada. This page has been viewed 607 times since then and 54 times this year. Photo1. submitted on October 6, 2020, by Doreen Thomson of Calgary, Alberta Canada. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
