Washoe, Montana facts for kids

Washoe is a small place in Carbon County, Montana, USA. It sits at the base of the Beartooth Mountains and is located on Montana Secondary Highway 308. Once a busy mining town, Washoe is now mostly a ghost town where only a few people live.

History of Washoe

The Beginning of a Mining Town

In 1903, a couple named Fred and Annie Bartels bought the land where Washoe would eventually be built. At that time, coal mining was a very important business in this area. A large company called the Anaconda Copper Company bought the land from the Bartels in 1906.

Washoe: A Company Town

In 1907, the Anaconda Copper Mining Co. and its partner, the Washoe Coal Co., developed Washoe as a company town. This meant the town was built and run by the mining company for its workers. They mined a lot of coal here! About 1,200 tons of coal were sent every day to the Anaconda smelters, which were places where metal was extracted from ore. The coal traveled by train using the Northern Pacific Railroad.

Changes and Challenges

In 1912, the Montana Power Company was formed. As electricity became more common, people started using less coal for power. Because of this change, the Washoe Mine eventually closed.

A Tragic Event and Decline

Washoe was greatly affected by the Smith Mine disaster on February 27, 1943. This was a very sad and serious mining accident, considered the worst coal mining disaster in Montana's history. This traumatic event, along with the railroad no longer coming to the town, led to Washoe's decline.

Washoe Today

Today, Washoe is known as a ghost town. Many of its old buildings are still standing. You can easily visit Washoe by taking the Washoe turnoff on State Highway 93. It's located on Highway 308, between Belfry and Red Lodge. The population, which was once as high as 3,000 people, is now only a "handful of people."

A post office opened in Washoe on December 2, 1907. Earle E. Lombard was its first postmaster. The post office closed on July 31, 1959.