Rimini, Montana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rimini, Montana
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 Rimini, Montana
Location in Montana
Rimini, Montana
Location in the United States
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| State | Montana |
| County | Lewis and Clark County |
| Founded | 1864 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.30 sq mi (0.79 km2) |
| • Land | 0.30 sq mi (0.79 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 5,285 ft (1,611 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 51 |
| • Density | 167.76/sq mi (64.72/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| Area code(s) | 406 |
| FIPS code | 30-62650 |
Rimini is a fascinating ghost town located in Lewis and Clark County, Montana, United States. A ghost town is a place where most people have left, often because the main reason for the town's existence, like a mine, stopped being active. Rimini is one of Montana's oldest mining areas. It was founded in 1864 when valuable silver was discovered there. Over time, this area was also known by other names like Lewis and Clark, Tenmile, Vaughn, Colorado, and Bear Gulch.
Contents
History of Rimini
How Rimini Got Its Name
The town was first settled in the late 1860s by Irish miners and was called Young Ireland. In 1883, the residents asked Governor Schuyler Crosby for a post office. However, the Post Office department did not like two-word names. So, Governor Crosby suggested the name Rimini. He had just seen a play about Francesca da Rimini, which inspired the new name for the town.
Rimini's Peak Years
At its busiest in 1890, Rimini had about 300 people living there. The town was quite lively, with several hotels and stores. It also had a school, saloons, and places for gambling and pool. There was a stable for horses, a doctor's office, a church, and several boarding houses. A sawmill also operated in the town.
Rimini Today
As of 2012, only a few people live in Rimini full-time. More people visit or stay part-time during the summer months.
War Dog Training at Camp Rimini
Training Sled and Pack Dogs
During World War II, a special place called Camp Rimini, Montana, was used to train dogs for the war effort. These dogs were trained as war dogs, specifically for pulling sleds and carrying packs. Between 1942 and 1944, 263 sled dogs and 268 pack dogs were trained at this camp.
Who Ran the Camp?
The Quartermaster Corps was in charge of Camp Rimini. This part of the Army was responsible for managing the Army's K-9 Corps, which included all the military dogs.
Rimini Mining District and Cleanup Efforts
What is the Rimini Mining District?
The Rimini mining area is about 13 miles west of Helena, Montana. It is located on the east side of the Continental Divide, which is a line of high ground that separates rivers flowing to different oceans. The district is along Tenmile Creek. It is known as one of Montana's oldest places for mining lead and zinc.
Early Mining in Rimini
Mining began in this area even before 1870. The Lee Mountain Lode was found in 1864, and the Eureka Mine in 1865. However, not much mining happened until 1885. That's when a special train track was built to the district. In the 1880s, many mines were developed. Some of the most successful ones were the East Pacific, Lady Washington, John McGraw, Eureka, and Porphery Dike. Some of these mines went very deep, up to 500 or 600 feet underground.
The Superfund Site
Because of all the mining, the Rimini area became part of a Superfund site. A Superfund site is a place with a lot of pollution that needs a big cleanup. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) added the Upper Tenmile Creek Mining Area to its Superfund list in 1999. This was because of pollution from old mining waste in the 53-square-mile area.
Why Cleanup Was Needed
The Upper Tenmile Creek Mining Area has many old, unused hard-rock mines. These mines produced gold, lead, zinc, and copper. Mining mostly stopped by the early 1930s. The site includes the area where water flows into Tenmile Creek. This creek and its smaller streams provide about half of the drinking water for Helena, Montana. The EPA found 150 individual mine sites in this area. About 70 of them were chosen for cleanup because they were causing pollution.
The Susie Mine Example
The Susie Mine was one of the mines in this area. It was a gold, silver, and lead mine. Water draining from this mine had a lot of acid and was polluted with harmful substances like arsenic and heavy metals. This polluted water was a major source of contamination in the streams that flow into Helena's drinking water.
Cleanup Progress
The EPA made great progress on the cleanup in Rimini in 2011.
- The main road through Rimini was dug up and refilled. This removed about 18,000 cubic yards of polluted material from one mile of Rimini Road. This cleanup helps protect people from pollution and stops the pollution from spreading into Tenmile Creek.
- Almost all the yards in people's homes were cleaned up. New septic systems were put in, and new landscaping was done. About 6,000 cubic yards of waste were removed from yards in Rimini. Another 9,000 cubic yards were removed from the Lee Mountain site.
Education
Children living in Rimini attend schools in the Helena Elementary School District and the Helena High School District.
