Powderville, Montana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Powderville
Unincorporated community
Powderville Location in Montana
Country	United States
State	Montana
County	Powder River
Elevation	2,828 ft (862 m)
Time zone	UTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP codes	59345
GNIS feature ID	775415

Powderville, also called Elkhorn Crossing, is a small, quiet community in northeastern Powder River County, Montana, United States. It's not a big city with its own government, but rather a collection of buildings along the Powder River. You can find it by following local roads northeast of Broadus, which is the main town in Powder River County. Powderville sits at an elevation of about 2,828 feet (862 meters) above sea level.

History of Powderville

Early Explorers and Soldiers

On September 7, 1865, a group of soldiers on the Powder River Expedition passed through the area where Powderville is today. They were traveling south along the Powder River. That evening, they camped a few miles away and buried three soldiers who had passed away during the day.

The Powder River Telegraph Station

A very important part of Powderville's history is the Powder River Telegraph Station. This was a special station built by the U.S. Army to fix telegraph lines. It operated from 1878 to 1883. The station was located along the Powder River in what was then southeastern Montana Territory. Today, this historic site is within Powder River County.

The telegraph station was set up on November 1, 1878. Soldiers from the 9th U.S. Infantry built it. It was on the right bank of the Powder River. Its job was to keep the telegraph line working between the Black Hills and Fort Keogh.

Life at the Station

Private Leopold Hohman, from the 5th Infantry, was put in charge of the station on December 20, 1878. In early 1879, two more soldiers, Privates J. Broderick and L. Smith, joined him as repairmen. The telegraph line was ready for messages by April.

An important event happened nearby on April 5, 1879. Two U.S. Army telegraph repairmen were shot by Cheyenne warriors. This was the first fight of the Mizpah Creek Incidents.

By 1881, the station had all the tools needed for telegraph repairs. It was responsible for keeping 66 miles of wire working. This section connected to the Little Missouri Telegraph Station and Fort Keogh.

Hohman's Rock

Private Hohman left the station on April 14, 1881. He was honorably discharged from the army that May. But he left a lasting mark on the area. On a hill called Soldiers Mount, which overlooks the station site, Hohman carved his name into a sandstone boulder. He also carved his role, company, regiment, and the years he served. You can still read his carving today! Hohman's rock is about one mile east of where Powderville is now.

After Hohman left, Private Shultz of the 2nd Cavalry took over command. The number of soldiers at the station was reduced.

From Telegraph to Stagecoach

In the early 1880s, the path of the telegraph line became a stagecoach road. This road connected Deadwood to Miles City. In 1885, the community of Powderville grew up next to the old telegraph station. It became a stop for stagecoaches. The stagecoaches would cross the Powder River at a spot called Elkhorn Crossing. The Powder River telegraph repair station officially closed in 1883. However, U.S. Army troops from Fort Keogh continued to operate in the area into the 1890s.

Powderville's Post Office and Cemetery

Even though Powderville is an unincorporated community (meaning it doesn't have its own local government), it had its own post office. This post office used the ZIP code 59345 and served the community from 1885 until 2011.

Powderville also has a historic place called Boot Hill Cemetery. It's located on a hill that looks over the old post office building.

Climate in Powderville

Powderville has a type of weather called a semi-arid climate. This means it's usually dry, but not a complete desert. On climate maps, this type of weather is shown as "BSk".