Bannack, Montana facts for kids

Bannack Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark District
Main street in Bannack
Location in Montana Show map of Montana Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Beaverhead County, Montana
Nearest city	Dillon, Montana
Area	1 square mile (2.6 km2)
Built	1862
NRHP reference No.	66000426
Quick facts for kids Significant dates
Added to NRHP	October 15, 1966
Designated NHLD	July 4, 1961

Bannack is a famous ghost town in Beaverhead County, Montana, United States. It sits on Grasshopper Creek, about 11 miles (18 km) upstream from where it meets the Beaverhead River. The town was started in 1862. Today, it is a National Historic Landmark and is looked after by the state of Montana as Bannack State Park.

Discovering Bannack's Past

Bannack was founded in 1862. It was named after the local Bannock Native American tribe. The town became important because a lot of gold was found there in July 1862. It even hosted the first meeting of the Montana Territory's government in 1863-1864.

However, when more gold was found in another place called Alder Gulch in May 1863, many people left Bannack. Even so, Bannack kept going as a mining town. The very last residents moved away in the 1970s.

Life in a Gold Rush Town

At its busiest, Bannack had about ten thousand people living there. It was very far away from other towns. The only way to connect to the outside world was by using the Montana Trail.

The town had many businesses. There were three hotels, three bakeries, and three blacksmith shops. You could also find two stables, two meat markets, a grocery store, a restaurant, a brewery, and a billiard hall. There were even four saloons. All these buildings were made of logs. Some had fancy false fronts to make them look more important.

One of the people who helped start the town was Dr. Erasmus Darwin Leavitt. He was a doctor from New Hampshire. For a while, he stopped being a doctor to dig for gold. Dr. Leavitt came to Bannack in 1862. He would sometimes practice medicine and sometimes mine for gold. He found that being a doctor was more profitable than mining. Later, Dr. Leavitt moved to Butte, Montana. He spent the rest of his life there as a doctor.

The Sheriff and the Vigilantes

Bannack had a sheriff named Henry Plummer. Some people believed he secretly led a group of outlaws. These outlaws were said to cause trouble in the gold fields and on the trails. However, historians today question how many bad things this group actually did. Only a few deaths are officially recorded.

On January 10, 1864, Sheriff Plummer and two of his helpers were hanged without a trial in Bannack. Other people connected to Plummer were also punished. Some were hanged, and others were told to leave town forever. A group called the Montana Vigilantes was responsible for these actions. They were a group of citizens who took justice into their own hands. Nathaniel P. Langford, who later became the first superintendent of Yellowstone National Park, was part of this group.

Bannack Today: A State Park

Today, about sixty old buildings still stand in Bannack. These buildings are made of log, brick, and wood. Many of them are very well preserved. You can explore most of them when you visit.

The area is now called the Bannack Historic District. It was named a National Historic Landmark in 1961. It became one of Montana's state parks in 1954. Volunteers work with the state to help keep this famous ghost town safe and preserved.

Bannack Days Celebration

Every year, in the third weekend of July, Bannack comes alive. This event is called "Bannack Days." For two days, officials at Bannack State Park organize a special event. They try to show what life was like when Bannack was a busy gold rush town. People act out the daily lives of the miners.

A real old-fashioned breakfast is served in the old Hotel Meade. This is a well-preserved brick building. For many years, it was the main government building for Beaverhead County. Later, the county seat moved to Dillon, Montana.

Bannack's Location and Surroundings

The mines around Bannack are on both sides of Grasshopper Creek. This creek flows southeast through the area. It then joins the Beaverhead River about 12 miles (19 km) downstream.

Climate Around Bannack

A weather station called Dillon 18 WSW is located near Bannack. Here is some information about the weather there:

Images for kids

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  Schoolhouse and Masonic Lodge

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  Hotel Meade

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  Methodist Church, built in 1877

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  Private home in Bannack

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  Family plot in cemetery

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  Historic landmark plaque

See also

In Spanish: Bannack (Montana) para niños