Hecla, Montana facts for kids
Hecla was once a busy town in Beaverhead County, Montana, United States. Today, it is known as a ghost town. This means only a few old buildings are left standing. Hecla was famous for a time because Blanche Lamont lived there. She taught at the town's small, one-room schoolhouse. Another well-known person, Margaret Brown, also lived in Hecla for a while.
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Hecla: A Montana Ghost Town
Hecla is a fascinating example of a ghost town in Montana. These towns were often built quickly when a valuable resource, like silver, was discovered. When the resource ran out, or the economy changed, people moved away. This left the buildings empty, slowly turning the town into a "ghost."
The Hecla Mining District
Hecla was part of a larger area called the Hecla Mining District. This district was located on the side of Lion Mountain. It was also known as the Glendale or Bryant Mining District. This mining area stretched for about ten miles through deep valleys called gulches. Four main towns were part of this district: Trapper City, Lion City, Glendale, and Hecla.
Building the Town of Hecla
In 1881, the Hecla Company, which owned the mines, was reorganized. Henry Knippenberg took charge of the company. Soon after, he decided to build the town of Hecla. It was located about a mile away from Lion City. To make it easier to move ore from the mine, a special narrow-gauge tramway was built. This four-mile-long track connected Hecla to the mill, where the ore was processed.
Life in Hecla's Boom Days
The town of Hecla grew quite large, with about 1,500 to 1,800 people living there. It had many features you would expect in a small town. Hecla had its own water system and fire protection. There was a church for worship and a school that could teach up to 200 students. The town also had other businesses that were common in a busy mining community.
The Hecla Mercantile & Banking Company
A major business in Hecla was the General Merchandise store, run by H.W. Kappes. In 1886, this store became part of the Hecla Mercantile & Banking Company. This company was actually a part of the larger Hecla Consolidated Mining Company, which was based in Glendale, Montana.
Why Hecla Became a Ghost Town
The Hecla mining district faced big problems in 1893. This was when the Sherman Silver Purchase Act was repealed. This act had supported the price of silver. When it was canceled, the price of silver dropped sharply. This made mining silver much less profitable. As a result, many mines closed, and people began to leave Hecla and other mining towns in the area. This event hit the district very hard and led to Hecla becoming the ghost town it is today.
Visiting Hecla Today
If you want to explore the Hecla district, you can reach it from I-15 near Melrose. Take Exit 93 onto Trapper Creek Road. Glendale is about five miles down this road. Lion City and Hecla are another seven miles or so further. It is recommended to use a four-wheel drive vehicle or an ATV to get to these remote locations.
