Cooke City in Park County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)

The New World Mining District

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, July 25, 2011

1. The New World Mining District Marker

Inscription. Prospectors discovered rich mineral deposits in the Beartooth Mountains near here in 1874. Christened the New World Mining District, the area included claims with colorful names like Miner’s Delight, Hidden Treasure, Southern Spy and Silver King. The miners established a small camp called “Shoo Fly” in recognition of the district’s most productive mine. By 1880, however, they changed the name to Cooke City in honor of Jay Cooke, Jr., a major investor in the mines. The Shoo Fly Mine was located 9,300 feet up Miller Mountain and could only be worked when the snow conditions permitted access to it. From about 1878 until the late 1880’s, the mine produced gold, copper, and lead-silver ore, much of which was processed in smelters at Cooke City. Deep snow and lack of transportation facilities slowed the development of the district’s rich mines. By the early 1890’s, miners had abandoned many of these mines and others worked only seasonally. The Shoo Fly Mine had closed by 1893 and never reopened. Today, waste rock dumps, collapsing adits, and decaying mining structures are testament to the New World Mining District’s

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vibrant past.

Erected by Montana Highway Department.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1874.

Location. 45° 1.101′ N, 109° 56.591′ W. Marker is in Cooke City, Montana, in Park County. It is on U.S. 212 0.2 miles west of Montana Street, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Cooke City MT 59020, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Yellowstone Country

and in Greater Bozeman.

It is also in the American Mountain West

and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Rocky Mountains,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Rupert’s Land

and also the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 3 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Cooke City General Store (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Summer of 1877 (approx. 3.4 miles away); You're Standing on the 45th Parallel (approx.

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, July 25, 2011

2. The New World Mining District Marker

4.4 miles away in Wyoming).

US 212 (facing west) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, July 25, 2011

3. US 212 (facing west)

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on July 29, 2011, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,435 times since then and 79 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 29, 2011, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.