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“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
 
 
 
 
 
 
125 entries match your criteria. The first 100 are listed.                                               The final 25 

 
 

Historical Markers in Madison County, Montana

 
Clickable Map of Madison County, Montana and Immediately Adjacent Jurisdictions image/svg+xml 2019-10-06 U.S. Census Bureau, Abe.suleiman; Lokal_Profil; HMdb.org; J.J.Prats/dc:title> https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Usa_counties_large.svg Madison County, MT (125) Beaverhead County, MT (52) Gallatin County, MT (130) Jefferson County, MT (19) Silver Bow County, MT (169) Fremont County, ID (20)  MadisonCounty(125) Madison County (125)  BeaverheadCounty(52) Beaverhead County (52)  GallatinCounty(130) Gallatin County (130)  JeffersonCounty(19) Jefferson County (19)  SilverBowCounty(169) Silver Bow County (169)  FremontCountyIdaho(20) Fremont County (20)
Virginia City is the county seat for Madison County
Adjacent to Madison County, Montana
      Beaverhead County (52)  
      Gallatin County (130)  
      Jefferson County (19)  
      Silver Bow County (169)  
      Fremont County, Idaho (20)  
 
Touch name on this list to highlight map location.
Touch blue arrow, or on map, to go there.
1 Montana, Madison County, Alder — Garnets, Vigilantes and Gold Dredges
On State Highway 287 south of Ruby Road, on the left when traveling north.
The Ruby River was called the Passamari by the Shoshoni Indians and the Stinking Water by the miners in the early 1860's. Later, it was mistakenly renamed the Ruby, although the gems found along its length were actually garnets. The . . . Map (db m116998) HM
2 Montana, Madison County, Cameron — A Tough Business
On Forest Road 209 near U.S. 287.
The Madison Valley was well known to mountain men and traders during the first half of the 19th century. Beaver loved the many creeks that emptied into the river and buffalo were common in the valley, making it popular for both Indians and trappers. . . . Map (db m141490) HM
3 Montana, Madison County, Cameron — Earthquakes!
On Forest Road 209 near U.S. 287.
Few natural events cause as much fear in people as earthquakes. They remind us that the Earth is always changing and renewing itself and that this sometimes occurs violently and without warning. Earthquakes happen when stored energy is suddenly . . . Map (db m141489) HM
4 Montana, Madison County, Cameron — Motoring Through Paradise: The Vigilante Trail
On Forest Road 209 near U.S. 287.
Motoring was an adventure in the early 20th century and people usually didn't travel very far from home. Most roads were choked with dust during the summers, knee-deep in mud in the rainy seasons, and blocked by snowdrifts in the winters. But as . . . Map (db m141491) HM
5 Montana, Madison County, Cameron — The Seismic Shake that Shaped this Lake
On U.S. 287, 5.7 miles east of State Highway 87, on the right when traveling east.
Imagine… in a blink of your eye …you feel the earth rumble beneath your feet …you watch 80 million tons of rock, half a mountain, crashing down …and then the water begins to rise by your campsite At 11:37 p.m. on Aug. 17, 1959 a 7.5 earthquake . . . Map (db m144146) HM
6 Montana, Madison County, Ennis — The Shining Mountains
On Main Street (U.S. 287 at milepost 49) near Prospect Avenue, on the right when traveling north.
The Madison Range rises from the east side of the Madison Valley along an active fault that threads its way along the base of the range. The mountains began to slowly rise along the fault about 50 million years ago and it remains active today. This . . . Map (db m192667) HM
7 Montana, Madison County, McAllister — The Bozeman Trail
On U.S. 287, 4.5 miles north of North Ennis Lake Road, on the right when traveling north.
Trailblazers John Bozeman and John Jacobs opened the Bozeman Trail in 1864 as a shortcut between the Overland Road and the newly discovered Montana gold fields. The trail began near present Casper, Wyoming and ended just over the Bozeman Pass in . . . Map (db m117028) HM
8 Montana, Madison County, Schusters Place — Raynolds' Pass
On U.S. 287, 1 mile east of State Road 87, on the right when traveling east.
The low gap in the mountains on the sky line south of here is Raynolds Pass over the Continental Divide. Jim Bridger, famous trapper and scout, guided an expedition of scientists through the pass in June of 1860. The party was led by Capt. W. F. . . . Map (db m187603) HM
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9 Montana, Madison County, Sheridan — Bethel United Methodist Church
On South Main Street (State Highway 287) near Hamilton Street, on the right when traveling north.
1866 ... first Sunday School. September 1866 first sermon in Sheridan by Rev. George Comfort. Summer 1873 Revs. Francis Riggin and Wm. Wesley Van Orsdel (Brother Dan) are appointed to the newly formed circuit headquartered in Sheridan. This . . . Map (db m141492) HM
10 Montana, Madison County, Sheridan — Robber's Roost
On State Highway 287, 0.6 miles south of Ramshorn Creek Road, on the right when traveling south.
Pete Daly built a log roadhouse at this site in 1863. Unlike most roadhouses of the time, which provided meals, companionship and a place to stay for weary travelers, Daly's was allegedly a hangout for Montana's most notorious criminal gang – the . . . Map (db m116999) HM
11 Montana, Madison County, Sheridan — Sheridan Montana - The Heart of the Ruby Valley
On North Main Street (State Highway 287) at Mill Street, on the right when traveling north on North Main Street.
This small community of Sheridan is located approximately 55 miles south of Butte. Our population is 700 within the town proper, and approximately another 700 in the adjacent Ruby Valley rural area. When those who had come to Virginia City in the . . . Map (db m141494) HM
12 Montana, Madison County, Sheridan — William O'Brien House
On East Poppleton Street at Jefferson Street on East Poppleton Street.
William O’Brien arrived in the gold-mining and ranching town of Sheridan, Montana, in 1881 and began selling liquor from a small sixteen-by-twenty-foot building. He was one of the town’s three suppliers of “wet groceries” (liquor), the quality of . . . Map (db m209428) HM
13 Montana, Madison County, Silver Star — Browne's Bridge
Near Browne's Bridge Road near State Highway 91N.
Browne’s Bridge was constructed as a toll bridge by Fred Burr and James Minesinger in late 1862 and early 1863. The bridge was located on the Bannack to Deer Lodge Road. Joseph Browne, a miner, bought the bridge in 1865. The territorial legislature . . . Map (db m180757) HM
14 Montana, Madison County, Silver Star — Rope Drive Compressor WheelsFrom the Leonard Mine, Meaderville-Butte, Montana
On State Highway 41 north of Ridge Road, on the left when traveling north.
Big Wheels • About 22 ft. dia. • About 20 tons each • 22 grooves for 1-1/2 inch rope • About ½ mile of rope on each wheel • Originally installed about 1903 • Operated until about 1964 • Erected here in the . . . Map (db m128410) HM
15 Montana, Madison County, Silver Star — Sheave Wheels from the Speculator Mine
On Highway 41 at Ridge Road, on the left when traveling north on Highway 41.
These sheave wheels from the Speculator Mine were used to hoist the bodies of the 168 miners who died in the Granite Mtn. Mine Disaster, June 8, 1917. It remains the worst metal mining tragedy in U.S. History. The Granite Mtn. shaft was burned . . . Map (db m128411) HM
16 Montana, Madison County, Twin Bridges — "...a handsome little river..."
Near Fairgrounds Loop Road near State Highway 41.
When Captain Meriwether Lewis and his men arrived in the Jefferson River Valley in August 1805, they explored the tributaries of the Jefferson River (today's Beaverhead River), which was named after President Thomas Jefferson. They named it . . . Map (db m193123) HM
17 Montana, Madison County, Twin Bridges — Jefferson River - Beaverhead RiverPhilanthropy River
Near Fairgrounds Loop Road near State Highway 41.
Explorations of Lewis and Clark 1804-1806 Cartographic Reconstruction UTM Zone 12 Map Number 262-263 With only a sextant, chronometer, and compass in hand, Captain William Clark was able to map the entire exploration, . . . Map (db m193068) HM
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18 Montana, Madison County, Twin Bridges — Lewis & Clark Camped HereA Missing Note & A Side Trip Up the Big Hole River
On State Highway 41, 3.6 miles north of 10th Avenue, on the left when traveling north.
Which Fork to Take? Meriwether Lewis, traveling ahead with 3 men, reached this spot two days ahead of William Clark and the main parry. After exploring the river courses, Lewis left a note telling Clark to stay on the Jefferson River. Clark . . . Map (db m128400) HM
19 Montana, Madison County, Twin Bridges — Madison County Fairgrounds
On Fairgrounds Loop Road near Highway 41.
Highway 14 Fairgrounds Road, Twin Bridges, Montana Early Twin Bridges offered few public gathering places, and so these fifty acres, once part of the Lott and Seidensticker homesteads, were developed as “The Park” in 1887. A “harvest home . . . Map (db m193038) HM
20 Montana, Madison County, Twin Bridges — PavilionMadison County Fair Grounds Historic District
On Fairgrounds Loop Road near State Highway 41.
WPA engineer C. D. Paxton designed this impressive octagonal community building as part of the federally funded project to rebuild the fairground in 1936. Master log craftsman Tosten Stenberg of WPA headquarters in Livingston supervised the . . . Map (db m193044) HM
21 Montana, Madison County, Twin Bridges — Recognizing her people's land
Near Fairgrounds Loop Road near State Highway 41.
August 1805 - The Corps of Discovery struggled upriver toward the Rockies. Illness and injury, along with the increasingly difficult river passage, had eroded the group's morale. But the afternoon of the 8th brought a much needed lift, when . . . Map (db m193127) HM
22 Montana, Madison County, Twin Bridges — Road Agent Trail
Near West 4th Avenue (State Highway 41) 0.1 miles west of Main Street (State Highway 287), on the right when traveling west.
Gold was the key to the success or failure of many of Montana's mining camps in the 19th century. Roads were almost as important as gold because they made possible the movement of supplies, people, and precious metals between the remote territory . . . Map (db m127286) HM
23 Montana, Madison County, Twin Bridges — Sacajawea, "Pomp" and Seaman
On Fairgrounds Loop Road near State Highway 41.
Beloved Members of the Corps of Discovery This Memorial was made possible by the generosity of the People and Friends of Madison County Sculpted by Dick and Sandi Crane Map (db m193049) HM
24 Montana, Madison County, Twin Bridges — Square Building
On Fairgrounds Loop Road near State Highway 41.
Post-and-beam construction covered with log-veneer siding characterizes this early building inspired by M. H. Lott and built as a community project by area homesteaders in 1894. It is the only remaining building of the original fairground complex, . . . Map (db m193039) HM
25 Montana, Madison County, Twin Bridges — The Jefferson Valley
On State Highway 41, 3.6 miles north of 10th Avenue, on the right when traveling south.
In, early August, 1805, the Lewis and Clark Expedition, westward bound, came up the Jefferson River and passed through this area. The valley was an ancient travel corridor; Lewis noted the presence of an "old Indian road" near the Big Hole River. . . . Map (db m116997) HM
26 Montana, Madison County, Twin Bridges — The Trail of Lewis & Clark
On North Main Street (State Highway 41) at East 6th Avenue, on the right when traveling north on North Main Street.
Meriwether Lewis, Touissaint Charboneau, Patrick Gass and George Drewyer, the vanguard of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the first white men to enter this valley, camped on the east bank of the Beaverhead River, two blocks west of here, on . . . Map (db m128399) HM
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27 Montana, Madison County, Twin Bridges — Traveler's Crossroads for Centuries"Beaverhead" & Point of Rocks Stage Station
On State Highway 41 at milepost 13, on the right when traveling north.
Both before and since the passage of Lewis and Clark, the limestone outcrop in front of you served as an important landmark and meeting area. The Shoshone tribe, from whom Sacagawea had been kidnapped as a child, came to this area every summer. By . . . Map (db m193132) HM
28 Montana, Madison County, Twin Bridges — Welcome to Beaverhead Gateway RanchAncient Grazing Lands Today
On State Highway 41 at milepost 13, on the right when traveling south.
Many of the rangelands in this valley still look largely as they did even before the Lewis and Clark Expedition walked here. Yet people and animals have traveled through and use the lands around you since prehistoric times. Montana Highway 41, and . . . Map (db m193129) HM
29 Montana, Madison County, Twin Bridges — Which way did they go?
Near Fairgrounds Loop Road at State Highway 41.
As the Corps of Discovery approached this river valley, the convergence of several rivers presented Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark with a choice of routes. Lewis and a few men traveled ahead of Clark to investigate the various rivers. . . . Map (db m193124) HM
30 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — 1863 - Virginia City - 1925
On Wallace Street (State Highway 287) west of Hamilton Street, on the left when traveling west.
Fairweather and Party Discovered World’s Richest Placer Ground May 26, 1863 Most Important Center of Notorious Road Agent Activities 1863-1864 Center of Montana’s Famous Vigilante Organization 1863-1864 Home of Montana’s First Newspaper, . . . Map (db m128434) HM
31 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Adobetown
On State Highway 287, 0.5 miles north of Brown's Gulch Road, on the left when traveling north.
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 . . . Map (db m117000) HM
32 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — African American Entrepreneurs
On Jackson Street near West Idaho Street, on the right when traveling south.
Between 1870 and 1880, Virginia City's African American population was small compared to other minorities such as the Chinese. African American freighter Jack "Jarret" Taylor was in town as early as 1866, Sarah Bickford arrived in January 1871, and . . . Map (db m208756) HM
33 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Alder Gulch Short Line Depot
On Wallace Street (State Highway 287) near West Idaho Street, on the left when traveling west.
The tracks of the Northern Pacific Railroad never really came to Virginia City. Although the town was the first overland transportation hum in the Territory of Montana and an important regional supply center, this status predates the railroad era. . . . Map (db m206347) HM
34 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Allen and Millard Bank
On Wallace Street (State Highway 287) east of Van Buren Street, on the right when traveling east.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Montana identifies the Allen and Millard Bank, which opened here in 1864, as the first real bank in Montana Territory. While other businesses in the Territory called themselves banks, most were actually express companies . . . Map (db m128435) HM
35 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — An Important Era in Railroad History
On State Highway 287, 0.1 miles south of California Street, on the right when traveling south.
The Montana Heritage Commission’s state-owned collection of railroad equipment represents the construction era of railroads in Montana. The wooden Soo Line cars representative of cars used by the Northern Pacific, Great Northern and Union Pacific . . . Map (db m128402) HM
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36 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Anaconda Hotel(Fairweather Inn)
On Wallace Street at Jackson Street on Wallace Street.
The oldest section of this building, dating to 1863, was first a simple one-story building which housed a restaurant called the “Young American Eating House.” A butcher shop followed from 1866 to the 1880s, and then in the 1880s the building was a . . . Map (db m49474) HM
37 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Anna Lyon / McKeen PlaceThis Property Contributes to the Virginia City Historic District
On West Cover Street near Van Buren Street, on the left when traveling east.
Martin and Anna Lyon came to Virginia City by covered wagon in 1864 and settled into this small dwelling. Martin, a successful tailor, was on his way home in January of 1865 when thieves attacked and fatally struck him over the head. A blizzard . . . Map (db m206467) HM
38 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Assay OfficeThis Property Contributes to the Virginia City Historic District
On West Wallace Street near Jackson Street, on the left when traveling west.
Mining is filthy work, a fact that spelled opportunity for African American barber George Turley, who opened a “Fashionable Hair Dressing and Shaving Saloon” in a narrow building on this site. In 1864, Turley advertised bathrooms for miners . . . Map (db m208691) HM
39 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Barlett’s Blacksmith Shop
On Wallace Street at Van Buren Street on Wallace Street.
Virginia City boomed and land prices soared accordingly in 1863 and 1864, a trend well illustrated in the earliest ownership transactions of this choice commercial property. On May 13, 1864, George Parker paid $800 for the lot and sold it for $1400 . . . Map (db m49441) HM
40 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Belgium, Paris, New York, St. Louis, Virginia City
On West Idaho Street east of Van Buren Street, on the right when traveling east.
Dr. Levinus Daems built or purchased the home on the right (West) soon after his arrival in Virginia City in 1863. Born in Belgium, Levinus Daems studied medicine and pharmacy at the University of Paris. While in Paris, he likely met his future . . . Map (db m117102) HM
41 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Blue Front Variety StoreThis property Contributes to the Virginia City Historic District
On Wallace Street near Jackson Street, on the left when traveling west.
Like the Picture Gallery, the Elling Store, and several others, this 1946 building and its neighbor to the left are a faithful reconstruction of the originals. The Elephant Auction House occupied these storefronts from summer 1863 until October . . . Map (db m208682) HM
42 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Boot Hill
This was Virginia City’s first Cemetery. There were many markers here, but only those of the road agents and Daltons remain. The road agent’s graves, which gave the Cemetery its name Boot Hill, were first marked by the city in 1907. William & Clara . . . Map (db m49490) HM
43 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — C. L. Dahler House
On East Wallace Street (State Highway 287) east of South Broadway Street, on the right when traveling east.
Two small houses shared this choice corner location in 1866, but after 1875, photographs reveal the unmistakable steeply pitched roof and central gable of this splendid Gothic Revival style residence. Expansion and remodeling during the 1890s . . . Map (db m117044) HM
44 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — C.W. Rank HouseThis Property Contributes to the Virginia City Historic District
On East Idaho Street at South Hamilton Street, on the left when traveling west on East Idaho Street.
Charles W. Rank arrived on the third train into Bozeman in 1883. There he launched a career in the drug store business that would span more than half a century. In 1884, he came to Virginia City to manage a small drug store. Partnering with his . . . Map (db m206279) HM
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45 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Charlie & Sue
On Wallace Street near Van Buren Street, on the right when traveling west.
Charles Argalis Bovey ("Charlie") was born May 1, 1907, in Minneapolis, Minnesota into the comfort and social status provided by his father's position as President to the company which would become General Mills. Charlie, however, would find his . . . Map (db m208659) HM
46 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Coggswell - Taylor CabinsThis Property Contributes to the Virginia City Historic District
On Jackson Street near West Idaho Street, on the right when traveling south.
The history of these two false-fronted cabins, joined by the 1890s, is interwoven with Virginia City’s African-American pioneers. The two separate, 1860s log cabins served both residential and commercial purposes. Minerva Coggswell acquired this . . . Map (db m208760) HM
47 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Cole/Batten HouseThis Property Contributes to the Virginia City Historic District
On East Idaho Street at Hamilton Street, on the left when traveling west on East Idaho Street.
This early home, built circa 1868 by C. E. Hill, was reputedly the site of Virginia City’s first Chinese wedding. The two-story section was originally finished in vertical siding, the eaves were trimmed in fancy latticework, and a small porch . . . Map (db m206343) HM
48 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Conrey PlaceThis Property Contributes to the Virginia City Historic District
On West Cover Street near Van Buren Street, on the left when traveling east.
During Virginia City’s mid-1860s boom, residences and businesses crowded along Cover Street. Most commercial buildings were gone by the mid-1880s and the neighborhood became primarily residential. Irish immigrant Phillip Conrey, a rancher and . . . Map (db m206464) HM
49 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Content's CornerThis Property Contributes to the Virginia City Historic District
On West Wallace Street at Jackson Street, on the left when traveling west on West Wallace Street.
When Solomon Content built this commercial building in 1864, it was one of the area’s most impressive, desirable business spaces. Stucco scored to look like stone originally covered the rubble stone walls, and Gothic transoms lent a civilized . . . Map (db m208692) HM
50 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Corbett HouseThis Property Contributes to the Virginia City Historic District
On East Idaho Street at Van Buren Street, on the left when traveling west on East Idaho Street.
The cozy placement of the Corbett and Daems houses has long been a mystery in Virginia City. The log Corbett house was likely built in summer 1863, and the Daems house by early 1864. No records exist explaining why these two middle-class homes sit . . . Map (db m206283) HM
51 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Creighton Stone Block
On Wallace Street (State Highway 287) at Van Buren Street, on the right when traveling east on Wallace Street.
Brothers John A. and Edward Creighton came west scouting the first transcontinental telegraph lines from Omaha, Nebraska, to the coast. Temporarily settling in Virginia City, Edward hired Thompson and Griffith to construct this building, the . . . Map (db m117047) HM
52 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Daems HouseThis Property Contributes to the Virginia City Historic District
On East Idaho Street near Van Buren Street, on the left when traveling west.
Though simple by today’s standards, the Daems house exemplifies an upper-middle-class, early-1860s Virginia City dwelling. Dr. Levinus Daems and his wife Marie Daems, a nurse, may have been the first residents of the house. Born in Belgium and . . . Map (db m206284) HM
53 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Dance and Stuart Store
On Wallace Street.
James Stuart and his brother Granville set up the first sluice boxes in the northern Rockies in 1852. Delaware native Walter B. Dance came to Gold Creek in 1862. James Stuart and Dance opened their mercantile in November, 1863. One of Virginia . . . Map (db m49442) HM
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54 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Discovery - Ellingsen Park
On Grant Mine Road near Alder Gulch Road, on the left when traveling south.
Two panels make up this marker: Discovery Park - The Fairweather Party One spring day in 1863, six men looking for their next big gold strike found it in Alder Gulch, William Fairweather, Henry Edgar, Thomas Cover, Barney . . . Map (db m208993) HM
55 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Dr. Don L. Byam Residence
On State Highway 287, 0.1 miles south of California Street, on the right when traveling north.
Light timber framing with board-and-batten walls characterizes this early home original to the Nevada City townsite. Inside, the original, well-preserved, muslin-covered walls are a rare example of a frontier decorating technique. The cabin’s . . . Map (db m117035) HM
56 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — E. L. Smith Store
On West Wallace Street (State Highway 287) west of Jackson Street, on the left when traveling west.
The design of this false-fronted wooden shop, built in 1863, includes hand hewn timbers and bay windows which are said to have been Montana's first "show windows.” The Star Billiard Hall was an early tenant, followed by a shoe dealer and . . . Map (db m117093) HM
57 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Elephant Auction HouseThis Property Contributes to the Virginia City Historic District
On Wallace Street near Jackson Street, on the left when traveling west.
The livestock trade was big business in emerging gold towns across the West. In the 1860s when livestock was essential to transportation, owners of liveries (stables) and corrals stood to profit far more than any gold digger. James Gray and Justus . . . Map (db m208681) HM
58 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Elling Bank
On Wallace Street near Van Buren Street.
Bankers Nowlan and Weary set up business in this brick-veneered building, one of the town’s oldest stone structures, in 1864. Three well-proportioned gothic arches with elaborate tracery, removed during 1910 remodeling, originally graced this stone . . . Map (db m49486) HM
59 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — F.R. Merk Block
On Wallace Street.
Gold dust was the common currency when George Higgins built this sturdy “fire-proof stone” business block circa 1866. F.R. Merk leased the new building for his mercantile, advertising fancy and staple groceries, liquors, Queensware, . . . Map (db m49440) HM
60 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Fight of the Century and Flour Riots
On Wallace Street (State Highway 287) east of Main Street, on the right when traveling west.
J. A. Nelson built Leviathan Hall in 1863 with a "special view to the development of muscular talent." Torn down just five years later in 1868, the hall dominated Wallace Street with its impressive 28 feet wide and 100 feet long footprint. . . . Map (db m117055) HM
61 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Finney House
On California Street at Montana Highway 287 on California Street.
Construction layers of this original homestead tell much of Nevada City’s ‘boom and bust’ history. In 1864, miner Frank Finney and his bride, Mary, moved into a cabin on this property that had been constructed the previous year. The cabin forms the . . . Map (db m49567) HM
62 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Frank Prasch Blacksmith Shop
On Wallace Street.
Like the blacksmith shop next door, this early building was probably a dance hall or saloon in the mid-1860s run by owner John Trollman. In 1865 Trollman was one of Virginia City’s seventy-three licensed retail liquor dealers. By the 1870, a larger . . . Map (db m49410) HM
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63 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Frisch/Ferguson CabinThis Property Contributes to the Virginia City Historic District
On West Cover Street near Wallace Street, on the left when traveling east.
The Frisch/Ferguson cabin escaped collapse twice and survives as an excellent example of a one-room log dwelling meant to provide short term, basic shelter for prospectors. The cabin’s early history is unknown, but by 1874, miner Fred Frisch and his . . . Map (db m206356) HM
64 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — G. Goldberg Store(McGovern Dry Goods)
On Wallace Street.
This 1863 building features a classic Greek Revival style storefront with French doors, typical of the 1860s frontier. The lintel above the door still bears the name of G. Goldberg, who ran the Pioneer Clothing Store Company prior to 1866. The . . . Map (db m49469) HM
65 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Gallows Barn
Near California Street.
Built in the 1890’s for the White Sulfur Springs Sheriff’s Department. In the year 1917 this barn had a legal gallows installed for the execution of three men. These men robbed a train south of White Sulfur Springs and murdered a trainman on January . . . Map (db m49569) HM
66 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Gilbert HouseThis Property Contributes to the Virginia City Historic District
On North Hamilton Street near East Wallace Street, on the right when traveling north.
Christen Richter, Henry Gilbert’s partner in the brewing business, built a home on this site in 1864 and soon added a stone wing. Gilbert purchased both Richter’s interest in the business and the house, moving his own dwelling to adjoin it on the . . . Map (db m206537) HM
67 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Gohn ResidenceThis Property Contributes to the Virginia City Historic District
On East Wallace Street near Broadway Street, on the left when traveling west.
George Gohn, a butcher by trade, came to Alder Gulch with the first rush in June of 1863. A member of the vigilance committee and later elected to several county offices, Gohn ran a local meat market. The Gohn family lived in the house next door . . . Map (db m206553) HM
68 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Gold in Alder Gulch
On State Highway 287, 0.5 miles north of Brown's Gulch Road, on the left when traveling north.
Alder Gulch, located between Virginia City and Alder, is one of the most significant placer mining districts in the U.S., having produced over 2.5 million troy ounces of gold between 1863, and 1889. In total, miners recovered over $40 billion . . . Map (db m117023) HM
69 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Green Front Boarding House
On Wallace Street at Main Street on Wallace Street.
These two adjoining log houses were probably built by Calvin Holly and William Douglas as dwellings in the late 1860s. By 1890, the two buildings were operated as “female boarding houses” or house of prostitution run by madames Myrtle . . . Map (db m49385) HM
70 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Grub Stake
On Wallace Street near Jackson Street, on the right when traveling west.
Look for something to eat, and find it in the water, in the ground, on the surface; whose bill of fare ranges from grass-seed, nuts, roots, grasshoppers, lizards, and rattlesnakes up to the antelope, deer elk, bear, and buffalo... Randolph . . . Map (db m208748) HM
71 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — H.S. Gilbert Brewery Park
On North Hamilton Street near East Cover Street, on the left when traveling north.
Virginia City supported three brewing operations in the 1860's. Eventually only the H.S. Gilbert Brewery would remain. There is no finer intact historic example in the West, possibly even the country, that exemplifies the 19th century brewing . . . Map (db m206536) HM
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72 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Hangman’s Building
On Wallace Street at Van Buren Street on Wallace Street.
On January 14, 1864 , the Vigilantes used the heavy center support beam of this building, then under construction, to hang five of Henry Plummer’s road agents: Frank Parish, Boone Helm, Jack Gallagher, Haze Lyons and Club Foot George Lane. Druggists . . . Map (db m49487) HM
73 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Hargrave/Vanderbeck HouseThis Property Contributes to the Virginia City Historic District
On West Idaho Street at Jackson Street, on the left when traveling west on West Idaho Street.
In the mid-1860s stores, hotels, and businesses lined both sides of Jackson Street near Idaho. The road was bustling with pedestrians and noisy teams of horses and wagons traveling on the toll road that led South to Summit. The Tootle, Leach & Co. . . . Map (db m209178) HM
74 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Henderson's Paint ShopThis Property Contributes to the Virginia City Historic District
On West Cover Street near Jackson Street, on the right when traveling east.
John Henderson’s painting business occupied this humble log building beginning in 1864. In addition to painting buildings, Henderson also offered decorative painting and sign writing. In Virginia City’s boom days, when new buildings on Wallace . . . Map (db m206458) HM
75 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — History Wins!
On State Highway 287 south of California Street, on the right when traveling south.
In 2009, the Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad (the Friends) and the Montana Heritage Commission (MHC) engaged in partnership whereby the MHC loaned some unused railroad trucks (axles, wheels, and suspensions systems of rail cars) to . . . Map (db m128403) HM
76 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Home on the Claim
On Grant Mine Road near Alder Gulch Road, on the left when traveling south.
When in the hills, prospectors often constructed temporary shelters called wikiups. Minters stood poles in a half circle and bound smaller ends together at the top with a cord. Evergreen boughs were planted against this conical frame work forming a . . . Map (db m208999) HM
77 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Integration on the Mining Frontier
On Jackson Street near West Idaho Street, on the right when traveling south.
Virginia City's booming gold mines provided economic opportunities for a small number of African Americans after the Civil War. By 1866, at least thirty African American men and women resided in Virginia City. Aside from working in the mines, they . . . Map (db m208755) HM
78 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — J.B. LaBeau, Jeweler(Toy Store)
On Wallace Street.
This property contributes to the Virginia City Historic District • Listed in the National Register of Historic Places By the United States Department of Interior • In cooperation with . . . Map (db m49471) HM
79 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — J.F. Stoer Saloon(Bale of Hay Saloon)
On Wallace Street.
Retail liquor dealer J.F. Stoer operated here from the raucous 1860s until about 1890. From that time until 1908, Smith and Boyd who ran the livery next door ran this establishment, aptly renamed the “Bale of Hay.” After 1908, the . . . Map (db m49390) HM
80 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Kiskadden’s Stone Block(Vigilante Barn)
On Wallace Street.
Virginia City’s first stone building, constructed during the summer of 1863, originally housed three stores on the ground floor and a meeting hall upstairs. Popular legend has long designated this as the meeting place of the Vigilantes, who . . . Map (db m49473) HM
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81 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Kohl's/Little Joe's CabinThis Property Contributes to the Virginia City Historic District
On West Idaho Street near Nevada Street.
Carpenter Julius Kohls purchased this property in 1882, where he built a one-room log cabin and a combination wood shed and outhouse. In contrast to most of the town’s 1860s-era gold-rush log buildings, Kohls’ cabin does not have hand-notched logs . . . Map (db m206350) HM
82 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Kramer Building(Dress Shop)
On Wallace Street.
The hasty construction on this remarkably preserved early dwelling reflects the excitement of the gold rush to Alder Gulch during the summer of 1863. Its original dirt-covered pole roof predates the first saw mills; the roof was later covered over . . . Map (db m49443) HM
83 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Leander Frary HouseThis Property Contributes to the Virginia City Historic District
On West Cover Street near Van Buren Street, on the left when traveling east.
Dentist-turned-miner Leander W. Frary came to Virginia City with the gold rush to try his luck. He and his wife Alice owned interests in a number of lode claims. Frary, a prominent citizen, was among the founders of the Grand Lodge of Masons in . . . Map (db m206470) HM
84 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Lewis/Gohn HouseThis Property Contributes to the Virginia City Historic District
On East Wallace Street near Broadway Street, on the left when traveling west.
During restoration of this modest dwelling, built in 1864 by J. M. Lewis and later owned by the Gohn family, its unusual construction came to light. Hand-planed planks finely crafted with key joints in between, posts of hand-hewn timbers, and . . . Map (db m206554) HM
85 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Madison County CourthouseThis Property Contributes to the Virginia City Historic District
On West Wallace Street near Broadway Street, on the left when traveling west.
Courthouse and the original Beaverhead County Courthouse in Bannack (later the Meade Hotel) in 1875. Among the earliest architect-designed buildings in the territory, they both feature dramatic, gracefully curving interior staircases with beautiful . . . Map (db m206556) HM
86 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Madison County Pioneers
On State Highway 287.
The gold rush to Alder Creek in 1863 spurred settlement of the Madison Valley, and among the first families to settle here were the Jeffers, the Switzers (whose home is preserved here in Nevada City) and the Careys. Irish-born Nick Carey walked to . . . Map (db m49565) HM
87 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Methodist ChurchThis Property Contributes to the Virginia City Historic District
On West Idaho Street at Van Buren Street, on the left when traveling west on West Idaho Street.
Virginia City witnessed Montana’s first Methodist services in 1864. By 1874, however, too many residents had succumbed to “depraved and wicked conditions.” Well-known itinerant ministers Revs. W. W. Van Orsdel and T. C. Iliff, then resident pastors . . . Map (db m206340) HM
88 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Metropolitan Meat Market
On Wallace Street.
George Gohn was one of the first to arrive at Alder Gulch in 1863 where he and Conrad Kohrs set up a meat market in a log cabin. Alkali dust sifted through the chinks and covered the meat prompting Gohn to experiment with various other locations . . . Map (db m49479) HM
89 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Montana’s Oldest Standing School
Near California Street.
This little log building is Montana’s Oldest Standing Public School, built in 1867 in Twin Bridges, Montana, about 30 miles north of here. It served Twin Bridges until 1873, when the Masons built a two-story building with the first floor for use as . . . Map (db m49568) HM
90 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Nevada City
On State Highway 287.
Nine booming gold camps sprawled along remote Alder Gulch in 1863. Nevada City and Virginia City were the largest. In December, 1863, Nevada City’s main street was the scene of the miner’s court and hanging of George Ives. This event was the . . . Map (db m49563) HM
91 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Old Masonic Temple
On Wallace Street.
In the top story of his building the Grand Lodge of A.F. & A.M. of Montana was formed on January 24th to 29th AL. 5866 Virginia City Lodge No. 43 of Kansas Montana Lodge No. 9 of Colorado and Helena Lodge No. 10 of Colorado Which are now . . . Map (db m49485) HM
92 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Original Madison County CourthouseThis Property Contributes to the Virginia City Historic District
On West Idaho Street near Jackson Street, on the left when traveling west.
Madison County was one of the original nine counties created by the first territorial legislature in 1865. This building, constructed in 1866, served as the county courthouse during Virginia City’s stint as territorial capital (1865-1875). When the . . . Map (db m208754) HM
93 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Pfouts and Russel(Rank’s Drug – Old Masonic Temple)
On Wallace Street.
Paris Pfouts, Vigilante president and Virginia City’s first mayor, was instrumental in laying out the town. He and his partner, Samuel Russell, built a log store on this site in summer, 1863. Local hell-raiser Jack Slade was arrested here on March . . . Map (db m49484) HM
94 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Raymond HouseThis Property Contributes to the Virginia City Historic District
On East Idaho Street at South Hamilton Street, on the left when traveling west on East Idaho Street.
Eighteen-year-old Winthrop Raymond arrived in Virginia City from Missouri in 1865. He and his brother, Hillhouse, began a business hauling wood and building materials. Winthrop built this home soon after, perhaps on speculation. First owner B. F. . . . Map (db m206280) HM
95 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — S. R. Buford & Company
On West Wallace Street (State Highway 287) west of Jackson Street, on the left when traveling west.
Rounded arches and a tall false front characterize Virginia City's first brick building, built by clothing merchant E. J. Walter in 1875. It is said that construction using locally produced bricks was accomplished as a test before the building of . . . Map (db m117100) HM
96 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — S.L. Simpson Building(Barber Shop)
On Wallace Street.
This narrow frame building may be one of Virginia City’s earliest structures, dating to the summer of 1863 when buildings like this were rented for up to $175 during the initial gold rush. Its odd-sized door appears to have been locally handmade. . . . Map (db m49412) HM
97 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Sanders HouseThis Property Contributes to the Virginia City Historic District
On East Idaho Street near South Hamilton Street, on the left when traveling west.
The murder trial and subsequent hanging of outlaw George Ives in 1863 won the courageous young prosecutor, Wilbur Fisk Sanders, an indelible place in Montana history. Sanders went on to play a key role in the creation of Montana Territory and served . . . Map (db m206281) HM
98 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Sauerbier Blacksmith Shop
On Wallace Street.
A notorious dance hall was the original occupant of this 1863 building which encompasses a small cabin of V-notched logs, one of the first built in June of that year. Tall French doors and a few dentils clinging to the facade recall its former dance . . . Map (db m49407) HM
99 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Saving Montana''s History
On Wallace Street near Van Buren Street, on the right when traveling west.
Many people have called Virginia City their home and many thousands of others have had the pleasure of visiting this unique town. This would hardly be a place worth visiting, were it not for the tireless efforts of a man unpretentiously known . . . Map (db m208661) HM
100 Montana, Madison County, Virginia City — Sim Ferguson Cabin
On West Cover Street near Wallace Street, on the left when traveling east.
The Simon (Sim) Ferguson Cabin is a Virginia City prospector's cabin dating back to the 1870s. Likely constructed from logs salvaged from another building in the area, the cabin underwent several modifications during its history, Historic evidence . . . Map (db m206355) HM

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Apr. 19, 2024