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2009 Philipsburg Territory
The 40 page, premiere publication of the Philipsburg Chamber of Commerce produced and published by Quantus Design, LLC
P Vol. XXXI No. 1 2009/10 hilipsburg T erritory ww w.P hil Jo in s! Sapphire s! Sapphire i P S US ! BU rg M t. C oM SapphireS! SapphireS! read all about it! The date--1894, the place-- in the area provides an immediate near the creek to find hot spots the Gem Peak area on Rock Creek chance to turn rough stones to fine where it was profitable to wash and sort the gravel and gems. near Philipsburg, Montana. The jewelry and memories. The sapphires mined were first load of sapphires ships Gem miners today have a from placer mines, and arrives simpler time of it than those graded by color, clarity, size as far away as Switzerland for at the turn of the century. A and structure for commercial watch jewels and fine instrument hundred years ago, miners applications and jewelry, such bearings. Here was a world-class washed sapphires from the gravel as the brooch displayed at the 1900 Paris Exposition "of over discovery and supply to meet a 200 stones, ranging from 1� to growing demand for corundum, urg, MT ~ Miners Un ion lipsb sapphires and rubies. Ph i Da 3 carats each, every one of a , y1 different tint or shade." In the late 1880's, only St. n 91 i Chem ic a l ly, North Carolina was a a 3 M sapphire and ruby source of sapphires are dialuminum in North America. trioxide (A1203), Starting in 1892, a clear and newer and more colorless mineral. productive claims The impurities developed on the present in the west fork of Rock stones create the Creek not far from distinct colors. Iron Gem Peak. Initially, makes yellow, iron prospectors mined for Mi plus titanium is blue, gold, but the search for gold 29 ne r's ge and chromium makes became secondary with the Pa Ev e e~ nt H t ag red. Known to the world as discovery of commercial and gem onor Her i s Philips burg's Hard Rock "rubies," red sapphires contain the quality sapphires in southwest Montana. Today, gem enthusiasts often by standing up to their knees chromium. An impurity common to find sapphires of two to three carats in water and muck. "Hydraulic most sapphires is Titanium dioxide in the rough. Expert jewelry service cannons" carved into hillsides (TiO2) in the form of "silk needles" Free! Take One Nestled in a high Rocky Mountain valley is the picturesque town of Philipsburg. It lies in the heart of a region rich in mining and T he A lmosT G hosT T own of G rAniTe C ounTy ! ranching history. During hard rock mining heyday, in the late 1800's, boomtowns like "P-burg" popped up throughout the hills and valleys nearby. More than two dozen communities came and went, often dying overnight, when veins of ore ran out or metal prices plunged. Today Granite County's rich legacy of "ghost towns" attracts visitors from around the world. "People come in every day and they want to know how to get to the ghost towns," says Ester McDonald from behind the counter in the local museum gift shop, "What's so funny or "rutile." This is the reason for the heat-treating. Heat-treating in the 1700 degree C to 2000 degree C range is necessary to dissolve the titanium crystals back into the surrounding material and "clear" the gem for maximum brilliance. Recent technology allows the treating of a stone's specific colors to enhance and improve each stone's potential, completing what mother nature started, allowing the gem to Story continued on Page 03 Photo courtesy of Quantus Design. is they don't realize they're standing right in the middle of one!" Ester chuckles at the irony of visitors driving into nearby hills to walk among weathered ruins of long empty towns when the bustling little town of Philipsburg is arguably Montana's best-preserved place from the past. The downtown is crammed with structures whose designs and materials, and even the artisans who made them, are exactly the same as the nearby "ghost towns" where few, if any, buildings remain. Story continued on Page 10 Free Maps Inside! To Missoula Drummond Hall To helena 1 Maxville PhiliPsburg Anaconda 1 Historic Walking Tour - Pgs 17-24. Flint Creek Valley Car Show Page 31 Philipsburg, located on Montana's Pintler Scenic Highway One, is 74 miles southeast of Missoula and sixty miles west of Butte. Centered in the heart of Flint Creek Valley, Philipsburg offers visitors a dramatic view of wildlife, history, scenery, four seasons of P h i l iP sbu rg , M on ta na t oday MinerS' Union CoMPetition Page 32 outdoor recreation and activities. Lake and stream fishing, skiing, snowmobiling, camping, hiking, photography, museums, 1800's architecture, historic mines, tours, sapphire prospecting (indoor and outdoor), and ghost town exploration are within minutes of town. Pintler Scenic HigHway To buTTe art & Jazz on Broadway Page 28 P age 2 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory ll SapphireS! SapphireS! read ait! about Continued from Page 01 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory P age 3 come to full bloom with heat and the right amount of time. Treating stones neither adds or takes away anything from the natural gem, only re-dissolves the existing minerals enriching both color and clarity. The original formation of the Rock Creek sapphires is such that very few are lost in this process, for any reason. This is not always true of other deposits in North America or elsewhere in the world. Only diamond naturally occurs harder than corundum that is an excellent abrasive, cutting and polishing material. Commercial uses include files, emery cloth and emery boards, phonograph needles, bearings and its finest form, beautiful jewels. Of the four Montana sapphire regions, only Rock Creek has such a variety of distinctly crisp and sharp colors. Sapphires form under varying conditions: hydrothermal, metamorphic and volcanic. No one knows the exact age or formation of the stones in the Rock Creek area. Most likely, these stones formed under metamorphic conditions. As tastes have shifted to more brilliant gem jewelry, Rock Creek sapphires have come into their own. Particularly with the advent of readily available heat-treating, Rock Creek sapphires are able to fill a niche worldwide. For more information, see National Geographic magazine, October 1991, "Sapphires & Rubies." Colors range from the classic "cornflower blue" to "red-orange" and "mint green." "Pinto" is the name for locally found sapphires that have two principal colors within the same crystal. The sapphires found and finished here have a character and beauty all their own. A gem's specific qualities are discussed in terms of carats (size), color, clarity, and cut (shape and polish). The term "carat" finds its historic origin in the weight of a carob bean�one carob bean to the carat. One Carat equals 1/140 of an ounce. A "point" is 1/100 of a carat. Sapphires display "dichroic" effects; different colors on different "axis" lines in the crystal. The C axis is the primary axis with secondary colors on the A and B axis. The job of the cutter is to cut (polish) the raw gemstone to accent the colors and size inherent in the original Mining sapphires in the Mining Room of The Sapphire Gallery in downtown Philipsburg is a family affair. Searching for sapphires at Gem Mountain. Sapphires! Sapphires! Read All About It! . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 The Almost Ghost Town of Granite County . . . . . . . . . . .1 Small Towns, Ghost Towns, & Mines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 More Small Towns, Ghost Towns & Mines . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Philipsburg Mining District Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Sapphires & Geology Garnet, Hasmark, Hall, Tower, Princeton, Cable, & Southern Cross Henderson Gulch, Black Pine, Rumsey, Red Lion & Bearmouth Ghost towns � Mines & More table of c ontents uptown philipsburG events � activities stone. Between discovery and final mounting are three basic steps to bring out the most in a gemstone. First, is sorting to remove any sapphire that may not be durable enough to withstand cutting due to internal fractures or "inclusions" of other material. Next, is heat-treating the gemstone to bring out the very best qualities, inherent to each piece. Ninety-five percent of sapphires in jewelry stores go through this process of enhancement before the cutting and mounting as jewelry. Heat-treating of sapphires has a long history going back to 650ad in texts of Pliny the Elder. Under carefully controlled conditions, very few corundum stones fail to benefit from heat-treating. Heattreating of Rock Creek sapphires is science and art best done by those who study and work with these stones. Finally, after the heat treatment, the fun and faceting begin. Faceting is the art of fashioning a gemstone to maximize the light return to show off the beauty of the gem. Grinding the gem against a faceting lap slurried with diamond dust creates sapphire facets or faces on the stone. The jeweler cuts each facet and then polishes each facet using ever-finer diamond powder. Factors in the area are experienced in sapphire gems and produce excellent work. A gemstone sitting in a dark box in a drawer is a distant memory. A sapphire in a piece of jewelry is a conversation waiting to happen. Philipsburg jewelers at The Sapphire Gallery and Gem Mountain have vast experience selecting, cutting, and mounting sapphires for the best possible presentation and attractive pieces of personal jewelry. Photo courtesy of The Sapphire Gallery. Dale Siegford of The Sapphire Gallery treating sapphires. Photo by Brian Eder. America's Prettiest Painted Places . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 The Little Town That Could . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Philipsburg's Historic Lighting District . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Art & Jazz on Broadway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bikers Find Sanctuary in Philipsburg . . . . . . . Flint Creek Valley Days Car Show . . . . . . . . . . Historic Opera House Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . Historic Walking Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Miner's Event Honors Hard Rock Heritage . . . Rocky Mountain Accordion Celebration 2009 . Writers in the Round . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 . . .34 . . . 31 . . . 4 17-24 . . .32 . . .28 . . .28 . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 .25 .37 .27 .30 .36 territory history Drummond ~ 123 Years Strong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Flint Creek Pass ~ Gateway to the Valley . . . . . . . . . . .34 From The Past (Historic Photos) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 History of Philipsburg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 History on Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Much More Than Gold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Kirkville � Their Color Was Scarlet of New Chicago � Stone recreation The Burg Boomed Back in 1887 � Diversity Was Their Strength econoMies Geology of Granite County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Granite County Medical Center . . . . . . . . . . . . Philipsburg Logging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Philipsburg Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Philipsburg Area Educational Foundation . . . . Ranching in Granite County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Granite county . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 . 16 . 15 . 31 . 31 . 15 inforMation � Maps � Directories Camera Ready! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Georgetown Lake . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Puck Stops Here . . . . . . . . . . Summer Adventure . . . . . . . . . . . . U .S . Forest Service Campgrounds . Winter Wonderland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Advertisers Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Calendar of Events & Advertiser Web Sites . . . . . . . . . .29 Maps Historic Walking Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Montana Scenic Highway 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Philipsburg Mining District Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Photo courtesy of The Sapphire Gallery. P age 4 H istoric o pera H ouse tHe atre Philipsburg Commercial Club, a bank, Carmichaels' Livery Stable and others. Andrew Crow, renowned pianist, acquired the property in the early 1980's and saved the building from demolition, later selling it to Tim Dringle. Tim and Claudette actively pursue restoring the theatre to its former splendor and bringing live theatre and vaudeville back to the stage. Edgar S. Paxson painted six backdrops for the theatre in the late 1800's and early 1900's. The young man came to Montana from Buffalo, New York in the spring 1877. In 1879, he settled with his family in Deer Lodge as a professional painter. In addition to sign and house painting, he decorated saloons and painted backdrops and scenery for theatres. Over the years, the Paxson backdrops Photo by Tim Dringle. 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory were sold several times until they returned to the Opera House Theatre on loan from the Granite County Museum early in 1998. Of the original six backdrops, five survived. Beginning its 11th summer of live theatre, the Opera House Theatre 2009 offerings include two full-length, comedy/farce plays and one all Vaudeville production. The schedule features performances on Thursday at 7:00pm, Friday at 2:00pm and 7pm, Saturday at 2:00pm and 7:00pm and Sunday at 4:00pm. Visitors are welcome to stop in and enjoy the history of the theatre, catch a performance, and laugh `til you stop. " . . .you won't be required to leap upon the stage . But you'll think about it." The Missoulian 2008 Opera House Theatre Cast Members of "Run For Your Wife." "A jewel in the crown of Montana ." A.A. & Susie McDonald built Philipsburg's historic Opera House Theatre in 1896. The theatre sold to C.G. Moyer and Dr. V.V. Crissey in 1930. They renamed the theatre "The Wilma." C.G. Moyer sold his interest to G.I. Crissey, the doctor's brother, and they renamed it the "Roseland." Prior to selling the theatre, Manager Otto Rinderknecht surrendered management back to Susie McDonald and a new manager, Susie's nephew-in-law Angus "Sandy" McDonald. In 1921, Frank Horrigan served as manager of the McDonald Theatre. At that time, the ornate box seating was taken out for what was believed to accommodate better acoustics. New sound and projection machines The Missoulian were installed and are still in place and in working order today. Horrigan opened the theatre as the "Granada" on July 7, 1932 after Susie McDonald's death on March 27, 1932. In September 2000, the theatre received a dramatic facelift! The building was painted for the first time in 100 years. Currently the oldest operating theatre in the State of Montana, it is highly acclaimed for being the only theatre in Montana to produce original work by Montana playwrights every season. Many performers, from past to present, autographed the walls of the theatre and the signatures are preserved throughout the building. Many businesses occupied the building through the years including a soda pop bottling company, the The view from the balcony in the historic Opera House Theatre. In 1997 and again in 2000, the Rohm and Haas Paint Quality Institute of Philadelphia, PA embarked on a quest to find an outstanding array of beautiful American "places" that exhibit a range of architectural styles and painted exteriors. They defined the "place" as any village, borough, town, or city neighborhood. All 50 states were enlisted to enter the competition. Philipsburg's historic AmericA's Prettiest PAinted PlAces commercial district entered both years. The 1997 contest divided the U.S. into six regions with Philipsburg and two California "places" being awarded finalist status over all entries in the states of Alaska, northern California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. 2000 saw nine regions with Philipsburg and two Colorado "places" awarded finalist status out of Montana, Colorado, Idaho, and Wyoming. The historic commercial district of Philipsburg's original township strives each year to improve on the vision of those risktaking business people of one hundred plus years ago. The private business community's investment of endearingly caring for our downtown has brought local residents and visitors pride and enjoyment in "Montana's Prettiest Painted Place." Photo by Jim Jenner. Photo by Jim Jenner. Photo by Jim Jenner. The Sayrs building, built in 1888, is the architectural centerpiece of downtown Philipsburg. See the full color Historic Walking Tour beginning on page 17. Photo courtesy of Quantus Design. Photo by Craig Tanner. 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory P age 5 P age 6 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory Photo courtesy of the Granite County Museum. A HISTORY of PHILIPSBURG, M ontana Officially designated a town in 1867, Philipsburg began to grow. As reported in the Montana Post in August 1867, the town was "scarcely thirty days old," but growing at a "rate of one house a day." By December 1867, Philipsburg had a population of about 1500 and about 250 houses. By 1869, however, Philipsburg had "died." The Deer Lodge newspaper, New Northwest, called it "the Deserted Village" and reported that "silence and solitude reigned almost unchallenged," in the aftermath of the closing of the James Stuart Mill due to a lack of profitable ore. Recovery came slowly. On August 2, 1869, Philipsburg had 36 people, by March of 1870 a population of 50, and only 90 by the end of 1871. The reorganization of the Hope Mining Company in 1873 and formation of the Northwest Mining Company in 1874 was the necessary spark for the town's recovery. Northern Pacific Railroad completed the Philipsburg branch in September 1887. Prior to the railroad, all freighting of ore and mercantile were by ox team and wagon from the Utah Territory. A small rail train hauled ore from Philipsburg to Rumsey, about five miles south of town. The newly formed Granite County registered Philipsburg as the county seat in April 1893. Other small settlements registered at that time included 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory P age 7 Birdseye view of Philipsburg in 1903. By 1878, the main street of Philipsburg was growing. By 1881, the boom years had begun. The famous Kaiser House was being completed. Kroeger's Brewery, built near a pure mountain spring a short way up the gulch from Hope Mill, was producing beer and quenching the miners' dusty throats. This same spring had such a reputation for purity that the townspeople obtained their emergency supply here when the water works were reported contaminated McDonald's Opera House offered the latest and greatest in culture and entertainment. The Northern Pacific Railroad stretched to Drummond by 1883, and a branch line to the Burg followed in 1887. A schoolhouse was erected on the present site of the county courthouse. Religion had somewhat of a slow start. Occasionally, traveling ministers of different denominations would hold forth in various locations. In January of 1880, a Helena newspaper leveled a little criticism at the Philipsburg miners by implying that "...miners don't like things too mild or too diluted... the waters of regeneration will fail to penetrate the moral gum coat of the miner's conscience." In truth, the miners and the mill workers had little time to attend church. Until about 1900, these men worked a twelve-hour day and a seven-day week. Church going was left to the women folk and children. Evidently, the ladies and children increased in number, as four churches were built, beginning with the Methodist in 1877 to the Catholic in 1892. All of these churches are still standing, and three hold Sunday services. I wonder if the Methodist Sunday School still sings, "Oh, Come, Come, Come, To the Little Brick Church on the Hill", with the same In the mining towns of the west, there were very clear divisions between ethnic groups. In Granite, it was no idle coincidence that there were streets named Finlander Lane, Cornish Row or Strauss Lane. In Philipsburg, separate sections of town had a distinct ethnic character. North of Broadway, near where the courthouse now stands, was Nob Hill where bankers, lawyers and mine superintendents lived. To the west was Swede Hill and the railroad area was the Swede and Finnish working class section. The Rosalind area was Italian while Kirkville had a large Serbian population. Much of this ethnic and economic separation became less noticeable after WWI. Even the cemetery included separate sections, the most colorful being the Chinese section. The Chinese, during the late 1880s, placed lowest of all on the work scale, receiving only the menial jobs. Clyde J. Neu best tells their story in A Town Founded on Hope. "The town had a fairly large Chinese population. The Lee family operated a restaurant on Broadway during the late 1890's and 1900's. A small section of the cemetery -Excerpt from Tiny Johnson's book, On the East Side of Philipsburg, Montana in the northwest corner was set vigor our Sunday School did in the thirties? The second economic boom came in 1916 with World War I. Manganese, which had not been worth the bother in the search for silver, was desperately needed by the steel companies in the East. The war had cut off the South American supply. At sixteen, my father quit school and started work on a top job at the Pocahontas Shaft. The head frame, or gallows, was put up by a carpenter named Todd from Southern Cross. A horse and whim were used to pull the ore bucket out of the shaft. Men were picking the high-grade manganese off the old waste dumps. The camp could again breathe in new life. Times were good throughout World War I. The population reached a peak of three thousand. Over five hundred head of horses were being used for hauling. Housing was scarce; miners lived in chicken coops and icehouses. In the rooming houses, beds were never empty. As one man rolled out to go on shift, another tumbled into the unmade bed. The beds, not the rooms, were rented in eight-hour shifts. This meant that three men occupied a single bed during a twenty-four hour period. By 1921, the steel mills no longer were a market for manganese. However, manganese now had a use in the manufacture of dry cell batteries. This market lasted until 1954. The mines east of Philipsburg had from 150 to 300 miners on their payroll during this time. With the demise of this market, the mines east of town closed, and the heyday of mining in the Philipsburg District came to an end. Today, only one is mining in this area. The population of Philipsburg is now about 960, a far cry from the 3,000 in World War I. Philipsburg today. Diversity Was Their Strength aside for Chinese burials. A small brick furnace was built in the corner of the section and on occasions, they roasted a pig, placing the food and Chinese candles on the graves to drive the evil spirits away. The Chinese were the most identifiable in-town ethnic group before 1893. There was a large number of Chinese in Philipsburg, some of them living on the hill behind the Weinstein Building. Some Chinese operated businesses, such as laundries, in buildings constructed of unfinished lumber and situated where the Courtney Hotel now stands and behind the location of Lee's Chinese Restaurant, the recently renovated building west of the Club Bar. For Fourth of July celebrations, firecrackers and punk (substances used to light fireworks) could be purchased at these Chinese laundries for five cents. Chinese gardeners grew vegetables in large gardens at area ranches. An old Chinese man called "Cut Lip Charley" sold them door to door several times a week. Chinese were employed as cooks and houseboys. Only about three families remained in Philipsburg after 1914, running the restaurant and laundry." Photo courtesy of Quantus Design. The Burg Boomed Back in 1887 In the 1860's, when Hector Horton was prospecting for gold, his dream was to find "float" or "native" silver and gold to collect and sell. This was the technique of the early miner. He would keep moving through the hills of a territory until he found loose "float" gold or silver in creek beds or "native" gold or silver in rock outcrops. If "float" was found, he followed it up to the source "lode," and mined it. The prospector/miner was seldom interested in developing ores that did not have visible native metal present. He had neither the resources nor desire in most cases. Gold was the call. Silver was of secondary importance to these adventurers who came west, not to settle, but to get rich. The most valuable ore in this region was silver chloride, known by miners as "horn silver." Miners scraped this virtually pure silver off the source rock with a knife. A sizeable sample taken to Butte around 1888 assayed at a value of 10,000 ounces to the ton. Residents named Philipsburg for a prominent mining engineer from the Comstock mining region in Nevada that managed the James Stuart Mill (later to be called the Hope Mill). With an eye toward transportation, he built a tenstamp ore-processing mill where the flat gulch of Camp Creek narrowed above Flint Creek. The road to the mill from Flint Creek later became the main street of the town�Broadway Avenue. Grateful residents of the newly laid out town voted to name the town after the engineer who did so much for them, Philip Deidesheimer. Logtown (Stumptown), Hasmark, and Tower. By 1892, Philipsburg became the mercantile center of the region and was in the middle of a construction boom that included the building of many structures on Broadway and the churches on the hill. The silver panic of 1893, caused by the repeal of the Sherman Act that had mandated purchase of silver by the U.S. government, resulted in another "bust" in mining. This time, with the railroad running, the economy held up somewhat better thanks to exporting of cattle and agricultural goods. In 1898, the Granite and BiMetallic Mining Companies merged allowing resumption of silver mining until 1904. Philipsburg emerged from the 1904 mining collapse relying again on ranching and logging which still had markets outside the county. WWI Boomtown! The war production effort vitally needed the richest manganese deposits in the United States. The boom continued into 1925 with manganese dioxide for dry cell batteries. In the words of lifetime resident Walter Johnson, Sr., "The depression came early and stayed late in Philipsburg, from 1929 to 1939." Mining was down to almost nothing and improved very little during WWII. The population of Philipsburg has decreased steadily since the 1940's. In the last 20 years, the population has stabilized at approximately 900 residents. P age 8 Drum mond - 1 24 Ye ars S trong new ChiCago 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory Drummond, Montana in 1913. Packers Ranch (Edwardsville), Montana was officially named Drummond in 1884. The name "Drummond" is said either to be from "Drummond, South Wales" or from the most-winning horse in the regular horse races held on the main street of the town. The town's founder, John Edwards, had lived in the area for twenty years. In 1883, the Northern Pacific Railroad (NPRR) completed its east-to-west line near Drummond. The town became a shipping point for goods, mine ores and especially cattle from Granite County. A ranching town from the start, Drummond continues to ship cattle and hay to markets all over the country. The town looks much the same today as it has since the 1920s. Some structures remain from the 1880s. In 1917, the main mercantile block on Front Street burned, was rebuilt and burned again four years later. Enthusiastically rebuilt, Drummond has fought to keep its Congress appropriated $170,000 for a survey of possible railroad routes from the Atlantic to the Pacific coasts in 1853. The Granite County Museum displays the lithography collection from this survey. Major Isaac J. Stevens and Capt. John Mullan received assignment of the task. Later, Capt. Mullan received the assignment to build a wagon road along the route surveyed. The Mullan Trail crossed through Deer Lodge County after crossing the continental divide at Mullan Pass. The trail, a mere dirt track with many miles between towns, required way stations and rest stops population and provide services for passengers and horses. necessary to any community. The On July 4, 1872, New Chicago volunteer fire company, ambulance and civic groups are always ready to give their best. Four restaurants, three motels and three gas stations are available to serve travelers and local customers alike year-round. The Lower Valley Historical Society has recently moved a schoolhouse from the site of New Chicago seven miles south of town and has restored the structure. It is open to the public as a museum and educational facility. LongPhoto courtesy of the Granite County Museum. time residents and families have View of New Chicago (West Chicago) school had as many as 25 students donated items for use and display in attendance in eight grades. A all over the county. teacher's salary was less than Come see the "Bull Shippers Stone Station was a stage stop $100.00 a month. In 1922, lifetime Capitol of the World" and find out what small town western in the 1880s. The railroad came to resident Mary Wight Jensen, taught hospitality and history is all about. Stone in 1887 and hay shipped from at the school earning $124.00 a the valley to markets around the month. The era of the one-room Welcome to all! country. In 1888, the Wight Ranch schoolhouse is not over in rural DruMMonD events built a one-room schoolhouse that Montana. Today, schools like Hall, Jul 5 DrummonD roDeo townspeople moved to Stone a few MT have only a few teachers and Jun 27-28 Senior p ro roDeo Aug 29 TrAcTor Show years later. It still stands today as two classrooms for 21 students in ocT 3-4 Triple creek QuilT Show a private home. In the 1890s, the kindergarten thru eighth grade. was born. First called West Chicago, the town established itself on the east side of Flint Creek, as this was the junction of Mullan Road and the road to Philipsburg. John A. Featherman built the first building and opened a store. In 1873, D.M. Taylor and Son built the first hotel. In 1874, the town built the schoolhouse at a cost of $1,000. The town had a post office, two stores, two saloons, two hotels, several livery stables, a stage station, a church, a blacksmith, a flourmill, U.S. Post Office, telegraph office, and a Wells Fargo office. With the arrival of the railroad to Drummond (Edwardsville) in August of 1883, the hopes and dreams of New Chicago slowly ceased to exist, as did the town. Photo courtesy of the Granite County Museum Stone 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory P age 9 Photo courtesy of The Sapphire Gallery. Broadway Street in the 1950s. Philipsburg was as busy then as it is now. The streets lined with autos is a common occurrence no matter the year. Many of the structures pictured are included in the Historic Walking Tour. From The Past Photo courtesy of The Sapphire Gallery. 1892 CT Huffman Grocer & Valentine Jacky Harness Shop. CT Huffman Grocer was the oldest family-owned grocery until 1979. Current home of The Sapphire Gallery. Photo courtesy of The Sapphire Gallery. Interior of McClees Jewelry. Built in 1912 by Samuel McClees (shown in the photo). See the exterior in the Historic Walking Tour - Page 18. History on Display Granite Mountain MininG exhibit The Granite County Museum and Cultural Center is located in the historic Courtney Hotel on South Sansome Street in Philipsburg. Dedicated volunteers and generous donors founded the museum in 1991. The Museum held its grand opening in May 1992. The museum currently operates with volunteers donating time to build the displays, giving tours of the exhibits, and greeting guests. The main floor of the historic old hotel underwent completely remodeling to provide museum display space, a community center and gift shop. The main floor of the museum allows visitors to view a continuously revolving display Genuine miner's cabin rebuilt on the lower level of the Granite County of historical exhibits; including Museum as part of the mining display. photos, clothing, and other belongings of former residents of Granite County showing what life was like for the early day miners, ranchers, and townspeople. The Ghost Town Hall of Fame is located in the museum and gives a pictorial history of Montana ghost towns. Local residents have donated and loaned articles of clothing, furniture, and day-to-day items used by their ancestors. Revolving displays change every few months. Nearly 20 ghost towns are within 30 miles of Philipsburg including Granite, Tower, Garnet, New Chicago, Southern Cross and Georgetown. Downstairs, there is the grand mural of the famous ghost town of Granite, a complete assay office, a bank with a coin collection found beneath a miner's cabin, and a reconstructed miner's cabin. There is also a Pioneer Life exhibit on the lower level. It features artifacts used in everyday life 100 years ago. In the 1860s, Granite County was home to one of the richest silver strikes in the country. In 1996, volunteers built a 4,000 square foot replica underground silver mine in the lower level of the museum. The simulated mineshaft and drift is realistic and includes a compressor, a hoist house, several ore cars, and various other pieces of mining equipment. The exhibit intends to give the visitor a glimpse into the daily routine of a turn-of-the-century underground miner in Granite County. In addition to the shaft, the exhibit allows a look inside a miner's cabin to see how the early prospectors lived. Visitors can view a fire assay lab where workers analyzed and processed ore samples to determine the mineral and precious metal content. The Museum provides guided tours by prearrangement that explain various types of mining equipment and techniques used in hard rock mining in the late 1800's. The center is available for group meetings, receptions, and social events. The volunteer staff generously donates time to set up displays and greet guests. The Museum Gift Shop features "Made in Montana" gifts. The revenue from the gift shop supports museum operations and future projects. Photo courtesy of Quantus Design. culture center & Gift shop Summer HourS: 10 am to 4 pm For additional information please call: (406) 859-3020 P age 10 The Almost Ghost Town of Granite County! Continued From Page 1 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory Philipsburg Downtown 1889 "The true mark of a community's maturity in the old days was when the people began to think about public safety, education and culture," says Granite County Sheriff Steve Immenschuh. "That's where Philipsburg can prove it is the best living example of what these old towns were like. The town has the oldest operating jail, school and opera house in the state." Those three examples are only a part of almost fifty venerable structures that make up the National Historic District in Philipsburg. The town earned this designation in the 1980's but the last fifteen years has seen a huge community effort to preserve and restore these hallmarks of an era when the population was three times its present 1,000 residents. Dedicated citizens have restored and repainted the imposing brick buildings so well that the town was deemed one of America's "Prettiest Painted Places" in a national competition. In addition, in an effort to improve the economy through tourism, the local merchants and active civic groups devoted themselves to providing visitors with a wide array of goods and services, delivered by friendly people. Again, the result has been noteworthy. When the state of Montana instituted an annual award to honor its best tourism community, little Philipsburg was the premier winner. Unlike many communities that go after tourist business, and often lose their charm in doing so, Philipsburg has fought hard to preserve a true feel for small town life in the remote mountains of Big Sky Country. The local museum is considered one of the best small town museums in the region. Across the street, the 350 seat Opera House offers professional live theatre during the summer, including original vaudeville much like the shows that delighted local families over a century ago. Moreover, local leaders know that visitors come to the area for more than the charm of Philipsburg. The town is at the heart of Montana's first paved highway, Montana 1, which links the historic towns of Anaconda and Drummond and winds through the picturesque Flint Creek Valley. The road is a gateway to Georgetown Philipsburg Downtown 2005. Lake, the Pintler Wilderness and the Discovery Ski area. "Philipsburg is a perfect base for people who want to experience the best of Montana," says Susan Jenner, owner of the historic Broadway Hotel. "We are halfway between Yellowstone and Glacier Parks, and in the center of fantastic recreational country. Our guests really love everything about Philipsburg but they also enjoy getting out and experiencing other old towns, sapphire hunting, the lake and the peacefulness of this valley." The town attracts both travelers who want to experience driving on the scenic highway as well as those who come for Philipsburg's many community events. "We are a genuine retail community where we often produce the raw products, such as fudge...," says Shirley Beck, whose huge Sweet Palace candy store is an attraction all by itself. "The summer is jammed with activities and shopping, but spring and fall are great times for fishing and hunting. Plus we have Discovery Ski and the new ice rink to fill up your winter!" What she's referring to is the Discovery Ski Area whose steep northern slope dominates the mountainside five miles south of town. The 30-year-old ski area recently expanded its trail system to offer some of the best extreme skiing in North America. This is in addition to many miles of gentler slopes that are perfect for beginner and intermediate skiers. The combination of slopes has earned the hill national attention. Powder Magazine recently said, "It's hard to imagine a more satisfying ski hill." In the last century and a half, countless towns boomed and busted in these remote valleys of the Rockies, but the sunny little town of Philipsburg has persevered and prospered. And, if you want to get a feel for what those days were like you can do no better than stroll the wide streets, breathe the clean mountain air and capture the brightly painted storefronts with a camera. You can hike or ski in nearby hills or visit old stores with high ceilings now full of a wide array of interesting goods. No matter what brings you to "P-burg," you will taste a slice of history in the almost ghost town of Granite County! Photo courtesy of The Sapphire Gallery. "F ind smal l to w n char m i n P hi lipsburg . . . an indel ible sense of Montana's past." Sunset Ma gazine Photo courtesy of The Sapphire Gallery. MUCH MORE THAN GOLD In 1890, Granite, Montana-- "Montana's Silver Queen"--was in her glory. More than 3,000 miners, merchants, and families made the city their home. This region was one of the richest silver producers in the United States. Granite was located near the top of the mountains to the southeast of Philipsburg. Ranking eleventh in size of Montana cities, Granite was part of Deer Lodge County until 1893, when Granite County incorporated. The once-bustling town is now quiet. The schools, saloons, stores, lodge halls, boarding houses, bathhouse, restaurants and private homes are gone. The mineshafts and ore cars are still; since 1906, the remaining ores have been unprofitable to mine. 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory P age 11 discovered the rich lode of Granite Mountain ore. The boom was on! In the next ten years, records show that Granite Mountain paid over $100,000 per month in dividends to investors and total production ran to $33 million in silver from the Granite Mountain and between $11 and $12 million from the Bi-Metallic Mine nearby. The companies built processing mills, first at Granite, then at Hasmark and Rumsey. Granite was seen as a community that would far outstrip its neighbor--Butte. Success and wealth were in abundance. In its heyday, Granite boasted a hospital, the two-story Miners Union Hall, mercantile stores, boarding houses, saloons and gambling houses; all built with profits from the richest silver-producing areas in the Bi-Metallic Mill circa 1892. KirKville Photo courtesy of the Granite County Museum Located 1 mile southeast of Philipsburg, mill workers who worked in the Bi-Metallic Mill on Douglas Creek settled Kirkville in 1890. It consisted of dwellings, a boarding house, a rooming house, nearby company residences, an office, a warehouse, a barn and buggy shed, an assay office, a retort building, and the 100stamp Bi-Metallic Mill site. The Bi-Metallic Mill was over 360 feet long, 150 feet wide, and had two smokestacks, furnaces, chimney flues, and a massive foundation built of cut granite. The owners burned the structure 1967 for safety reasons. The remains of the structure are both interesting and impressive to view. Private residents inhabit the two company houses today and the brick office is in respectable shape. The barn and buggy shed, the assay office, and the retort building are still standing. The boarding and rooming houses need repair, but still stand. Only the foundations remain where the workers' dwellings once stood. There is a modern flotation mill owned by the Contact Mining Company. This mill operates from time to time as a processing plant on a contract basis. Photo courtesy of Quantus Design. Granite City Miners' Union Day Parade ~ June 13, 1903. In 1879, Charles McLure found a piece of high grade "Ruby" silver ore in the tailing dump of the Granite mineshaft. This sample assayed at 2,000 ounces to the ton. McLure was a man of confidence and vision. He was convinced he had found the source of unsurpassed riches. He purchased a lease and option on the claim for $30,000. In 1880, McLure traveled to St. Louis and interested some Hope Mining Co. directors and his brother-in-law to form a syndicate of investors to develop (work) the claim. McLure and the investors formed the St. Louis & Montana Mining Co. and invested $130,000 in the project. Difficulties plagued McLure from the start and for many months, there were no results to report to St. Louis. According to Charles McLure's son, the margin of success was so narrow that the home office's order to cease all work on the mine crossed en route McLure's triumphant message of "The Strike." The cessation order from St. Louis, delayed by a blizzard for one or two days, arrived just after miners country at the time. The Granite and Bi-Metallic mines spared no expense to produce more ore more profitably. A tunnel nearly a mile long was driven from Douglas Creek to tap into the BiMetallic shaft at a depth of 1,000 feet and the Granite shaft at 1,450 feet which greatly reduced pumping costs. A subsidiary electrical company, The Montana Water, Electric, Power and Mining Company was created to build a reservoir covering several square miles on Georgetown Flat (Georgetown Lake) and a generating plant at the foot of Flint Creek Pass. The water used for the mines and the mills supplied 1,100 horsepower. Granite's days were numbered. In 1904, the price of silver plummeted again to 53 cents per ounce when the government reduced the ratio of silver to gold bullion in the treasury. This time the level dropped to a point that would force the mines to stay closed until WWI when manganese, previously discarded in tailings, and government price supports made the ore bodies profitable to mine again. Kirkville Ghost Town, October 2005. Perhaps the most colorful and most often disparaged section of mining boomtowns was the "Red Light District." Most miners were single adventurers and wanted to enjoy all their wealth could buy. Inevitably, "Ladies Boarding Houses," as named by the Sanborn fire insurance maps, were to be found somewhere on the edge of town or camp. Philipsburg was no different in this respect. In fact, right behind the stores on Broadway was the "Red Light District," from where the McDonald Opera House now stands to South Montgomery Street. The proper ladies of the town scorned the ladies of the night and all understood that the women of the district did not mingle with the Their Color Was sCarleT rest of the population of town. On one occasion, however, the wife of the local clothing merchant refused additional credit to one of these ladies. The immediate reply, "If some of the local businessmen would pay what they owe me, I wouldn't have to ask for more credit." In spite of the propriety rules, young boys often ran errands or chopped wood for the ladies. They paid well, in silver dollars, for the work done, recalled one lifetime resident of Philipsburg. A few of the women married local men and eventually were accepted as wonderful friends, neighbors and wives. Local author Tiny Johnson in his book, On the North Side of Philipsburg, Montana, tells one of their stories. Photo courtesy of Quantus Design. P age 12 Small Towns, Ghost Towns and Mines The Black Pine Mining District consisted of three communities-- Black Pine (the site of the mining), Middle Town, and Combination (the site of the milling operation). In its boom days, Black Pine Mining District boasted a population of over 1,500. There was a town proper, miners' homes in the gulch and scattered buildings near the mill. The Black Pine town proper remained "proper." Black Pine mine owners were opposed to having saloons and bawdy houses in the town, so many miners settled on Whiskey Hill about two miles north of town. Here there were no churches, little law, and little water, but no scarcity of saloons and dance hall girls available to single miners who spent 12 to 14 hours a day underground. The Black Pine Mines produced over 2,135,000 ounces of silver and 1,411 ounces of gold in a six-year period between 1881 and 1887. Since the turn of the century, the mines produced another 40,000 tons of ore. In 1889, a fire burned the towers of the district and some of the head frames. The operation was rebuilt and operating again by 1891. The falling silver prices in 1897 forced the closing of the mill and mines. A forest fire in 1959 destroyed the ghost town of Black Pine. Fire again ravaged the area in the 1988 Combination Fire. Little remains except for a few foundations and the two head frames of the Harper and Lewis Shafts. 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory BlaCK Pine Henderson Gulch Memorial southwest of Hall, Montana. henderSon gulCh A beautiful marble obelisk stands alone in memory of all miners "known and unknown" who died in the mines of Henderson Gulch. It stands overlooking a graveyard that no longer exists in a town that lost to time. James A. Murray erected the marble memorial in Henderson Gulch overlooking the town of Emmetsburg in 1914. The town once boasted homes, a post office and a stage stop. Henderson Gulch, founded in 1865 by Joe Henderson, produced over $300,000 prior to 1870. Miners made their homes in a ghost town called Emmettsburg that had a population of 133. The town completely vanished. Overrun by the search for gold and silver, the rock and rubble buried Emmettsburg. Miners ran three hydraulic dredging operations in the 1930's along Henderson Creek from the mouth to near the head of the gulch. The operation removed all signs of the town and its people. Sunrise, located in the upper limits of Henderson Gulch, was home to copper and gold mining in the late 1890's. The aging mine structures sit near the bottom of steep Sunrise Mountain with the mining operations on the face of the steep hillside. The original operation had a 20 stamp mill, cabins, and mine buildings. Some of the structures have withstood the test of time and still stand today. red lin 1906, Red Lion was Bearmouth a ion The Indians saw Founded built on the west slope of Red Lion Mountain at the head of the North Fork of Flint Creek at an altitude of 7,300 feet. A mill was constructed in 1890 to process ore from the mines. At its peak, Red Lion was home to 200 miners. The mine produced gold from a hard rock vein. The remains of the old tramline and building foundations are still visible. The town arose in 1888 on Fred Burr Creek south of Granite and named for an official of the Bi-Metallic Mining Company. The community had saloons, hotels, a boarding house, stores, and a school. The Bi-Metallic Mining Company opened a 100-stamp Fraser and Chalmers Mill to keep pace with mine production. Getting silver ore from Granite was difficult. An 8,900-foot gravity tramway was constructed. Heavy steel cables stretched over the crevasse from the top of Granite hill to carry the ore in buckets to the mill. Stories tell of miners taking quick trips home to Rumsey after long hard shifts at Granite in those ore buckets. The railroad constructed an extension from Philipsburg to Rumsey in 1888 that included a turnstile to turn the steam locomotives easily using horses for the return trip to Philipsburg. The narrow canyon made other means of switching impossible. In 1898, the Granite and Bi-Metallic Mining Companies merged. The Rumsey Mill shut down and dismantled down to the roaster bricks to save on costs. Salvage of large quantities of quicksilver (mercury) from the mill area occurred in later years. Only the granite foundation, brick hearths and remnants of the aerial tramway remain today. The company never completed an 8,500-foot tunnel to drain the lower levels of the Granite Mine, but the adit (mine entrance) is still visible. strong resemblance between the cliff formations and a bear's mouth at the mouth of Bear Creek northwest of Drummond in the red-hued cliffs along the Clark Fork River. The stage stop on the Mullan Road became a fuel and water stop for the Northern Pacific Railroad after 1883 and in the early 1900s hosted a gold dredging operation. rumSey Photo by Brian Eder. More Small Towns, Ghost Towns & Mines Mining towns weren't built to last. Get in, put a roof over your head and start digging! (Not necessarily in that order.) 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory P age 13 garnet haSmarK Prospectors discovered rich gold-bearing quartz ledges in the Garnet Range as early as 1866. From this mother lode, flows deposited placer gold down Deep Creek, Bear Creek, and the smaller canyons of Bear Gulch. The deposits spanned the 20 miles from the top of the Garnet Range to the banks of the Clark Fork River. The news of the discovery in the Garnet area attracted thousands of placer and gold panning miners. 5000 whites and Asians dug placer in the gulches in 1867. By 1870, fewer than 450 lived in Bear Creek and Deep Gulch. Miners depleted the placer supply by the 1880's. Twenty-five years passed before lode mining was in full production. In 1893, the repeal of the Sherman Silver Act renewed interest in the gold mines, previously left in favor of the silver strikes farther south around Philipsburg. In 1895, they built a stamp mill to crush ore This town grew up around a mill built by the Bi-Metallic Mining Company. The town was located up Frost Creek Gulch and built before 1870. The mill was located where the Algonquin Mine is now. The town had a peak population in 1880 of about 90 people. Present attractions include five old cabins in various stages of disrepair, foundations of several other dwellings, and a larger log structure. at the head of First Chance Gulch. Around this spot grew the town that became Garnet. The nearby area had three hard rock mines--Nancy Hanks, Lead King, and GrantHartford. The Nancy Hanks was the best producer, mining about $950,000 from 1897 to 1917. By 1898, nearly a thousand people lived in the area and the town boasted 4 hotels, 4 stores, a butcher shop, candy shop, 2 barbershops, 3 livery stables, Miner's Union Hall, assay office, resident doctor and 13 saloons. No evidence exists of a church having ever been present. By 1905, most mines sat abandoned. By 1920, Garnet was a ghost town. In 1934, gold prices were legislated from $16 to $32 per ounce. Old and abandoned claims opened and work began again. During WWII, a lack of dynamite curtailed hard rock mining and miners abandoned Garnet again. A few people built new cabins after the war. Today, the BLM and the Garnet Preservation Association manage Garnet jointly. tower First named Troutville, residents renamed it in 1874 for Charlemagne Tower, a financial backer from Michigan. The mining district attracted Tower and he invested more than a million dollars in developing mines in the area. The original site had about 20 dwellings, a boarding house, and a warehouse. The remains of Tower/ Stumptown are some of the most accessible of the early Philipsburg mining district towns. It is readily viewable and displays much of the quality that the early miners and residents dreamed of producing. CaBle Southern CroSS Building still standing in Stumptown. Many of Philipsburg's early settlers moved from Cable, east of Georgetown Lake. Miners discovered gold by accident when they sunk a shaft that nicked a gold-rich quartz vein at a very shallow depth. Miners filed claims on the discovery in 1866. In 1868, the Atlantic Cable Lode began to show profitable ore and a forty-ton processing mill was constructed. A severe cave-in caused a temporary shut down in 1869, but a second strike of gold-rich ore revived the community in 1873. The vein soon played out and by 1878, the population was down to a total of one. A third strike in 1888 and Cable was a boomtown again through 1891. Workers mined approximately three million dollars in gold in the area until 1940 when all work stopped. The ore mined at Southern Cross contained gold in a matrix of iron. Most of the hard rock mining occurred from the 1870's through 1910 when the Anaconda Copper Mining Company purchased the property and ceased operations in 1919. In 1965, the Bowman family built St. Timothy's Chapel in memory of their son. It is a beautiful building located at the beginning of the old town site with a spectacular view of Georgetown Lake and the Pintlar Wilderness Mountains. The mining buildings and some of the older houses are still present. hall Hall, originally called Hall's Crossing, formed in 1877 around the rail crossing when the Northern Pacific rail spur was constructed. Northern Pacific acquired the right of way from Henry Hall. In 1910, there were two stores, a telephone exchange, two hotels, a butcher shop, creamery and candy store. Granite County Bank, now the Hall Post Office, moved to Philipsburg in 1925. PrinCeton Beginning in the 1880s, mining activity produced gold, silver, lead, and phosphate. Total production up to 1907 was $1.25 million. The district employed 50 men in its mining operations. Princeton had a post office, a school, a hotel, a store, and almost 20 houses. Some of those houses are still in use today. P age 14 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory For an area of eight square miles east of Philipsburg, the Philipsburg Mining District consists of the drainage of Camp Creek, the Douglas Creek area, and the Algonquin Gulch area. Of the twentynine abandoned town sites on maps of Granite County, only a few remain accessible or partially intact today. In the time from 1865 until the 1960's, the number of miners varied from 1,500 prospectors in 1867, to approximately 900 miners during the manganese boom from 1915 to 1920, to around 200 miners from 1920 to 1962. As a result, the area is a maze of tunnels, shafts, glory holes, and prospect diggings. One can see evidence of past mining in almost any part of the district, such as head frames, ore tins, mine dumps, and the remains of mills used to process manganese and silver. Most of the area is in various stages of disrepair as the result of over 100 years of aging with very little restoration done. East of Philipsburg are Granite, Kirkville, Hasmark, Logtown (now Stumptown), and Tower. South of Philipsburg are Rumsey, Southern Cross, Red Lion, and Cable. To the north of Philipsburg are Black Pine, Princeton, Henderson Gulch, Sunrise, and Hall. To the west of Drummond lies Garnet, the best preserved, now managed by private and federal funds. Further west of Drummond is Bearmouth. The map on page 20 shows the northern areas. Each town and mine has its own stories and history; far more than can be covered here. If you are interested in learning more about the ghost towns, please visit the Granite County Museum and Cultural Center, which is home to the Montana Ghost Town Hall of Fame. At the museum, several books for sale describe in great depth the history of mining in Philipsburg and other parts of Montana. GRANITE: Turn south at the stoplight in downtown Philipsburg. Continue through the railroad underpass and take the first left. Continue straight ahead for 1 mile. Turn right on the road marked with a white sign reading Granite. Keep on the left road and continue up the road for 4 miles to the outskirts of Granite. **It is recommended that you have a four-wheel drive vehicle. KIRKVILLE: Turn south from the stoplight in downtown Philipsburg. Go under railroad overpass and take your first left. Continue to the crossroads, and take a right turn heading south. The company houses and offices are located on the east side of the road. Continue to follow the road; note the barn, warehouse, assay offices, and retort building. Turn on the lower road toward the flotation mill, and pass by and view the ruins of the Bi-Metallic Mill on the left. TOWER & HASMARK: Travel east on Broadway Street in Philipsburg and turn right onto South Montgomery Street. Continue on the main traveled road south and follow the road as it curves to the east. This road above Philipsburg travels up Camp Creek Gulch. At a distance of about 1/4 mile, the evidence of the mining district becomes visible. Continue to a fork in the road. Take the left hand side, and shortly thereafter, is the ghost town of Tower. Turn around and return to the right hand side of the fork in the road. Follow the road to the Trout Creek area. The road from here to the Algonquin Gulch area should be attempted only with a four-wheel drive vehicle. The Algonquin Mine and the ghost town of Hasmark are located in the Algonquin Mine area. RUMSEY: Turn south from the stoplight in downtown Philipsburg. Go past the U.S. Forest Service to Highway 1. Turn south towards Anaconda. Turn east at the first road (Rumsey Road-about 1/8 mile on Highway 1). Follow this road for 5 miles and you will pass a sign for Mountain Valley Ranch. The old mill site is located 1/2 mile from this point. It is difficult to see because of man's activity. SOUTHERN CROSS: From Philipsburg, travel south on Montana Highway 1 for approximately 12 miles to the turn off of Discovery Ski Area. Turn north and continue one mile to a three-way split in the road. Take the middle road to St. Timothy's Chapel. RED LION: From Philipsburg, travel south on Montana Highway 1 for approximately 12 Philipsburg M ining D istrict T our Photos & Map courtesy of Quantus Design. Granite Union Hall KirKville SoUtHern CroSS miles to the turn off to Discovery Ski Area (Southern Cross Road). Continue about one mile from where the road crosses the North Fork of Flint Creek. Turn right on the road past the Cable Campground and continue up the North Fork of Flint Creek for about four miles. The site sits near the curve of the road as it starts up the grade to reach the ridge of the nearby mountains. CABLE: From Philipsburg, travel south on Montana Highway 1 for approximately 15 miles. Prior to reaching Silver Lake, approximately 300 yards to the north are the remnants of Cable Mine perched on the west hillside. All but gone now. BLACK PINE DISTRICT: Travel north from Philipsburg on MT1 approximately three miles to Black Pine Road. Turn west and continue for eight miles to the top of the hill. Cross the cattle guard and continue straight ahead See Map on Page 20 for more locations . Copyright � 2006-2008 Quantus Design, LLC on Black Pine Road. Continue another two miles to the top of the ridge. The Black Pine community was located where the road splits in four directions. Take the left road to see the head frames of the Harper Shaft near the road on the left hand side. Continue downhill and straight ahead a short distance to see the head frame of the Lewis Shaft. Continue on the road downhill to Middle Town, located about one-half mile down the grade. Combination was located on the bottom on Lower Willow Creek itself. Here one can see the old remains of the mill, foundations of dwellings, offices, and mine buildings. The tailings pond (settling pond) can also be observed in a flat area near Willow Creek. PRINCETON: Travel north from Philipsburg to Maxville on Montana Highway 1. Turn east on Maxville Road. Continue up Boulder Creek Canyon. Cross the first bridge over Boulder Creek and drive up the east side of the creek for about six miles to Princeton. HENDERSON GULCH & SUNRISE: Travel north from Philipsburg on Highway 1 to a point approximately two miles past Maxville. Look for a stone house on the east side of the road. The next turn off to the west at Stone Station will cross Flint Creek and take you directly to Henderson Gulch. The distance from the Stone turnoff is about five miles. GARNET & BEARTOWN: Travel north from Philipsburg on MT1 to Drummond. Cross under the overpass at Interstate 90 and take the frontage road west towards Missoula. At a distance of about 11 miles, turn north at the "BEAR GULCH/GARNET 10 MILES" sign. Continue and ascend China Grade to Garnet. Beartown was located where the road crosses Deep Creek before China Grade. Beartown was a town of considerable size, but now the only evidence of its existence is letters and newspaper articles. It was located at the junction of Deep Gulch and Bear Gulch. In 1867, there were 10 stores, many saloons, and 3 restaurants. The town was dependent upon the placer-deposits of Deep Gulch, Bear Gulch, and the smaller gulches that ran into Bear Gulch. By the 1870's, the placer deposits had played out causing the town to cease to exist. BEARMOUTH: Travel north from Philipsburg on MT1 to Drummond. Travel west on Interstate 90 approximately 15 miles to the Bearmouth exit (mile marker 138). Turn north into the Bearmouth area. R anching in g Ranite c ounty Fork River, not far from the trail used by Indians to cross the divide to the buffalo hunting grounds along the Yellowstone River. To better supplement the miner's diet of game meat, ranchers grazed a few small herds of cattle in the natural meadows of the lower Flint Creek Valley. In the 1860s and 70s the sparse population, lack of transportation, and the great difficulty reaching markets limited the ranching and livestock industry to what could be consumed locally. The completion of the Northern Pacific Railway (NPR) in 1887 put the terminal markets within reach and made it possible to utilize and develop the area's vast natural grazing resource. A strong ranching industry began to grow. Along with the lure of gold and silver, the Homestead Act and the push of people westward contributed to the Swing Arm Stacker for hay. The Granite County Museum displays a model replica of a beaverslide. taking up of land in The history of ranching in Granite County dates back to the late 1850's. Reports of the discovery of gold in Gold Creek led to a small settlement of miners near the junction of Gold Creek and the Clark Photo by Judy Friede. Photo by Brian Eder. 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory P age 15 Flint Creek Valley spring & fall harvests. As the Philipsburg Territory invited miners to seek their fortunes during the 1800s, it also paved the way for timber interests to log the surrounding forests. More than one young man earned his keep working his end of a "misery whip" (crosscut saw) to satisfy the westward expansion's huge appetite for wood. There were mineshaft timbers, railroad ties and building supplies needing cut, as boomtowns sprung up over the landscape, and mom and pop sawmills gained a foothold in the local economy. Logging, however, was hard on its people � and hard on the land. Rugged draft horses dragged out load after load of pine and fir, and most people figured the forests would last forever. For a time, timber played a secondary role to mining and ranching, but in the early 1900s, business men saw a future in larger mills. During the same period, the newly spawned National Forest system claimed much of the forestland around Philipsburg, bringing logging and milling under federal direction. Though timber still poured out of the woods, new interests in recreation and wildlife developed. By the end of the 20th century, logging stopped almost entirely in federal forests as public interests clashed over the highest and best use for the land. The increased conflict over forest uses decreased logging and mill enterprises. Yet the toll on the forests itself was not uniformly admitted until huge wildfires raged across western Montana in 2000. The nearby Bitterroot Valley became a giant inferno, coaxing diverse forest interests to talk about "forest health." Key players conceded that forests had grown too dense, and that native wildlife had a tough time existing in overstocked stands of timber. With small-diameter trees clogging forests around Philipsburg, locals worried about their own version of the Bitterroot Valley's tragedy. But what could be done with all that wood, given the downsizing of the timber industry? Such questions are a hot topic in many western Montana communities, and specialists of all stripes agree that opposing sides should work together. In the name of progress, new high-tech logging equipment, much of it developed in Scandinavia, now plies the woods. Loggers in climate-controlled cabs monitor their cutting via computer, The hard-working loggers of Flint Creek Valley. and some area mills tool up for small-diameter logs. Making the most out of each log is the mantra of today's timber industry. While the word "sustainability" remains a goal for Granite County's forests, "adaptability" more accurately describes the set of circumstances at work today. Given the national focus on alternative energy, for example, natural resource managers eye woody biomass for area energy needs. Already the school at Philipsburg heats with wood under the Fuels for Schools program initiated in the Bitterroot Valley after the 2000 wildfires. Because log waste must be clean to for burning in the new power plants, loggers must harvest trees using different methods. Traditional line machines and the newer cut-tolength harvesters and forwarders avoid the old skid trails and produce a higher quality log. Additionally, cut-to-length harvesters can actually leave more nutrients in the woods by discarding branches and treetops on the forest floor. Careful forest thinning pays attention to riparian health, water quality and better wildlife habitat, as well. These days, horse logging and old-time crosscut sawyers exist mostly in history books, replaced by trained professionals who know forestry and equipment. Lumberjacks currently enjoy unprecedented safety and much higher efficiency than their predecessors did. In addition, the area forests enjoy a lighter touch on the land. Photo courtesy of the Granite County Museum PHILIPSBURG LOGGING the county and to the establishment they plan to remain prosperous of numerous small ranches and and productive in the future. farms. Unfortunately, 160, and even 320 acres, were inadequate to produce a living. The semi-arid climate caused the abandonment, selling and absorption by larger ranches of many homesteads. Because of the economic necessity, this process of consolidation of the ranching lands into fewer, larger units has continued over the years. The majority of ranches are familyowned and third and even fourth generation ranchers operate many. Ranches are a principle source of stability in Granite County and Traffic Jam in Granite County. Photo by Jim Jenner. Photo by Maureen Connor. P age 16 PhiliPsburg's historic District lighting downtown, notwithstanding only one side of one block completed, the Merchants Committee of the Chamber of Commerce inaugurated Philipsburg's first Yule Night on Broadway, December 1994. Food and beverages provided by the merchants, caroling by the local chorale, and "live" mannequins (high school students posing for hours in vintage clothing) kept the townsfolk entertained. Yule Night was truly born and has been held the second Friday evening in December ever since. Autumn of 1996 and spring of 1997 brought the next two volunteer task forces together to complete the 28 light standards on Broadway. Principal to the entire project was the initiative taken by Flint Creek Valley Bank. On its corner stands the only triplelighted standard--the first light standard placed. The bank took the lead in getting flag holders fitted to the lights and proposed to the Philipsburg Rotary the purchasing and hanging of lighted wreaths for the holidays. Todd King had the flower brackets and baskets made for all 28 light standards and donated them to the city. Thus, "Flag and Flower Fling" and "Waffle Wednesday" landed on Philipsburg's Calendar of Events. The baskets of flowers and U.S. and Montana flags that grace the light standards and welcome townsfolk and visitors alike to the downtown area cost over four thousand dollars annually. To raise the funds each year, the "Flag and Flower Fling" opens the door for spring in mid-March. Philipsburg families and friends revel in an evening of bingo, cakewalks, and a spaghetti dinner, all of which local businesses and private citizens donate. "Waffle Wednesday" happens in mid-June. Philipsburg's citizens and businesses hold a strawberry and huckleberry waffle brunch open to all for a donation. The local merchants volunteer the watering and care of flowers, flags, and the fabulous Christmas wreaths--a twenty thousand dollar project in and of itself spearheaded by the Rotarians. The fourth stage of the project involved placing the twelve standards on two blocks of Sansome in the summer of 2006. Once again, the lighting committee sold streetlights to families and businesses for dedication as they chose. Scores of volunteers worked to complete the placing of the single standard lights, reminiscent of those that lit the walks of Broadway in the first half of the 20th century (see photo at the top of page 9). AFFCO, an Anaconda foundry, designed and cast all the uprights and crossbars from modified street light molds used in nearby towns in the 1890's. The lighting of Philipsburg's historic commercial district creates 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory Photo by Jim Jenner. a very positive effect on the interaction and enjoyment of the citizens and guests in the downtown public space. The old world ambiance created by the glow of the light standards is reminiscent of the American scenes portrayed in the art of Norman Rockwell. The lighting effort contributed greatly to the Sonoran Institute choosing Philipsburg to receive the 2007 "Building from the Best of the Northern Rockies" award. Businesses and citizens continue their efforts to make Philipsburg the "Prettiest Painted Place in Montana" and one of the "Dozen Distinctive Destinations" for its residents and visitors. Vintage streetlights purchased and donated to the city by local families and businesses line three blocks of Broadway and two blocks of Sansome that define Philipsburg's historic commercial district. The light standards bear the acknowledgment and memorial plaques of the purchasers. The lighting project began in early 1994 with the placement of the first six cast-iron lights in October. Autumn of 1996, spring of 1997 and summer of 2006 brought three successive volunteer task forces together to complete the historic lighting. To celebrate the romantically lit Granite County MediCal Center "Lending a Hand in Granite County" welcome at both clinics. After hours, the Emergency Department of the Hospital provides emergency medical services at the Philipsburg facility. Our Medical Team stays current with advances in trauma response, advanced cardiac life support and other emergency medical situations. The Granite County Medical Center maintains a helicopter pad located on the hospital grounds that allows for rapid evacuation of critical patients to tertiary hospitals in Missoula, Montana. The Nursing Home at the Granite County Medical Center provides compassionate care for residents who are no longer able to care for themselves. Our small nursing home provides a setting Health Clinic, a satellite clinic of the Granite County Medical Center is located in Drummond, Montana. Dr. John Moore, Medical Director, and three experienced Family Nurse Practitioners lead the Medical Team. The Philipsburg Primary Care clinic provides services 6 days a week, Monday through Saturday. Dr. John Moore, Debbie Kalarchik, FNP, and Frank Pawlak, FNP all provide regularly scheduled office hours for the convenience of the community. Dr. Moore and Debbie Miller, FNP provide regularly scheduled office hours at the Margo Bowers Health Clinic in Drummond which is open 4 days a week. Drop-ins and appointments are always The Granite County Medical Center and Margo Bowers Health Clinic in Philipsburg and Drummond Montana, respectively, offers primary, emergency and long-term health care to both residents and visitors of the Flint Creek Valley. We provide high quality, individualized care for each person we serve. Our dedicated medical team leads the way in compassionate, professional service and sound treatment. The Granite County Medical Center's main campus is located in Philipsburg, Montana and is host to a 9-bed Critical Access Hospital, Emergency Department, Primary Care Clinic and 24-bed Nursing Home. The Margo Bowers where staff is more like extended family members and residents receive individualized care according to the resident's needs. The Granite County Medical Center is constantly seeking new opportunities for improvement of services to meet the needs of our community. The Medical Center recently received a Federal USDA Grant for the purchase of new radiology equipment enabling the sending of a digitized x-ray over the internet to specialists in radiology for interpretation. The recently updated Emergency Department received funding through a HRSA grant for a host of new equipment. The Granite County Medical Center and Margo Bowers Health Clinic are here to serve you! Photo courtesy of Quantus Design. uS for A wAlk Through monTAnA'S pAST. The SmAll Town of philipSburg iS Truly uniQue for The number of hiSToric builDingS ThAT noT only STill exiST, buT AlSo hAve been pAinSTAkingly reSToreD To Their originAl beAuTy. ThiS iS your guiDe To 50 of The fineST exAmpleS ThAT mAke up our nATionAl hiSToric DiSTricT. STArT Anywhere! Historic Walking tour P M 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory Join P age 17 hilipsburg ontana A Town for all Seasons 1. Masonic Hall Flint Creek Lodge No. 11 AF & AM built the Hall in 1911 for an estimated cost of $30,000 as a permanent home. The eleventh oldest lodge in the state, Flint Creek Lodge No. 11 held its first meeting in 1867. The building is now the location of the Philipsburg Senior Center, The Headquarters barbershop and hair salon, business offices and the Masonic chambers. Philipsburg State Bank initially occupied the street level and later changed its name to Commercial Bank, but went into receivership in 1924. The door to the old bank vault is still visible, set into the back wall of the Senior Center. Various businesses, including A. Johnson, Taylor and Gents Furnishings, occupied the space until 1940 when the Flint Creek Valley Bank opened for business. Flint Creek Valley Bank later moved its location to where it now sits at the corner of Montgomery and Broadway Streets. 6. sTepHens HoTel Originally built and operated as an annex to the Kaiser House & Restaurant, the Stephens Hotel connected to the Kaiser House via a second story covered walkway. The remains of the walkway are still visible. The second and third floors held boarding rooms while the first was equipped with a large parlor and "sample rooms" where traveling salesmen set up their trunks of wares in pursuit of sales in Philipsburg. In 1928, George A. Stephens bought the hotel from Herman & Mary Kaiser. Stephens ran the hotel until 1929 when he traded the property to Tom O'Conners for a ranch on Rock Creek. 2. Walker coMMercial coMpany 7. kaiser House Like many of the buildings in Philipsburg, diverse businesses have occupied this two-story brick structure of 1890's construction. Gannon and Neu sold general merchandise, the Walker Commercial Co. and the Golden Rule sold dry goods and hardware. In 1932, Philipsburg Hardware opened for business and moved across the street in 1997, making way for The Sweet Palace, a candy store whose name hearkens back to Philipsburg's early candy store of fifty years. The metal modillion cornice and full glass storefront are of original design, with the wood board-on-board skirt replaced by polished granite in the early 1900's. The building is indeed the Kaiser House Hotel built by John and Herman Kaiser in 1878. The hotel in Philipsburg rivaled even the finest hotels in Helena. It boasted a porch that extended halfway around the building that, with a fine bar and billiard room, made the house a popular stop for travelers and residents. This was the final stop on the journey to Granite and it was continually busy. Gambling was very popular and John Kaiser, being an honest and trusted dealer, often stayed up several days straight to deal poker. The Kaiser House is one of the oldest masonry structures in Philipsburg. It sold to the VFW in the 1950's and Todd King renovated the building in 2005. Current owners, Kurt and Lynn Unger, opened Snookies Mercantile in July 2008 and plan to open Kaiser House Lodging in early 2009. Built by Colonel George W. Morse in 1887, Morse Hall served as a "commodious lecture hall." It served as the county's first courthouse and later as Philipsburg's Town Hall and library. People played basketball upstairs as early as 1903. Morse Hall, Philipsburg Hall or Marshes' Opera House, by whatever name used, this structure housed the renowned dance floor that covered the entire second story. Older residents of Philipsburg still talk of dances there with an orchestra playing from a stage in the back of the building. Refreshments served on the ground floor rested on rough lumber planks laid across sawhorses. In the 1970s, Morse Hall housed the Art Glass Studio that produced contemporary stained glass. Owners, Dale and Peggy Pahrman, have completed extensive renovation and painting, creating one of the prettiest painted places. Morse Hall now houses "Schnibbles", a floral and specialty shop for home accessories and Grey Goose Antiques. 3. c.T. HuffMan grocery 8. Morse Hall This structure, home of The Sapphire Gallery since 1992, was built in 1887 and held two businesses�Lutey's Grocery and a harness shop operated by Barrett and Jacky. C.T. Huffman later operated the grocery. His store eventually encompassed the entire building as The Sapphire Gallery does now. A.S. Huffman's sons, Rodney and Carroll, ran the store. The business became the oldest family-owned grocery store in the state until it sold in 1979. 4. red cross drug co. Built as a drug store in 1912 by C.T. Huffman as an addition to the adjacent grocery, this building became Gentlemen's Clothing by proprietors Angus Murray, then Fred Cloward, followed by Fred Karkanen, and lastly The Clothes Mart. Since 1995, it has served as the sapphire mining room for The Sapphire Gallery. 9. Hynes House 5. degenHarT Building Built in 1910 by local rancher Lee Degenhart, this masonry building had two storefronts. The west side was a movie theatre in the 20s, followed by a pool hall. The "Philipsburg Mail" operated from 1941 until 2002. Note the original leaded glass panels over the newer plate glass windows. Remodeled for a candy kitchen, the Copper Cauldron currently occupies the west side of the building. The east side, formerly the Sweet Palace, followed by the Goode Shop, the Gallery Cafe & Floral, is now the new home of The Philipsburg Cafe owned by Mike & Meredith Sauer. This boarding house was built in 1880 and run by Honora Hynes until the silver crash of 1893. The boarding house had a second story parlor and porch and on the first floor, a spacious parlor, dining room and kitchen. Boarders' rooms were on the second floor. This structure is a superb representation of the roomy boarding houses constructed in the 1880s, which remained in regular use until the 1920's. Purchased and renamed the McGurk House just after 1900, the boarding house rented rooms until 1930. In the 1950's, Otto Davies raised chinchilla in the building. Will and Sue Abbot are the current owners of Hynes House. P age 18 P hilipsburg 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory 14. Mcclees Building A Town for all Seasons brewery remaining. In 1991, removal of the deteriorated structure was necessary. Montana Silver Springs, Inc. built a bottling plant and regularly shipped drinking water to other communities under several labels and various private labels. Montana 10. kroger's BreWery Charles Kroger, first owner and brew master of the Kroger Brewery, came to Philipsburg in 1879 and built the town's only official brewery on the hill east of town in 1881. Charles Kroger and later John Knox brewed blue ribbon quality "Silver Spray" beers here until Prohibition forced its closure. Some bottles and labels of this small local brewery are on display in the Granite County Museum. The water for brewing came from Camp Creek Spring, just uphill from the brewery. The overflow of spring water ran into a long trough outside the building and many residents and travelers watered their horses there. Kroger planted four pine trees that are still standing on the home site just to the right of the brewery. The trees were named after his four children--Fritz, Walter, Henry, and Dora. The brewery and townspeople used ice cut and collected from Kroger's Pond in the hills south of town. The brick tower visible in the back is the only part of the original Samuel E. McClees, jeweler, city council member, and Mayor of Philipsburg, built McClees Jewelry in 1912 with a family dwelling upstairs. Born in Pennsylvania, McClees arrived in the early 1890s from Granite City. His building replaced a one-story brick building that was also a jewelry store, silver bank, and notions store. The purple glass panes and wood soffit entry are original. See page 09 for a historical photo of the inside of McClees Jewelry Store. The lower level leases as business space. Current owners, Kevin and Connie Donlan renovated and restored the building in 2006. They also own the Imkamp Building next door to the west. Pintler Suites, a lodging establishment, now occupies the upstairs of both buildings. 15. iMkaMp Building Henry Imkamp, one of Philipsburg's first long-term residents, financed the construction of this building in 1887 as a business block. Imkamp, born in Prussia, worked at several trades in numerous American cities before coming to Philipsburg as a merchant in 1867. Use of the building from 1892 forward included the sale of Gent's Furnishings and clothing, a grocery and fruit market, a tailors shop, doctor's offices, printing office, utility office and post office. Whimsy, a scrap booking and sewing notions shop, operates from the east side of the building and Pat's Styling Salon occupies the west side. 11. WeinsTein Building 16. safeWay Building A Polish-born immigrant named William Weinstein arrived in Philipsburg from the town of Cable with a wagon load of dry goods and opened the first store in the area in 1866. As the town boomed, so did Weinstein's store; so much so, that he built this building in July 1877. It is one of the first permanent structures in Philipsburg. Weinstein became one of the town's leading citizens and was instrumental in organizing and developing the community. Unfortunately, a runaway horse team killed him during the 1893 silver panic when Granite City emptied overnight. Weinstein was never able to see the results of his efforts in the glory days of Philipsburg and Granite City in 1898. The original building constructed by Weinstein was the east side of the structure. Weinstein and Angus McDonald (see McDonald Opera House) financed the two-story addition on the west for a restaurant and hotel, operated by Ike Sparey, and a branch of The First National Bank of Helena in 1887. The building has since served most notably as the offices of the Moorlight Mining Co. and the Taylor-Knapp Mining Co., Neal's Photo and Greenhouse, The Pickle Dish Gift Shop, and second story apartments. The west side of the building houses The Circus Gym, opened February 2006, and the east side provides meeting and event space. Safeway built this one-story commercial building in 1937. By 1945, it housed the hospital. The new hospital on South Sansome took its place. Later altered as the Coon apartments, it became retail space and insurance company offices. Barry Carnahan restored the building for his millwork and antique showroom. 17. J.c. Mcleod Building 12. Ben pizer Building Benjamin Pizer built a tall one story commercial structure of brick in 1887. Pizer was a native of Poland, arriving in Montana in the late 1860's. He built the building to house a home furnishing business. The east 1/2 of the building served as a saloon and the west side served as a gathering place for silent movies. The east side, modified with a garage door, is George and Carla Byrd's "Junk on Broadway." A Montana gift gallery resides in the west side. Shari Kelley, the proprietor, brought Moose Mercantile to town in 2003. the M&M Bar. Montana John's In 1890, J.C McLeod, John W. Silver Mill Saloon now occupies the Morse and M.E. Doe built an street level, proprietors John and exclusive shoe store--the J.C. Cornelia Collins. McLeod Building. The shoe store sold, repaired, and manufactured shoes with an average pair selling for ten dollars. McLeod watched for people passing by and if their shoelaces looked worn or ragged, he would invite them inside and put on a new pair of laces for them. The shoe store lasted into 1910 when Joe Appel's Movie House and Soda Fountain replaced it. The office of Dr. G.W. Young, dentist, and several apartments were located upstairs in the early days. In the early 1950's, there was a 4-lane bowling alley installed upstairs by Roddy McRae, Bill Crencevich & Lum Wanderer. In 1955, there were eight men's and two women's leagues and a Granite High bowling league. The other half of the street floor was the Model Bar that later became 18. M.e. doe Building 13. MorTuary Building Built circa 1889, this small building served the town for over 100 years as a saloon, grocery and mortuary. Known as The Bucket of Blood and the Red Onion during its saloon days, raided and shut down during Prohibition, and later as Wilson's Funeral Home, this building finally relinquished its walls and floor in 2008 to grass covered open space and fresh air. M.E. Doe and his brother-in-law, J.D. Thomas, built Doe's Drug in 1890, as a drug store. The west side of the building contained Modini's Grand Hotel and Caf�, which advertised meals at all hours of the day and night, and a private dining room for women. The first gasoline sold in Philipsburg was handpumped from barrels in front of the store. Dr. W.I. Power, physician and surgeon, was located upstairs in the early 1900's. M.E. Doe's sons, Milton and Everett, kept the business until 1965 when they sold it to Lynn & James Werner. They operated it as Does Drug until 1979. Owners, Tony and Ruth Ann Marchi, currently operate Doe Brothers Restaurant & OldFashioned Soda Fountain. 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory 19. 116-118 easT BroadWay The 1889 Sanborn Fire Maps show this building as a saloon, gambling and lodging establishment. The Crystal Saloon run by Easterly, followed by Pass Time pool hall owned by Ted Harrington and then owners Owens, Strong, and Kahoe were all part of its colorful past. If only walls could talk! Martha Speacht ran the G&M Cafe from the early 60's to the early 70's. Everyone knew the caf� had the best pies in town. Will Abbot owns the building that in recent years served as a hardware and plumbing supply, video rental shop, hardware store and gunsmith's shop under successive proprietors. 23. porTer House P hilipsburg P age 19 A Town for all Seasons Montana 20. WHiTe fronT Bar County abstracts date this building as a saloon in 1887 while the Sanborn Fire Maps show it to be in continuous use as a saloon and billiards parlor through 1909. Its only change in service was during Prohibition when it was a general store, The Busy Bee. Rumor has it the Busy Bee continued to quench Philipsburg's thirst from the basement storehouse. That is 122 years of quenching the thirst in Philipsburg. The National cash register purchased in 1928 by owner Pete Andre, remains in the saloon with present owners, Bill and Diane Mackley. Built in approximately 1890, the Porter House housed a variety of businesses through the years. One of its earliest uses was as a bakery. During World War I, it served as one of many boarding houses in Philipsburg to provide beds for grateful manganese mill workers. It was known then as "The Mad House" because of the frequent and rapid turnover of roomers and boarders. Each shift from the mines provided a new and different tenant. Most recently, it has been used for the Grey Wolf Gallery. 24. courTney HoTel 21. george a. Jenkins garage Around 1941, Marvin Dobbins purchased the garage from owner George Jenkins and renamed it Dobbins Chevrolet for his auto dealership. He owned and operated the business offering automobile repairs and sold gasoline, as well as new vehicles. In 1964, the building became the Town Hall and home of the Philipsburg Public Library. In 2003, the complete refurbishing of the facade with funds raised by Helen Darling and Writers in the Round concerts gave the building a face lift. Community donations and plaque sales continue to support the new Philipsburg Town Hall renovation. Built as the Courtney Hotel by the Courtney brothers in 1918, the Granite County Museum and Cultural Center currently occupies the building. The building housed a garage and service station in the basement and the Overland Automobile dealership and showroom on the first floor. Autos drove into the showroom through the double doors in the center and the guests entered the hotel through a door to the right. The Courtney brothers spared no expense in constructing the hotel and claimed that the building needed no fire insurance because of its remarkable construction of brick, stone and poured concrete. Of all the riches taken out of Philipsburg, the Courtney Brothers are perhaps the only ones to return to the community any significant permanent investment. The building is closely associated with the manganese mining boom period since being been built with profits from the Courtney brothers' Kentucky mine east of town. 22. Mcdonald opera House 25. carTier Building George Cartier built the building in the early 1900s and it now houses The Club Bar. It became the First State Bank, 1915-1930. Lawrence Hauck was the president (see Hauck Home). W.E. Metcalf purchased the building in 1931. James Keating operated a caf�, The Banquet, in a portion of the structure in the 1930's. It later became a bar operated by Jake Polich and Art Taylor called The Club. A barbershop occupied the west side for many years and later became a women's lounge area for the bar but now is office and storage. C.A. and C.F. Metcalf purchased the property from W.E. Metcalf, still In 1876, Northern Pacific Railroad received the first deed to the property where the theater now stands. In July 1896, Angus A. McDonald and his wife acquired the land and built the two-story McDonald Opera House. It was built with a granite foundation, full sod basement, dressing rooms beneath the south end and plumbing. The high loft above the east end was for scenery backdrops. A large auditorium with balcony, special boxes faced with wrought iron, and a spacious stage attracted large audiences. Many famous troupes performed on the stage, as well as many not so famous, including minstrel shows, dog and pony acts, traveling players, magicians (the center stage trap door is still there), local talent, dance revues, class plays and school graduations. Frank W. Horrigan became owner of the property in 1932 and renamed it the Granada. The ornate boxes had to be taken down for acoustics' sake when sound arrived and velour draperies and air spaces were installed. New sound and projection machines were installed in the booth. A variety of businesses have occupied parts of the building through the years--a soda pop bottling firm, the Philipsburg Commercial Club, a bank, Carmichael's Livery Stable and others. The current owners, Tim and Claudette Dringle, produce live professional theatre during the summer, plus special events in the off-season. It is now called the Opera House Theatre. Off Broadway Lodging offers gracious accommodations during the off-season. running it as a bar. Since then five different owners have operated it. The present owner-proprietors are John & Debbi Carlson. The old bank vault in the basement constructed of quarried granite now serves quite appropriately as The Vault Room. 26. lee's cHinese grocery This late 1800's building served Philipsburg during its mining heyday as Lee's Chinese Restaurant and next by the Red & White Grocery, Fred Karkanen--proprietor. Lawrence and Lucille Wanderer purchased the store in April 1936 from a widow (Mrs. Easterly) and changed the name to The Town Grocery. Wanderer later bought the butcher shop next door and the City Cafe (formerly Lee's Chinese Restaurant). In 1984, Lucille Wanderer sold the property. After several interim businesses, Todd King purchased and renovated the building. May of 2004 saw the opening of the Daily Grind, a specialty beverage shop and Gilding the Lily offering gifts, clothing, and books. P age 20 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory P age 21 P age 22 P hilipsburg 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory Prior to becoming Montana's oldest Ford dealership under one owner, this was the location of a blacksmith shop. The Winninghoff family has owned the property since 1883. Built by Heine Winninghoff's father in 1883, he ran the smithy for 45 years before he retired. Even with the Ford dealership in business, some customers still brought in blacksmith work until after WW II. The original brick forge hearth is still in the back of the building, although no longer used to heat iron for wagon wheels or horseshoes. Purchased from Anthony Marletto in 2008, Gem Mountain plans to open a store in 2009. 31. WinningHoff MoTors A Town for all Seasons Montana Built in 1935 on the correct side of Broadway (south side), as opposed to the church side (north side), this building housed a tavern until about 1993. Called the Silver Tavern, the name changed to The Hungry Buzzard when purchased by Marilyn Jean Breeden, "Mean Jean." Ron Paige and Richard Hoehne then purchased and renovated the building for retail and office space. Flint Creek Outdoors occupies the west side and Wild Rose Design Company, an interior design shop, the east side. 27. silver Tavern 32. 147 WesT BroadWay 28. Wilson BroTHers Building The Wilson brothers, designers of the Georgetown Lake Dam, built the Wilson Brothers building in 1887. Originally, the first floor housed a feed and furniture store with a boarding house upstairs. This business soon changed to hardware and groceries and later a hobby store. Beginning in the 1950's, several saloons have occupied the space, including The Rodeo Bar and most recently, The Thirsty Dog Saloon. BC Millworks was on the main floor until moving to its new location. The upstairs became apartments and, in the 1950's, a dentist had his office in the front room. The building is a frame structure with a brick veneer. A local brickyard supplied the brick. The foundation of quarried granite blocks has supported the building for over a century. A unique hand-operated freight elevator installed in the first renovation in 1891 is still in use. Barry Carnahan's BC Millworks began new renovation in 1994 by returning the ceiling on the main floor to its original 13-foot height and the removing interior walls added in the 50's. The removal of some walls upstairs opened the floor plan, while leaving the bedrooms original. Renovation included rebuilding the original front after removal of the false front put up for the anonymity of Rodeo Bar patrons. The street floor area has housed a variety of businesses over the years. In 1907, Murdock Morrison sold the property to Franzman, who then sold to Fred Hagerty for hardware and saddlery, followed by A.L. Applegate for furniture and appliances. The Murphys then ran this corner property as a secondhand, repair, and novelty shop. The Flint Creek Baptist church bought and remodeled it, holding services there for approximately 15 years. Mary Jo Bangs began remodeling with her purchase in the mid-1990s, and Charles and Nancy Collins, current owners, finished the renovation. It presently houses Pintlar Territories Real Estate and a private dwelling. 33. firsT posT office 29. THe MonTana laBoraTory - THe old posT office George Wilson first owned and rebuilt this 1� story building as a brick building in 1923. W.E. Metcalf owned it next as an assay office and the U.S. Post Office. 144 W. Broadway has also served Philipsburg as an assay office for many years, as well as Soil Conservation Service, County Extension, insurance and dental offices. 148 W. Broadway served as an assay office, video store, and tire & appliance store. Todd King, owner, completed extensive renovation in 2002. The current proprietor of 148 W. Broadway is Janice Gross, owner of the Pickle Dish Gift Shop. The summer of 2008 welcomes the opening of Western Winds Gallery and A Calming Balance Therapeutic Massage in 144 West. As is true of many buildings in Philipsburg, 127 W. Broadway housed many different businesses. Built in 1888, it served as the first Post Office in officially known "Phillippsburgh" from 1890 until 1905. The "h" dropped off in 1894 and the extra "l" dropped off in 1905. When the extra "p" dropped off no one knows. It was also a millinery shop, a drug store, Dr. Nesbit's office, a secondhand store, a contractor's office, and framing shop. Hans Schieffele rented the building and later purchased the building where he operated a dry cleaning business. He sold the building to Ozzie Christensen who, along with Betty Christensen, continued the dry cleaning and laundromat business. Mike and Diana Young began operating Stuff & Such Antiques in the building in 1995. They found the wonderful old Post Office vault with the original calcimite walls and ornately painted vault door hidden behind the line of dryers! Now owned by sculptor J.R. Eason. 30. Hauck House Dora Hauck (Kroger), wife of Lawrence Hauck purchased the showplace property in 1917 from the Philipsburg Real Estate and Water Company, operated by W.W. Kroger. Lawrence Hauck, a native of Germany, erected the home around 1917. He came to Montana in 1883 and to Philipsburg in 1889. He operated the Philipsburg Mail in association with the Bryan brothers. He served as city treasurer beginning in 1898 and became postmaster in 1899. Subsequent owners include Robert Metcalf (1930-40), L.B. Manning (1940- Built in 1890 as the J.K. Merrill and Sons Dry Goods Store, the building has 12,000 square. Shortly thereafter, it became the main store for Freyschlag, Huffman & Co. merchandise dealers. In 1893, the store contained over $100,000 worth of merchandise, including dry goods, clothing, groceries and hardware on two floors when Freyschlag, Huffman failed during the silver panic. The upper floor became a hotel and boarding house and by 1897, the lower floor became the company store for the Bi-Metallic Mill. J.C. Penney leased this retail space in the 1930's and J.C. 1957), and Roy McLeod (1957-61) Penney himself waited and three county attorneys. The on customers during a present owner is Allen Bradshaw. visit to Philipsburg. The hospital and nursing home thrift store, H&R Thrift, moved to the downstairs in 1993. In 2003, the building's owners of many years, Jim and Sue Jenner, renovated the upper floor and opened The Broadway Hotel in the old hotel space. 34. J.k. Merrill & sons Most of the brick buildings in Philipsburg were built of locally manufactured brick from three foundries in the area. 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory 35. sayrs Building Joseph and Mary A. Hyde built the Hyde Block for the Joseph A. Hyde Banking Company in 1888. It housed the First National Bank from 1892 to 1897, and sold to Frank Sayrs in 1904. The upper level featured a Mesker Brothers sheet iron front only four years after the first Mesker catalog reached the Pacific Northwest. Offices were located on the second floor with the main floor occupied by numerous businesses�a tailor, drug store, recreation facility, clothier, and liquor store. The Sayrs Building is owned by Rob Jarvis and is the future home of the Philipsburg Brewing Company. P hilipsburg P age 23 A Town for all Seasons Montana 39. firsT presByTerian cHurcH 36. BoWen Houses The First Presbyterian Church, known as the "White Church," was constructed in 1893. The structure was used as a church building until 1990 when it was sold to a private party. The building has a unique dome-lantern style steeple and wood scrollwork trim. New owners, Kim and Dave Chappell, have recently restored the outside, detailing architectural features. Brothers William and Fred Bowen built these Victorian homes sitting next to each other on Granite Street in 1890 at a cost of $4,000 each on a loan obtained from Mary Schuh at 8% per annum. The houses, mirror images of each other and built from the same blueprints, have beautiful maple woodwork and staircases with plaster walls. The Bowen brothers were natives of South Wales and emigrated to the U.S. in 1865. They moved to Butte in 1884, and in 1887, in association with 40. H.a. feaTHerMan House In 1894, Anna Fairbairn purchased the land with no record of a house on it. In 1907, Harry Featherman purchased the house and land that remained in the family until 1955 when it sold to Lum and Lucille Wanderer, owners of the Town Grocery. It recently sold as a private dwelling. 41. graniTe counTy HigH scHool Ezra R. Thompson, founded the Philipsburg Iron Works. The foundry manufactured products of general iron business and machinery for the mills. Ms. Donna Martin currently owns the William Bowen's house (pictured left). Fredrick Bowen's home, (pictured right), was sold in 1919 to Fred Kroger and in 1927 was purchased by Emil Blumenthal, an assayer in Philipsburg. Lee Page, Sr. purchased the property in 1946 and occupied it with his family until 1978. Current owner, Janet Wood, has restored the home completely. 37. MeTcalf House Frank and Emma Nowack built the Metcalf House in 1912. Frank was a barber in what is now part of The Club Bar. The house sold to the Metcalf family. They owned the house until 1986. Since then owners include the Kirkwoods, the Shaafs who restored it to its original glory, and current owner, Janice Gross, proprietor and owner of the Pickle Dish Gift Shop. Completed in 1912, the Granite County High School cost an estimated $40,000. This building and other important public structures, including the Granite County Courthouse, were built in Philipsburg during a period of economic stabilization. It served as a high school until 1970. Now privately owned, it is a beautiful reminder of the boom days and the fervent desire of the pioneers to educate their children. 42. sT. paul's MeTHodisT episcopal cHurcH 38. sT. pHilip's caTHolic cHurcH Construction of St. Philip's Catholic Church started in 1887 on land donated by Angus A. McDonald (Red Mac). The church was completed and declared free of debt on September 30, 1894 during a dedication service officiated by the retired Reverend Bishop John Brondel. St. Philip's is the tallest of the four churches built on "Nob Hill" in the six year period from 1888-1894. St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church began with the laying of the cornerstone in 1887 and the church sanctuary dedication in 1890. The Presbyterian Church now owns and uses the building for regular services. The church choir practices every Wednesday evening. The original structure cost $39,589. Lightning supposedly destroyed a bell tower on the church in the early 1900s. 43. allen HospiTal Turn to page 21 for a city map to guide you through the Walking Tour. In 1887, Dr. William H. Allen, physician for the Hope Mining Co., built a hospital high to the north of Philipsburg's Main Street on Sutter Street. Built of brick on granite foundation blocks two feet thick, the very "modern" hospital had twelve wards, a doctor's office on the second floor and telephone connections to the major areas of town. In 1892, Dr. Wilbur I. Power purchased the hospital. Dr. Power practiced there until the early 1900's when the structure sold to Jasper Huffman. In 1919, C.T. Huffman bought out his brother Jasper's interest in the house and lived there until his death. His daughter, Florence, married Frank Neal, and their son Steve lives there today. P age 24 P hilipsburg 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory A Town for all Seasons Montana 44. sT. andreW's episcopal cHurcH The first church to appear on record and in photos of Philipsburg was St. Andrew's Episcopal Church. The cornerstone was laid in 1888 under the auspices of the Grand Lodge of Montana Masons assisted by the Flint Creek and Ruby Lodges. Articles placed in the stone included a bible, a list of names of benefactors, some coins, a copy of the Philipsburg Mail and the New Northwest Newspaper of Deer Lodge (the county seat at that time). Parish members first held services in 1875 at the Hynes House. Later locations included the Masonic Hall and Morse Hall until completion of the first church in Philipsburg in 1889. 48. pHilipsBurg grade scHool 45. graniTe counTy Jail Granite County purchased land from the Philipsburg School Board in 1895 and built the Granite County Jail--the oldest operating jail in Montana. Grant S. Williams, a local contractor, designed and built the jail in 1896 for an estimated cost of $8,000. The building materials were locally fired bricks and rough-cut granite quarried from nearby hills. The Sheriff's living quarters were in the east side of the building until 2000 when conversion to office space occurred. The hangman's noose visible in the tower was hung there as a deterrent to crime. Plans for construction of the Philipsburg Grade School began in 1894 when Philipsburg residents passed a bond issue of $30,000. The school board declared that the cost of the new school was not to exceed $23,000, but in fact it later exceeded the sum by several thousand dollars--$26,800. The Philipsburg Real Estate and Water Company sold the seven acres of land for $3,476.25 and architects Bell and Kent began construction in 1894. Builders obtained granite for the structure from the quarry above the Bi-Metallic Mill. In its design is a perfect example of a granite keystone in the door arch that provides the strength to support the bell tower. Dedication of the building occurred February 1896. The new structure served as a grade school and high school for two hundred students until the completion of the high school building across town in 1912. In 1927, builders added four additional classrooms and a gymnasium to the rear. In September of 2003, the citizens of Philipsburg overwhelmingly passed a two million dollar bond issue to restore, renovate and modernize the building. Contractors completed the project in March 2005. The Philipsburg Elementary is the oldest school building in continuous use in Montana. 49. M.e. doe House 46. graniTe counTy courTHouse The first designated school building in Philipsburg became the building site of the Granite County Courthouse. A new frame structure replaced the original log building in 1879. This wooden building became the county courthouse in 1896 when settlers built the existing grade school south of town. In 1912, the county commissioners, anticipating growth and expansion of Granite County, contracted with A. Gagnon and Company of Helena to build the courthouse for $49,800. Trimmed in oak, the interior beauty is worth a visit. M.E. Doe built this house in 1902. The house was considered the most beautiful in the community until the Hauck home arrived on Broadway in 1917. Looking south from the Doe house, the two tall brick smoke stacks of the Granite Bi-Metallic Mill (Red Mill) that operated during the silver era and closed in 1904 rise above the trees. 50. n.B. ringling House This home was built in the late 1800's. N.B. Ringling, superintendent of the Hope Mine, lived here for many years. Besides Ringling, the home has had three later owners--L.R. Nesbit, Joe and Rita Metesh, and presently, Rita's son, Granite County Sheriff Steve Immenschuh and family. 47. paTTen House Built around 1885, this is the longtime residence of the James Patten family. James Patten, Sr. purchased the residence from G.H. Harn, believed to be its original owner from 1887. Harn ran a brickyard in Philipsburg in the 1880's. James Patten, Sr. moved from Illinois to the Comstock mining region of Nevada in 1878 and worked the Poor Man mine until he moved to Philipsburg in 1882. Patten became involved in the early operation of the Trout Mine. By 1884, Patten formed the Patten Mining Co. employing several miners. He also operated the Sweet Home mine, the Two Percent mine, a five stamp mill and actively participated in a variety of business interests. Dennis and Helen Darling purchased the home from the Patten family. Did you know . . . The population of Granite County in 1900 was 7,300 The population in the 2000 census was 2,830 There are 50 lakes & more than 500 miles of streams in Granite County Philipsburg is 5,280 feet in elevation The sun shines in Philipsburg an average of 351 days per year Average precipitation is 14.97 inches of water per year, including snowfall There are 1,728 square miles of land in Granite County There are 1.6 residents per square mile 64% of Granite County is owned by the U.S. Government Elk herds now number over 1,300 head in Granite County Mountain sheep herds number 200+ head on upper Rock Creek 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory P age 25 GETOWN LAKE OR E G Photo courtesy of Quantus Design Georgetown Lake framed by the majestic Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness ~ One of the jewels along the Pintler Scenic Highway. Mining played an important role in the development of Georgetown Lake. Miners discovered the Cable, Gold Coin and Southern Cross Mines in the vicinity from 1862-1868. Cattle grazing began about 1872 on Georgetown Flats and continued until 1885. Ranchers Charles and William Pullar, John and Isaac Sanders and W.T. Hull traded deeded lands on Rock Creek for their Georgetown Flats property. The property trade facilitated building a small earthen dam across the outlet of Flint Creek to produce power for the new Bi-Metallic Mining Company operations at Philipsburg and Granite. Georgetown Lake was born. Construction and incorporation of the Flint Creek Power Company by Butte civil engineers Baker and Harper began in 1891. In May 1899, Paul Fusz, M. Rumsey, L.M. Rumsey and C. Jagels incorporated into the Montana Water, Electric Power and Mining Company after acquiring the interest of the Flint Creek Power Company that had allowed the completion of the Georgetown Lake dam to languish. Use of the buildings, built in 1901 and still maintained, stopped when the Bi-Metallic Mining Company discontinued the use of steam and electricity generated by the waters of Flint Creek became the power source. The waters of West Flint Creek feed Georgetown Lake. West Flint Creek originates near Red Lion Mountain, Echo Lake outlet, Hardtla's Creek, Stuart Mill Creek and numerous springs in the lakebed. Engineers channeled the water held in the lake into a 42-inch flume emptying into a huge surge tank high over the Flint Creek powerhouse. The water dropped over 700 feet to spin the turbines and generators. Leaving the generating plant, the water flowed through the canyon approximately two miles to where it entered the meadows of the Flint Creek Valley, eventually joining the Clark Fork River at Drummond. The summer climate, scenery, good fishing, boating, sailing and water skiing have attracted people to Georgetown Lake for the past 100 years. At one time, the Butte, Anaconda and Pacific Railroad, which hauled ore and timber from Southern Cross, ran special trains on weekends to Georgetown Lake. They placed chairs on open gondola cars to accommodate the crowds anxious for an outing. A steamboat traveled the waters of the lake and carried passengers on excursion trips. Prior to 1912, the fish in Georgetown Lake were cutthroat trout native to Flint Creek. The first planting of fish introduced arctic grayling in 1912. Other species planted between 1912 and 1937 included whitefish, rainbow trout, steel head, brook trout, chinook and silver salmon. Today, rainbow trout is the only species planted. Ice fishing is very popular during the winter months. The lake is a winter fisherman's paradise with tents, windbreaks and fishermen dotting the lake. The lake supports snowmobiles and cross country skiing with excellent trails maintained in the vicinity as well as the newest sports, winter snow kiting and summer kite boarding. Campgrounds are located around the lake with public access fishing. The Georgetown Lake drive in summer with views from every angle is spectacular. The road offers a beautiful view of the AnacondaPintler Wilderness, Discovery Ski Area, Cable Mountain, East Fork area, Southern Cross and St. Timothy's Chapel. P age 26 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory Granite County and the surrounding wilderness areas are a photographer's dream come true in Big Sky Country--all of the Rocky Mountain wildlife, scenic beauty in every direction, historic architecture, beautiful and unusual plants, fantastic wildflowers, snowcapped peaks, and the bluest skies in the Northwest. The wildlife of the region is varied and plentiful, ranging from big game to the smallest of mice and hummingbirds. Visitors can expect to see elk, moose, whitetail and mule deer, mountain sheep, badger, fox, coyote, cottontail rabbit, snowshoe hare, beaver, High-n-Mighty. American Bald Eagle Stunning Bear Grass found by a hiker porcupine, raccoon, an occasional caught on high in Granite County. on the trails near Philipsburg. bear, and of course, on any hillside or meadow, Colombian ground squirrels (commonly known as gophers and whistle pigs). Water birds, including ducks, herons, mergansers, and Canadian geese gather near any body of water in the area. Osprey nest near Drummond and Georgetown Lake. Golden eagles fish from telephone poles at Georgetown Lake. Bald eagles fly the shores of Rock Creek and Georgetown Lake. Of particular interest is the largest breeding population of rednecked grebes in the United States. Interpretive signs are located at Grassy Point on Georgetown Lake. This is only a partial list of the animal residents of the territory. Early morning and evening are the best times for sighting wildlife, These bighorn sheep are abundant in Granite County. Just keep your although any could cross your distance since they are unpredictable and dangerous up close. path in the middle of the day as Photo by Sara Robinson. Camera Ready! well. Moose frequently wander into downtown Philipsburg. Rock Creek Road provides the most likely path and place to see the Big Horn mountain sheep on the north side of Rock Creek just below Gillies Bridge. Be prepared for moose, elk, deer, bear and birds all along the way. In a matter of days, you will see most of the animals listed and find them within accessible camera distance. Two of the most beautiful views of Flint Creek Valley present themselves when traveling on Montana Highway 1--the Pintler Scenic Highway. The first aweinspiring view begins when entering the Flint Creek Valley from the north, a half mile past mile marker 42. Flint Creek and the snow capped mountains of the Pintler Wilderness suddenly come into view when rounding a brief corner. The combination of the two natural wonders provides a feast for the eyes, as well as the camera. The second spectacular vista view is at the top of Flint Creek Pass when entering Flint Creek Valley from the east at mile marker 28. Traveling through Flint Creek Pass is stunning with the creek and falls descending dramatically to the valley floor through and over the fantastic rock formations. Look up and out and the east entrance to the valley lies in all its majesty, seemingly at the feet of the traveler. For best photography opportunities, get off the highway and hike into the backcountry for untouched grandeur and the true splendor this area offers. Photo courtesy of Quantus Design. Photo by Sara Robinson. Summer Adventure Photo courtesy of Blackfoot River Outfitters. 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory Things to Do in Granite County ... Philipsburg's surrounding area abounds with summer activities for your entire family. Whether you prefer stretching your legs outdoors, panning for sapphires either indoor or outdoors, scenic driving tours, strolling through historic downtown, fishing pristine waters or hunting the mountains, Granite County offers the adventure. In addition to special events planned for virtually every weekend of the summer listed on page 33, Philipsburg boasts multiple activities all season. Be sure to visit the museum, peruse the antique shops and galleries, pick up a souvenir shirt or hat at one of the stores, mine for sapphires indoors, and purchase your tickets to live theater productions while following the historic Walking Tour (pages 17-24). Philipsburg's dining establishments afford travelers everything from steaks, seafood and pizza to deli sandwiches, ice cream and spicy cuisine. Compliment your stay with a comfortable sleep with a wide array of accommodations ranging from vintage hotels and B&B rooms to remote mountain cabins. Blacktop Excursions ~ Right in the middle of the Pintler Scenic Route - Montana Highway 1, falls Philipsburg. Sightseers exiting off Interstate 90 in Drummond first enjoy the rolling cattle country near Hall and later, the narrowing creek bottom winding past historic Maxville. Closer to Philipsburg, the Flint Creek Valley opens wide, framed with majestic views of the high alpine Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness and soft ridges of the P age 27 Philipsburg Territory boasts some of the nation's most enviable trout fishing. With more than 500 miles of streams and 50 lakes in Granite County, anglers could fish every day, all summer, and never wet a line in the same water. P-burg puts you in the heart of Blue Ribbon Rivers, under-utilized creeks, pristine alpine lakes, and trout rich reservoirs. Both spin and fly-fishing options abound all year. Nationally renowned Rock Creek flows merely 20 minutes from downtown Philipsburg. The Creek provides simply the best variety fly fishing has to offer � riffles, runs, pools, pocket water, and undercuts all chock full of wild rainbows, Westslope cutthroat, browns, cutbows, brooks, rare native bull trout, and mountain whitefish. Aquatic insect hatches are prolific as are the terrestrials. Most of the area's other small creeks offer good numbers of cutthroats, browns, and brookies. Some of these fish never see an angler all season. Miles of these streams wonder through public land, but know the land ownership before you fish. Maintain the great relationship area landowners have with sportsmen by always asking permission to fish on private land. The most popular lake in the region is Georgetown. Its breathtaking views, numerous public accesses and campgrounds, and fertile waters make it a perfect choice for both `hard core' anglers and family outings. Rainbow trout make up the bulk of the catch together with t rout F iShing ParadiSe Know the Rules and Regulations: Montana's fish and wildlife laws are as diverse as the critters they intend to protect. Some rivers are open to fishing all year, creeks close during the spawning season, and Georgetown Lake closes to all fishing for the month of May. Every fishery is treated differently in order to maximize its potential. Be sure to consult the state's FWP regulations before fishing any where in Montana . Photo courtesy of Blackfoot River Outfitters. trophy brook trout and kokanee salmon. Abundant damsels, giant sedge, midges, scuds and leaches expedite the growth of Georgetown's trout and make for one of the Montana's finest still water fly-fishing destinations. Float tubing and kick boating are great ways to fish the lake's weedy drop offs and shallow flats, but bank anglers also have success along rocky shores. Most of the alpine lakes are free of ice for only a short time and the trout are typically aggressive. Some of these are accessible by car while others are perfect for a day hike or multi-day backpack trip. BIKING, HIKING & BACKPACKING . . . John Long Mountains. Shortly past P-burg, Hwy 1 climbs Flint Creek Pass flanked by a stunning cascading waterfall topping out at Georgetown Lake. Following a fabulous lake side drive, the highway descends into the rugged beauty of Warm Springs Creek snaking down into Anaconda. The loop back to I-90 ends with a classic juxtaposition of Granite and Anaconda-Deer Lodge Counties in transition - the historic Anaconda Copper Mine smelter on one side and the Jack Nicholas Old Works Golf Course on the other. Touring the Back Roads ~Want some grit in your teeth � Granite County is crisscrossed with literally hundreds of miles of jeep roads. Old mining and logging roads make for a four-wheeler and ATV paradise. Mountain tracks traverse past multiple ghost towns and historic mining claims spread through out the region between Drummond and Anaconda (check out the map on page 20 for directions). Only have a couple hours? Turn your wheels immediately east of `The Burg' and take the Philipsburg Mining District Tour detailed on page 14. Add a few more hours and behold stunning vistas, hillsides and meadows just made for wildlife viewing, and high elevation lakes and streams trout brimming with trout. (It is a good idea to obtain a Forest Service map for the most detailed information). Please, when four wheeling and ATVing, always stay on established roads, travel at safe speeds, and respect both private and public property as if it were your own. Numerous old trails and roads in the beautiful mountains around Philipsburg make biking, hiking and backpacking a thrill. Maps available at retail stores in town depict three hiking routes that start and end in Philipsburg. These routes consist of paths traversing areas mined since the 1860's. Fascinating sites, interesting rock formations, and wonderful views meet the eye. Take water and sunscreen along. Don't forget the camera. Please stay on the trails and leave only footprints�what you pack in, please pack out! Blue Trail - 3 mi., Elev. 5280-6000 ft Green Trail - 5 mi., Elev. 5280-6600 ft Purple Trail - 2.5 mi., Elev. 5280-6000 ft THE LITTLE TOWN THAT COULD Photo by Claudette Dringle. Pressure washing and painting of the historic Opera House Theatre during the restoration in 2000. P age 28 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory Any community-sponsored publication, like the one you are reading now, tends to describe its town and surroundings in glowing terms. However, travelers are often disappointed when the destination turns out to be different from the description. As good as little Philipsburg may be at touting its charms, you will find that critics outside the Flint Creek Valley find the praise to be accurate. In fact, in 2005, the town received significant national attention from an array of sources. Montana Living, a nationally distributed publication, featured Philipsburg as the "Little Town That Could" in its July 2005 edition. The story, written by publisher Dave Reese, went out of its way to explain why Philipsburg, of Montana's many historic towns, had a unique blend of community pride and can-do spirit that had not only saved it from extinction but had carried it into the forefront of resurgent western communities. That theme, of people in a remote valley working together, caught the attention of one of American television's bestknown storytellers. NBC Senior Correspondent, Bob Dotson, traveled to "Pburg" with two film crews to document the community. The resulting story, describing the spirit of the residents as being of "forged steel," was the Christmas Season episode of Dotson's awardwinning "American Story." It appeared on the Today Show on December 26th and aired around the world. It was a touching piece that highlighted the town's mining heritage and the number of recent times the community had risen up to help residents in need. Recognition for our community spirit is only part of the praise heaped on Philipsburg. The Montana Preservation Alliance awarded Philipsburg its Historic Preservation Award in 2005 in recognition of "Excellence in Community Preservation." In addition, the prestigious National The new balconies go up on Kaiser House in 2005 to restore the building Trust for Historic Preservation, America's largest, private nonto its former glory. The 9th annual Art and Jazz on Broadway takes place Sunday, August 23, 2009, from 11Am until 5pm in downtown Philipsburg, Montana. The event showcases handcrafted, gallery-quality fine arts. Over 65 juried painters, sculptors, potters, woodworkers, and weavers display and sell their work. Continuous, live jazz by Montana's own Eden Atwood, Mike Bader Band, and Montana Lite Jazz compliments the amazing works of art on display. Eden Atwood has become somewhat of a staple at Art and Jazz on Broadway. Eden and her band, The Last Best Band, delight and entertain the crowd with favorites like "Wild Women Don't Get the Blues," and "Waves, the Bossa Nova Session." Mike Bader released his first album, "Clear Case of the Blues," in 2004 and travels throughout the Rockies and Midwest performing at clubs and festivals. Wine, Montana micro brews and numerous food concessions provide refreshment throughout the day, Art and Jazz on Broadway Writers In The Round along with ample seating, tables and umbrellas near the stage. For the younger art lovers, FREE activities for children include face painting, balloons, and various arts and crafts. Presented by the Flint Creek Valley Arts Council, a non-profit organization of volunteers, Art and Jazz on Broadway has morphed into one of Montana's most successful summer events. There is no admission fee for Art and Jazz on Broadway, so donations help. The FCVAC continues to bring the arts to the people of Granite County with Shakespeare in the Park and art shows for the local nursing home and much more. Contributions of the FCVAC include art scholarships, donations to the Philipsburg Elementary School, GHS Football team and the PYAC, as well as sponsoring art education events. For more information on Art and Jazz on Broadway, The FCVAC or Shakespeare in the Park, please visit www.artinphilipsburg.com or check the Advertisers' Directory Listing on Page 38 for contact information. profit preservation organization, selected Philipsburg as one of the country's "Dozen Distinctive Destinations." It was a particularly significant honor as the town was the only place recognized in the entire Rocky Mountain West. In explaining the selection, Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation described Philipsburg as, "A dynamic community with numerous historic events to share with visitors, Philipsburg is truly a piece of heaven in the Big Sky Country." So, do not take our word for it, come and enjoy the community that experts across the country agree is a special place to be! Photo by Jim Jenner. Darling hit No. 1 on the charts with her song "Bring on the Rain," recorded by Jo Dee Messina and Tim McGraw. The song received nomination for a Grammy, and ACM and a CMA award. When not in Philipsburg, Darling resides in Austin, Texas working as a songwriter and mother of two. The performance usually features 3 to 4 of Nashville's Helen Darling introduces performer/ most successful songwriters songwriters at Writers in the Round. in addition to Darling. Famous Montana native, Kostas, has A popular format where artists perform on stage in an acoustic appeared in 10 performances. round robin fashion, Writers Musical guests have included in the Round began in l998. Sunny Russ (And Then They Do), Helen Darling, summer resident Mark Selby (There's Your Trouble), of Philipsburg and Grammy Billy Montana (More Than A nominated songwriter, organizes Memory) and many more. Each this performance with proceeds show at the Opera House Theatre to benefit the Granite County is unique and unforgettable. For information on these Historical Society. In the past ten years, monies raised have and other area events see our transformed the front of the Town Calendar of Events and Events listings on page 29 & 38. Hall, the center of Philipsburg. Accordion enthusiasts from all over the U.S. and Canada have gathered in Philpsburg to share their music for the past 13 years. Jammers, dancers, and singers come to the two-day event to reconnect with old friends, meet new ones and have a great time. The 2008 celebration featured world-renowned performers Mario Padone from Sugarland, Texas and Richard Theiss from Vancouver, B.C. They performed at the high school gymnasium to a large enthusiastic crowd and received several standing ovations. The 2009 Rocky Mountain Accordion Rocky Mountain accoRdion celebRation 2009 Celebration takes place July 31st and August 1st and again all proceeds go to the Philipsburg School's music department. Visitors browse leisurely during the Art & Jazz on Broadway event. 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. . www.pintlersuites.com QuanTus design, llc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.quantusdesign.net Quigley coTTage bed & breakfasT . . . . . . . . . . . www.philipsburgbb.com r house inn-PhiliPsburg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.rhouseinn.com rocky MounTain accordion celebraTion . . . . www.accordions.com/rmac roTary club of PhiliPsburg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.philipsburgrotary.org saPPhire gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.sapphire-gallery.com seven gables resorT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.sevengablesmontana.com silver Mill saloon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.montanajohns.com sTaTe farM insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.statefarm.com sTuff & such anTiQues . . . . . . . . www.blackfoot.net/~phl5118/Philipsburg.html sugar loaf wool carding Mill . . . . . . . . . . . . www.sugarloafwool.com sweeT Palace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.sweetpalace.com TwiTe realTy corP esTaTe . . . . . . . . . . . . www.montanarealestate4sale.com wagon wheel cafe & MoTel . . . . . www.goldwest.visitmt.com/listings/2470.htm wild rose design coMPany . . . . . . . . .www.wildrosedesigncompany.com advertiSer web SiteS Calendar of Ev ents Philipsburg Territory 2009 PHiliPsburg Mar 19 May 6 May 30 Jun 17 Jun 20 Jun 25 Jul 3-5 Jul 24-26 Jul 25 Jul 26 Jul 31-Aug 1 Aug 9 Aug 23 Aug TBA Aug TBA Sep 7 Sep 12 Sep 13 Sep 19 Oct 30 Nov 12 Dec 11 Dec 24 Dec 31 Jan 17 12th Annual Flag & Flower Fling Presbyterian Ladies Salad Smorgasbord Granite County Museum Craft Show Philipsburg Fire Dept Clam Bake Waffle Wednesday 5th Annual Rib Cook Off Challenge The Opera House Theatre Opening Philipsburg Bike Fest & Picnic Flint Creek Valley Days Logging Competition Flint Creek Valley 14th Annual Car Show The New Rocky Mountain Accordion Celebration 12th Annual Writers in the Round 9th Annual Art & Jazz on Broadway Shakespeare in the Park & Community BBQ Benefit Archery Shoot Helmville Labor Day Rodeo Miner's Union Picnic & Mining Competitions Rotary Ice Rink Benefit Auction Lil Ole Opry The Opera House Theatre's Halloween Show St. Philip's Church Soup & Dessert Granite County Museum Holiday Craft Show Yule Night in Philipsburg Granite County Museum Holiday Craft Show Community Christmas Tree With Santa on Broadway New Year's Eve Gala ~ Community Fireworks Winninghoff Park Ice Rink & Arena Grand Opening 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory P age 29 georgetoWn lake Jul 4 Aug 15 Aug 22 Aug TBA Jun 28-Aug 23 St. Timothy's Summer Music Festival Georgetown Lake Independence Day Parade 8th Annual Lakester's Car Club BBQ & Fun Run 7th Annual Lakester's Back to the Fifties Sock Hop Annual Georgetown Lake Fire Dept BBQ P age 30 u.s. forest service caMpGrounDs 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory and closes late-September. crystal creek, 31 miles southwest of Philipsburg on the Skalkaho Highway (MT Hwy 38) close to Mud Lake, offers 3 campsites with rest room facilities, water and fishing access. The campsites accommodate 16 ft. trailers. The area opens mid-May and closes late-September. east fork, 17� miles southwest of Philipsburg off the East Fork Road (FS Road #672), offers 7 campsites with rest room facilities, water and fishing access. The campsites accommodate 22 ft. trailers. The area opens midJune and closes late-September. flint creek, 8 miles south of Philipsburg off MT Hwy 1, offers 7 campsites with rest room g eorgetown l aKe cable Mountain, 15.7 miles south of Philipsburg off the Discovery Ski Basin road (FS Road #65) adjacent to the North Fork of Flint Creek, offers 11 campsites with rest room facilities (wheel chair accessible), water and fishing access. The campsites accommodate 22 ft. trailers. Fees are $8 per night plus $8 per additional camping unit. The area opens late-June and closes mid-September. copper creek, 25� miles southwest of Philipsburg off the Middle Fork Road (FS Road #5106), offers 7 campsites with rest room facilities (wheel chair accessible), water and fishing access. The campsites accommodate 22 ft. trailers. The area opens mid-May C oPPer CreeK facilities (wheel chair accessible), and fishing access. The campsites accommodate 16ft. trailers. The area opens early-May and closes late-September. loDGepole, at Georgetown Lake on MT Hwy 1, offers 31 campsites with rest room facilities, water, boat launch, refuse disposal and mount warren fishing access. The campsites accommodate 32 ft. trailers. ft. trailers. Fees are $12 per night plus $12 per additional camping unit. The area opens mid-May and closes mid-September. spillway, 18 miles southwest of Philipsburg off the East Fork Road (FS Road #672), offers 13 campsites with rest room facilities, water and fishing access. The campsites accommodate 22 ft. Pintler CreeK trailers. The area opens late-May Fees are $10 per night plus $10 and closes late-September. per additional camping unit. The stony, 19 miles west of area opens late-May and closes Philipsburg off Rock Creek late-September. Road (FS Road #102), offers 10 philipsburG bay, at Georgetown campsites with rest room facilities Lake off Georgetown Lake Road, (wheel chair accessible), water offers 69 campsites with rest room and fishing access. The campsites facilities (wheel chair accessible), accommodate 32 ft. trailers. The water, boat launch, refuse area opens mid-May and closes disposal and fishing access. The late-September. campsites accommodate 32 ft. Check with the USFS in trailers. Fees are $12 per night Philipsburg for more information. plus $12 per additional camping unit. The area opens mid-May and closes late-September. piney, at Georgetown Lake on Georgetown Lake Road, offers 48 campsites with rest room facilities (wheel chair accessible), a Day Use Picnic Area, water, boat launch, refuse disposal and fishing access. g eorgetown l aKe The campsites accommodate 32 Flint Creek Valley Days Classic Car Show Flint Creek Valley Days Classic Car Show, featured twice by Cruisin' Magazine, has been growing for fourteen years. Organized by various Philipsburg car buffs in its early years, the Classic Car Show took on a shine of its own in 2000 with Shawn and Brande Comings of Tuff Country Auto Body and John Ryan of Armor Auto organizing it. Under their polishing and promotion a steady increase in the number of entries each year has been enjoyed by residents, visitors and participants themselves. While cars have returned yearly since 1995, a significant number of entries each year are new to the show, keeping it lively and interesting. Classes for Ford, GM, MoPar, Sports tuners, four wheel drives, and street bikes insure a category for everyone. The event takes place in the town center of Philipsburg on Broadway. Shop owners are out at dawn washing sidewalks and streets in anticipation of the cars' arrival, usually over one hundred to drool over. This year the show takes place on Sunday, July 26, 2009. Registration starts at 10:30 Am. The show officially begins at 12:00 noon. The cost to enter the show is $15 per car. Many door prizes, specialty coffees, drinks, lunches, products and services from the local businesses, along with car products and tools as well, 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory P age 31 philipsburG schools paced lifestyle Norman Rockwell captured so well in his illustrations of early American small town life. The huge new playground built next to the historic elementary school illustrates that level of involvement. Constructed in only five days in 2006 the massive playground was an all-volunteer effort. In addition, not only parents showed up to help build it--over one third of the adults from the town and surrounding area came to help, many who had no children in the school. Local residents provide more than just emotional support to local education. Not only did they overwhelmingly approve the $2 million renovation of the elementary school but also the annual investment per student made by the District is almost 25% higher than the Montana State average. For the approximately 200 students in the district this translates into low staff turnover and a significant investment in the latest technology. This modern technology means Philipsburg's students have instant access to the outside world and spend each day working with the latest computer systems, important tools for college years and the world of work. At the end of the school day, they reenter another world and many walk past the proud historic buildings built in the 19th century. Students in high school have another advantage that not only prepares them for college but can save their family significant money. A new program allows juniors and seniors to take college level courses, for credit, at a fraction of traditional costs. Seniors can head off to college with as many as 32 credits under their belt, saving parents over $10,000 in tuition expenses, let alone the tariff for room and board to earn that many Sunlight streams thru high windows credits away from home. in the remodeled computer lab. The first day of school for a kindergartner in Philipsburg is one of the unique experiences in modern American education. Those first tiny steps will take the child into a building, and an entire school system that represents both the "good old days" of the 1800's and the "cutting edge" educational technology of the new millennium. Built in 1896, Philipsburg Elementary is the oldest operating school building in Montana. The structure's massive walls and imposing tower represent the pride, and investment, early Philipsburg residents were willing to make in education. However, the building's century of service does not mean it is out-of-date. The total remodeling of the entire structure in 2005 brought the latest in digital technology and state-of-the-art teaching systems. These systems also benefit the adjoining middle school and high school. The proud old building is a symbol of the dichotomy of a modern, high-tech school blessed with one of the nation's lowest student/teacher ratios. The structure's 19th century origins are more than an architectural curiosity. The community that surrounds the school complex retains much of the slower are awarded throughout the day to participants. After judging trophies are presented at day's end, with Best of Show and People's Choice the most coveted. The picturesque setting for the show in the historic commercial district beckons you to walk the downtown and visit the shops, restaurants and bars. The Flint Creek Valley Days Classic Car Show is truly a fun filled day for families and car enthusiasts alike. The new, community-constructed playground is a favorite for kids attending Philipsburg's restored and oldest operating school in Montana built in 1896. The Philipsburg School District organized the Philipsburg Area Educational Foundation (PAEF) to enhance educational opportunities. The IRS and the Montana Department of Revenue recognize PAEF as a 501(c)3 tax-exempt educational charity. PAEF's Mission is to generate and channel public and/or private resources to improve the quality of educational opportunity for any citizen of the greater Philipsburg area. The resources generated have been used for scholarships for post secondary education, enrichment programs for school age children, adult education, and to provide a forum for communication about education. Since its inception, PAEF has channeled $30,000 to post secondary scholarships and $6,995 to the Granite High School dual credit program and awarded two grants as matching grants for adult education. Cultural enrichment programs made available by PAEF include Rocky Mountain Ballet tickets, Anaconda Live tickets and a music historian program for the PHILIPSBURG AREA EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION elementary school. PAEF engaged a professional folk singer and songwriter to enhance the elementary school's reading program. Motivational speaker and bestselling author, Mike Kerges, presented a program at Granite High School encouraging students to live their dreams. In 2009, PAEF will be offering an additional $ 9,500 in scholarships to assist Granite County citizens in improving their lives through post secondary educational opportunities. In order to secure its long-term future, the PAEF Board of Directors established a permanent endowment fund in January 2005. The Montana Community Foundation manages the fund. The current balance is approximately $27,500. The Board of Directors is looking to this fund to provide money for PAEF's programs in perpetuity. Investing in an endowment fund is like planting a tree. There is not much benefit provided to the planter at first; however, if nurtured and cared for, it provides fruit and shade for many years to come. Photo by Jim Jenner. Photo by Jim Jenner. P age 32 Miner'S event HonorS PHiliPSburg'S Hard rock Heritage A hundred years ago, "hard rock" meant something much different from longhaired musicians and wailing guitars. When the two North American land plates smashed together millions of years ago the resulting pressure uplifted the towering Rocky Mountains and, beneath them, under incredible heat and pressure, created veins and pockets of precious minerals. A century and a half ago, prospectors roaming the hills and valleys around Philipsburg hoped to find placer gold�valuable yellow metal brought to the surface by geologic action. They hoped to find exposed gold nuggets and flakes, ripe for the picking. This was mining the easy way, if such a thing can be said of existing in the wilderness of early Montana, living off the land. However, little surface gold was found in Granite County. It wasn't until 1864 when the first outcroppings of silver were discovered, in the hills just north of Philipsburg that Granite County's mining industry truly began. In addition, these delicate surface veins meant the precious minerals were what were called "lode" deposits, ores that could only be extracted by digging into the ground. This much more difficult type of extraction, down through hundreds and then thousands of feet of solid stone, was the birth of hard rock mining here in Philipsburg. It was indeed hard. Strong men, armed only with metal bars and hammers, chipped away at the rock, opening up holes for dynamite charges. As they burrowed down into the mountains, they worked in cramped shafts that were often cold and wet from water seeping through the rock walls. These "hard rock" miners were some of the bravest, toughest men in American history. To honor the legacy of these early 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory Bill Hellman competes in Jackleg drilling that blends air pressure and water to cut through rock. Judge drops his hand when exact depth is reached. miners, Philipsburg celebrates Miner's Union Days each September. Based on the annual picnic and mining competitions of the 19th century, this event is a great experience for anyone who wants to see what mining was, and is, all about. Some of the Rockies' best hard rock miners compete at this event. Contestants are expected from several states and the competition is becoming popular with these top diggers. "We love the Miner's Union event in Philipsburg," said Hecla Mining's Doug Bayer. "It's so much a part of Philipsburg's heritage and they put on a great show. It's nice for visitors to see some of today's top miners compete and also visit the museum to see the history of our industry." The competitions include drilling, where a miner uses a heavy "jack leg" drill to collar and drill two holes in Joe Quimby competes in the Spike Driving to score the best time during a concrete block against the clock. one of the many competitions held during the Miners Union Picnic. This event includes team drilling as well. There is a mucking competition, which is a timed event to see how fast a miner can remove the muck left behind after a dynamite blast. There is also spike driving, which is a test of speed and accuracy as huge metal nails are driven into mine timbers. Finally, there is the "12B mucker" which is another event involving loading rock, this time with a small mine car as was used in many of Philipsburg's silver mines. There are mining competitions for kids as well! The events are exciting spectacles and the contestants are of all ages, with the veterans often besting the young hard rock miners. It is a chance to witness the strength and skill that these men bring to a job that is vital to America's manufacturing and export industries. What a visitor cannot see is the bravery it takes to perform these daily tasks thousands of feet below daylight in the darkness and chilly moisture of deep underground mines. geology oF granite County The geological formations of Granite County are extremely complex. They contain a diversity of rocks and minerals that have been important in mineral wealth development and as an attraction to rock hounding. The rock hound is in for a gem of a time in the Flint Creek Valley and surrounding mountain ranges. Starting with the valley's namesake, flint (chert) near Stone Station, and including minerals found nearly everywhere in the U.S., one can find specimens for any collection. Visitors and residents still find Montana sapphires and native precious metals (gold and silver) in some places. The oldest rock formations are more than 1.7 million years old (PreCambrian Period). The road cuts on Flint Creek Hill provide spectacular exposure of this formation. The rocks are yellow and red mudstones displaying ripple marks, sun cracks and other features formed a billion or more years ago. During the Paleozoic Era, 255 to 580 million years ago, sediments deposited on the sea floor hardened to form massive formations of limestone; the Red Lion, Jefferson and Madison formations. About 200 million years ago, the Phosphor Sea that produced the sedimentary Phosphoria formation rich in phosphates covered a portion of Granite County. Miners on Douglas Creek 18 miles north of Philipsburg mined these deposits. More recently, 65 to 125 million years ago, (Mesozoic Era), sedimentary deposits of sandstone, shale, and limestone formed. 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory P age 33 About 70 million years ago, the Belt Sedimentary Rock of the Pre-Cambrian Period moved east from the Sapphire Mountains into the Flint Creek Range (Lewis Thrust). Rocks were crumpled and broken into tight folds and faults. This folding was the formation of the Flint Creek Valley. Later large masses of magma spread from the Idaho batholith to invade the folds, making a very complex structure. Ore deposits developed around the margins (contacts) of some of the granite intrusion, accounting for the ore deposits in the Philipsburg and Granite Mining District. The Philipsburg District is one of the few in North America which contains manganese; both dioxide (pyrolusite) and carbonate (rhodochrosite). These minerals and others -- lead, zinc, and silver -- make the region east of Philipsburg an excellent area for specimen collection. Current mining of sapphires takes place on the West Fork of Rock Creek 16 miles southwest of Philipsburg. Glacial and lateral moraines, pot and kettle formations, and other glacial features are visible in Flint Creek Valley. A large mudflow containing thousands of rounded granite boulders is visible just north of Maxville (12 miles north of Philipsburg). Cirque basins, tarn lakes, and small glacial valleys are located in the Flint Creek Range. Just south of Drummond, one can see the southernmost evidence of Glacial Lake Missoula. In December 1864, prospector Hector Horton discovered silver ore in the southern Flint Creek Valley. Even though the ore assayed at only one or two ounces of silver to the ton, he filed claims at the county seat in Deer Lodge. Returning to the claim in the summer of 1865, he located a "strike" which he named the "Cordova Lode." Word spread rapidly of Horton's strike. Many prospectors arrived in the area, discovering rich veins of ore and filing claims on what would become the Hope and Speckled Trout Mines. Thus was born the Philipsburg Mining District in Granite and Deer Lodge counties in Montana. Many town sites, most only names on maps today, grew and died in the years since 1864. Granite County had only two incorporated towns in the 1,728 square miles of county land. Today's population of 2,830 is fewer than the population of the town of Granite in 1890. Since 1864, Granite County has survived the boom and bust cycle of mining, fought droughts and blight in logging and ranching, and survives today dependent upon abundant natural resources and the strength and character of its residents. The Granite County area has become increasingly important because of its historic mining significance, geologic anomalies and other tourist attractions. The new rail spur from Drummond to Philipsburg, completed in 1887 by the Northern Pacific Railroad, allowed shipping of silver ore and concentrates easily and inexpensively to mills all over the United States. This assured the continued growth of the county and allowed the mines here, for a time, to become the richest silver producers in the world. Prospectors and ranchers discovered and populated Flint Creek Valley. Miners and mining tax dollars were the reasons Philipsburg, Drummond, and Granite City registered in a newly formed Granite County in April 1893. The county's primary economy started with mining of precious metals, mostly silver, then replaced mining for a time with ranching in the 1870's, after which mining recovered until the early 1900's. With the fall of mining in 1904, ranching and logging became prominent. World War I brought a resurgence of mining for manganese, used to harden steel, and manganese dioxide for dry cell battery manufacturing. This boom continued through the 1920's. The many written stories and tales about the glamour and glory of gold mining leave out the fact that resource extraction for wealth merely removes that resource. Use of renewable natural resources provides steady, long-term jobs and quality life-styles. Through the 1930's the Philipsburg mines ran mining crews two weeks on, two weeks off just to keep jobs for as many men as possible during the depression. Critical to the survival of the county was the ranching and agricultural community. This group provided constant employment to the county population year in and year out, for those willing to work, without significant cutbacks. The population of the county has declined steadily since the boom years. Reliance on natural resources has led to a steady decline in jobs and income. Granite County's third century is a promising picture. The ups and downs of the past have given strength to its people. They in turn work for the future and their treasured way of life. P age 34 FLINT CREEK PASS Bike Fest & Picnic 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory Gateway to the Valley in Philipsburg East entry into Flint Creek Valley at the top of Flint Creek Pass. The stagecoach road south from Philipsburg to Georgetown Lake and on to Anaconda was a narrow dirt road that turned southeast at Porter's Corner. It crossed the flat past the stone house and started winding up the hill by the Flint Creek Power Station. It had many treacherous horseshoe curves and ended on the top of the hill crossing Georgetown Lake at the "Red Bridge." Surveying began on the fourmile-long Flint Creek Pass for highway construction in the early 1900s and took several years to complete. It followed the original roadbed in places and parts of the road were slightly above where the present road is now. An old watering trough is visible along the road. This trough was a necessary stopping place for man and beast climbing the hill, and later for the Model T and Model A horseless carriages that struggled up the grade. The survey and construction of the present road transpired under the provisions of one of President Franklin Roosevelt's work programs in the early 1930s. The Bureau of Public Roads (now the Department of Highways) surveyed the project and Bernard and Curtis Company of Helena, Montana contracted the construction work. Twenty-five to thirty men began working in two five-hour shifts during the fall and winter of 1934. The following spring, the company employed more men to work four five-hour shifts. The contract was for six miles, starting at about the Skalkaho Highway turnoff. Local resident, Jess Evans, tells of starting out in the fall driving a Bulldog Mack, a huge truck. He hauled gravel and rock up the grade to build up the road and fill the sides of the canyon. Later during construction, one of the Bulldog Macks went over the side of the road and down into the narrow gorge. The driver, thrown from the truck and run over by it, survived the ordeal. The truck is still wedged against some trees, but due to growth of new trees, it is hard to spot without careful scrutiny. Work on the road was challenging and dangerous. The rock required blasting. The drilling crews went first and the men had to dig out crawl spaces large enough for a single man. They set a charge known as a "Coyote Hole" powder charge. Workers dug these holes straight ahead and then branched off to the left and right. Charges were set in all three tunnels and detonated. The hardest and most dangerous part of the construction was close to the top where the valley narrows. More than once the men had to crawl precariously along the side of the mountain with only small indentations for handholds. Several places along the road are retaining walls made entirely of rock with no cement or binding agents. Two Philipsburg men, Earnest Maehl and his son, Carl, did this demanding and delicate work. At the top of the road, the project required diverting the waters from Georgetown. To do this, local hard rock miners punched a tunnel through the mountain and water flowed through to form a waterfall down into the gorge and into the waters of Flint Creek. Many consider the success of the project one of the finest jobs of planning and engineering done by the Department of Roads. It was finished in the spring of 1936 and paved by 1940. The Montana Highway maintenance crew meticulously maintains it both summer and winter. According to Dave Chappell, "Montana is the only place to live." Being a Missoula native, he might be a little biased. Like a large percentage of high school graduates in the early 80s, Dave had to leave to find work. It only took him 25 years to get back. Dave spent 17 of those 25 years on the road. One of his jobs landed him in Waterloo, Iowa where he met Kim Hall. They married five years later at St Timothy's Chapel overlooking Georgetown Lake. Kim fell in love with Montana and the people. The plans to move back began. Dave's fond memories of the Georgetown Lake area brought them to Philipsburg. After seeing the "White Church," he knew exactly what to do. He bought a piece of Montana history. Pioneers constructed the First Presbyterian Church, known as the "White Church," in 1893. The structure stayed a church building until 1990. The building has a unique dome-lantern style steeple and wood scrollwork trim. Dave and Kim did not know for sure what to do with the building, they just knew they loved it. No matter what the use, they decided to restore the exterior of the building to resemble as closely as possible the building as it existed in 1893. Shortly thereafter, Dave set out on the notorious "Dragon" bike run--318 curves in eleven miles on the Tennessee-Carolina border. Dave stayed at a "biker only" camping area on the bike run and the seed of an idea took root. Dave came home from his trip with the seed growing. He and Kim discussed the needs of bikers on the road. Working and being around bikes most of his adult life and the experiences of living on the road came together--the Biker Sanctuary was born. Renovation and restoration began in 2007. In 2009, Dave and Kim opened the doors. The First Annual Bike Fest and Picnic on July 4th celebrates the opening of the bed and breakfast and the country's birthday. The proceeds benefit Camp Make-A-Dream. This rally is for all makes and sizes of motorcycles. Harley and other bike publications highlight Montana Highway 1, the Pintler Scenic Route, as one of the best for sport and touring bikes. Located halfway between Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, the scenery is spectacular. Riders travel past Silver and Georgetown Lakes and Flint Creek meanders along the road through the Flint Creek Valley. Free and paid camping is plentiful in the USFS Campgrounds in the area with easy bike access. Granite County provides some of the best trails and hill climbing in Montana and is home to numerous ghost towns that only bikes can explore. The fishing is great and the scenery "camera-ready." The bike rally differs from most--it is family oriented. Events for children coincide with adult events--from scavenger hunts and kid's games to a show for children at the Opera House Theater. The games for adults have a kid's class for bicycles and 90cc-or-less motorbikes. Adult events include trail rides, a poker run, bike games, the Show & Shine, Miss Bike Fest Contest, and the Missoula Hooters Girls Bike Wash. Bob Wire and the Magnificent Bastards headline the live music. Bob's music is one of the northwest's premier live acts. Bob plays Friday and Saturday nights on the main stage. Bring your instrument and get ready to play in the open jam session on the second stage. The event is "A celebration of motorcycles, freedom, family and music." Photo by Jim Jenner. 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory P age 35 P age 36 Winter &Wonderland S ~D C -C ~S kiing ownhill roSS ountry nowmobiling rises to a vertical drop of 1,670 feet to the summit at an elevation of 8,150 feet. Annual average snowfall is an incredible 200 inches. Granite County and the surrounding wilderness areas see more snowmobile riders every year. Local groups groom and maintain miles of trails for the snowmobile rider. Rentals are available and the Anaconda Snowmobile Club, local businesses and the U.S. Forest Service Office provide information on trails and events. Ice fishing on Georgetown Lake is for the hail and hardy. Ice fishing can be a perfect getaway, and a true test of skill. If you think it is difficult hooking a fish in the summer, try Photo by Jessica Therriault. 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory Snowmobiling in Granite County presents every level of challenge for the avid winter sportsman. Chris Therriault catches air on his runs. doing it when the lake is frozen. Georgetown Lake is popular for its easy access. Anglers who venture out onto the ice can catch salmon, brook trout and rainbow trout. Snow kiting is the latest winter sports craze. Kite pilots blast along with just the power of the wind using large controllable foil kites. Georgetown Lake is an excellent spot to get into snow kiting. There is a 600-foot high hill across the lake for uphill or downhill playing. The snow kiting is fantastic. Snow falls every other day refreshing the powder on the lake. Wind is regular and averages 15-20. The season is usually from Thanksgiving to Easter. Everyone is welcome! Found in Granite County and surrounding areas is some of the finest snow in Montana for skiing, snowboarding, snow kiting, and snowmobiling. Cross-country skiing continues to grow in the county with accessibility to trails increasing rapidly. Alpine and cross-county skiers alike find good snow and 5km of well-groomed, uncrowded trails at Discovery Ski Area--one of Montana's finest ski areas located 13 miles south of Philipsburg. Winter sports are not limited to the local ski slope, ice rink and sledding hills but are open to those with the skills and willingness to explore the "back country" on snowshoes and crosscountry skis. A short tour of about eight miles, starting in Philipsburg, can take the explorer past the ghost towns of Tower, Hasmark, Granite and Kirkville and alongside the remains of mines whose names invoke mystery and awe of the early settlers and laborers - Mystery, True Fissure, Trout, Algonquin and many others. Explorers in the backcountry should be aware that it is still wild country. Many have reported sightings of mountain lion, bear and even the occasional wolf. Be prepared and know how to react if you meet the animal whose territory you have invaded. Discovery Ski Basin opened in December 1973 and provides three triple chair lifts, three double chair lifts and two small lifts. This regional secret boasts great terrain, uncrowded slopes, amazing views, and a friendly atmosphere. The two north-facing bowls offer some of the steepest, black diamond skiing around. The extensive front side face offers excellent green dot beginner and intermediate runs. Sixty-one trails serve skiers no matter the level of expertise. Discovery Ski Area's terrain truly offers something for everyone--tree skiing, powder bowls, mogul runs, groomed trails and great boarding air. Lessons, rentals and crosscountry skiing are available for all ages and abilities. The base chair lift leaves the base at an elevation of 6,480 feet above sea level and ice fishinG at GeorGetown lake. snow kitinG at GeorGetown lake. Rink & Arena Near Completion! The five-year effort by the local Rotary Club to create an NHLsized ice rink and outdoor arena in historic Philipsburg is entering its final stage this year. "We've reached the Club House turn," said Jim Jenner. He is referring to the new, 2200 square foot community building that rises next to the east end of the rink. Finishing this building is the major focus in 2008. In addition to completing the building, the local Rotarians also plan on improving the surface of the rink, planting grass and installing an irrigation system to create a large grassy field for use during the summer months. The rink and arena occupies what was once a small 40-yearold ice rink. The Rotary Club has been able to expand the rink to NHL size, install stadium lighting and acquire a Zamboni ice-resurfacing machine. The Zamboni was a donation from a Philipsburg Rotary family as was a snow-removing tractor from the local Flint Creek Valley Bank. This generosity is indicative of the strong support the effort has received from the community. The renamed "Winninghoff Park" honors the Philipsburg family that donated much of the land for the rink and adjoining hillside arena. In addition, local supporters have given over $100,000 in cash and materials to the effort. The Town also recently purchased several lots next to the rink for additional parking. First opened in the winter of 2006, the rink has been crowded with kids and families over the past three winters. Rotarians and local volunteers worked hard from spring through fall getting the new community building ready for the 2008/9 winter season. After the ice rink liner was removed in April a sprinkler system was installed and grass was planted on the surface of the rink. Workers completed interior plumbing, heating, electrical and insulation and Steve Immenschuh is one of several installed new windows just before volunteers that operate the Zamboni. the 2008 Fall Auction that raised A day of skating and hockey practice in the sunshine at the new rink. The new community building, getting close to completion, is in the background. some $20,000. The exterior of the building was clad with donated lumber and a gas fireplace with rock hearth built in the warming room. By the time the first ice was forming, the warming room was ready for basic use and workers completed an outside restroom for the hundreds of people who now enjoy the rink each week. Stadium lights and Zamboni-quality ice have attracted skaters from throughout Montana. Fund raising efforts are going ahead full steam. The rink appeals to hockey players from around Montana who have limited options for ice time on the busy indoor rinks in major cities. So far, teams from Missoula and Butte, and from as far away as Great Falls have come to play at the site. The rink has done more than impress local residents. "It's one of the nicest locations I've ever seen, and I've seen hundreds," said George Swentik, Director Emeritus of the Minnesota Amateur Hockey Association. Swentik has spent a lifetime coaching hockey and helping communities build skating programs throughout the country. Access to Winninghoff Park is free. Planning for summer activities continues but may include volleyball and other events as well as concerts. The 1000+ seating capacity hillside-arenaseating benefits all events. The rink liner is normally set up the first week in December and remains to the end of March or longer if winters are like the one in 2007/8! The best skating conditions are normally from Christmas through St. Patrick's Day. Photo by Jim Jenner. Photo by Jim Jenner. THE PUCK STOPS HERE 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory P age 37 P age 38 Photo courtesy of Quantus Design. advertisers directory EVENTS DINING Continued... GOODS & SERVICES Continued... Open Tuesday~Sunday � Best Dining in the Pintlers. See ad Page 5 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory Fire On The Mountains . . . . . . . 859-EATS (3287) The Sapphire Gallery . . . . . . . . . . (800) 525-0169 Annual Rib Cook Off Challenge . . . . . . .859-3450 Your Sapphire Experts! ~ FREE Heat Treating in 2009 ~ Ask us for details! Market & Deli � Sauces - Salsas - Spices - Stuff! Art & Jazz on Broadway . . . . . . . . . . . . .859-3088 Montana John's Silver Mill Saloon . . . . 859-7000 John R . Spaeth Masonry . . . . . . . . . . . .859-4400 Flint Creek Valley Arts Council ~ Bringing the Arts to Granite County Flag & Flower Fling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .859-3631 The Sunshine Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .859-3450 "Eat where the locals eat." Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner Flint Creek Valley Days & Car Show . . . .859-3388 Wagon Wheel Cafe & Motel . . . . . . . . . . 288-3201 Miners' Union Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 859-5125 Home Style Cooking Cafe & Motel ~ Drummond New Year's Eve Gala . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dec 31 Philipsburg Bike Fest & Picnic . . . . . . . . 859-1003 Rocky Mountain Accordion Celebration . . . 859-3812 Club Bar & Grill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .859-9792 State Farm Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 563-2991 Sunshine Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .859-3450 Easy Access � New Facility � Your Perfect Storage Solution! Providing Insurance and Financial Services Fuel, Conv. Store, Casino, Tavern, Tackle, RV Disposal, Bait, Gallery Concrete & Construction Work of All Kinds TAVERNS & SALOONS Serving Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner � Open Every Day! U-Do Storage/Rental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 859-3111 Licensed & Insured � Drywall � Painting � Staining � Restorations Waffle Wednesday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .859-3236 Silver Mill Saloon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 859-7000 Wingo Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .859-3502 Where Everyone Has a Good Time � See Ad on Page 5 Licensed Electrical Contractor Writers In The Round . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 859-2001 White Front Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .859-9794 Wingo Mini Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .859-3502 Copper King Express Excursion Train . . . .563-5458 Incorporating our area's history into a scenic train ride. What skiing in Montana is all about! A Fun Time in a Fun Place! Join Us Jammin' & Dancin' in Philipsburg! Tim Watkins Painting Company . . . . . . . 560-1732 ATTRACTIONS The only second class clip joint in town! A Calming Balance Therapeutic Massage . . . . 214-9704 Flint Creek Ranches . . . . . 288-2000 or 691-6900 Discovery Ski Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 563-2184 Bergerson Construction, Inc . . . . . . . . . 288-3150 Lambros Real Estate ERA . . . . . . . . . . . .859-6000 Gem Mountain . . . . . . . . . . . . . .859-GEMS (4367) Blackfoot River Outfitters . . . . . . . . . . . 542-7411 Lambros Real Estate ERA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239-5563 Granite County Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . .859-3020 Blackfoot Telephone . . . . . . . . . . . (800) 649-4108 Pintlar Territories Real Estate . . . . . . . .859-3522 Old Works Golf Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . .563-5989 Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course ~ Anaconda, MT Your One Call Solution For Your Communication Needs "All Your Special Cut Needs" We get the job done with a professional touch. Live theatre, historic building, concerts, concessions, gifts Bobbie McLain-Twite � Over 20 Years Experience � MT Real Estate 2 Levels of Exhibits~Community Center Available Home of Bent Rods, Big Fish and Broad Smiles Sapphire Mine. Wash Sapphire Gravel. Find Gemstones. Building Custom Homes & Ranches in the Northern Rockies Patty McDonald, Broker � Serving all of Western Montana Debbie Dauenhauer-Hess � Southwest Montana Real Estate Specialist Relax � Revive � Explore � Learn � Grow Recreational or Residential Properties � Call Tom GOODS & SERVICES For All Your Storage Needs REAL ESTATE Blackfoot Timber Products, LLC . . . . . . 859-3758 Twite Realty Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 541-SOLD Opera House Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 859-0013 The Sapphire Gallery . . . . . . . . . . (800) 525-0169 The Sweet Palace . . . . . . . . . . . . . (888) 793-3896 Western Winds Gallery Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . 859-7900 Art Gallery � Frame Shop � Unique & Wonderful Gifts Watch candy made daily, Taffy, Fudge, Caramels, Chocolates Find your own sapphires - Open Sunday - Closed Saturday Creekside Construction of MT . . . . . . 859-HOME Craftsmanship � Style � Service � Family Owned & Operated "Your DEEpendable Dealer" Dee Motor Company . . . . . . . . . . . (800) 824-7852 Beyond Necessity Gifts . . . . . . . . . . . . . 563-3218 E Z Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 859-2931 Flint Creek Outdoors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .859-9500 Anne E . Fillmore, CPA, PC . . . . . . . . . . .859-3254 Gem Mountain . . . . . . . . . . . . . .859-GEMS (4367) Tax Preparation & Accounting Services Sapphire Gravel, Heat Treating, Faceting, Gemstones, Jewelry Specialty Gifts, Clothing, Toys & The Unique! Concrete For Granite County & Surrounding Areas Friendly, family Home town banking Electrical Contracting � Commercial � Residential � Industrial Fly Fishing, Tackle & Guides � Outdoor Gear & Apparel For Graceful Living & Thoughtful Giving SPECIALTY RETAIL Bighorn Bed & Breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . 859-3109 Flint Creek Concrete Products . . . . . . . . 859-2010 Gilding the Lily . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .859-5001 Biker Sanctuary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 859-1003 Flint Creek Valley Bank � Drummond . . . .288-3553 Granite Sportland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 859-3753 Boulder Creek Lodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 859-3190 Flint Creek Valley Bank � Philipsburg . . . . 859-3241 H&R Thrift Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .859-0022 Broadway Hotel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .859-8000 Granite County Medical Center . . . . . . .859-3271 Junk on Broadway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 859-3310 Drummond Motel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .288-6000 Granite Disposal, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .288-3348 Moose Mercantile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 859-2001 Flint Creek Lodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288-3819 Iacono Designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .859-0064 Pickle Dish Gift Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 859-3750 Inn at Philipsburg & RV Park . . . . . . . . .859-3959 Charles R . Johnson, PLLC . . . . . . . . . . .288-5000 The Sapphire Gallery . . . . . . . . . . (800) 525-0169 Kaiser House Lodging . . . . . . . . . . . . . .859-2004 KT Riddle Funeral Homes . . . . . . (800) 317-8923 Schnibbles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 859-4444 Off Broadway Lodging . . . . . . . . . . . . . .859-2000 L&L, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .288-3004 Stuff & Such Antiques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 560-3241 Pintler Suites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .544-6530 Margo Bowers Health Clinic . . . . . . . . . .288-3627 Sugar Loaf Wool Carding Mill . . . . . . . .288-3398 Quigley Cottage Bed & Breakfast . . . . . 859-3812 Milodragovich, Dale, Steinbrenner & Nygren . . . 728-1455 The Sweet Palace . . . . . . . . . . . . . (888) 793-3896 R-House Inn~Philipsburg . . . . . . . . . . . .498-3862 Mungas Company, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .859-3203 Whimsy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 859-1020 Seven Gables Resort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .563-5052 Nelson Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .288-3908 Wild Rose Design Company . . . . . . . . . . 859-7673 Motel, Restaurant, Bar, High Altitude Chicken Your Comfortable Home Away From Home in Philipsburg Property Development Scrapbooking � Crafts � Gifts � Sewing Notions Interior Design For All Environments Foundations � Site Preparation � Road Building � Free Estimates Quaint, Cozy, Comfortable Attorneys at Law � www.bigskylawyers.com Over 875 candy selections - Come in for FREE fudge Studio or 2 Bedroom Suites � Furnished � Satellite � Deck & Courtyard Drummond, MT ~ Granite County Medical Center "All Natural" Montana Wool Clean � Nice � Affordable � Historic Setting � Opera House Theatre Timber Mgmt, Fuels Reduction, Excavation, Dirt work, & Heavy Hauling "Browsers Welcome, Buyers Adored" Comfort in One of the Finest Historic Hotels of Philipsburg! Caring for your needs Flowers, gathered bits & pieces for unique home accessories Clean rooms, phones, cable , kitchenettes, RV's, tents, showers Attorney at Law Sapphire Jewelry like nowhere else! Mining year round! Rustic cedar interior celebrates the mountain style of Montana! Finish Carpentry � Custom Cabinets � Blueprints & More Quaint and delightful shop with unique gift ideas! Top-Quality Motel Lodging � Affordable � Clean � Friendly Service Responsible Waste Management for Granite County Select Furnishings, Montana Treasures, Antiques & Art 9 comfortable suites & rooms in downtown Philipsburg Lending a Hand in Granite County Secondhand Collectibles & Treasures "Where It Comes Natural!" Home town banking in the finest western tradition Clothing, collectibles, jewelry, household, fabric & more! Exclusive Bed & Breakfast for Motorcycle Enthusiasts Yamaha, Arctic Cat, Motorcycles, ATV's, Snowmobiles It's beautiful! It's peaceful! & The fishing is GREAT! LODGING Brown Derby . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .563-5788 Philipsburg Area Educational Foundation . . .859-3789 Granite County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 859-3771 Granite County Sheriff's Office . . . . . . . 859-3251 Bar, Restaurant, Motel & Casino~Famous Prime Rib Enhancing Education Opportunity for the Philipsburg Area The Daily Grind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .859-5000 Quantus Design, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 859-1001 Montana Area Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (406) Find the time to do The Grind! Specialty Coffee and Gifts Graphic Design, Advertising Design & Specialty Publishing Philipsburg Chamber of Commerce . . . 859-3388 Doe Brothers Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . 859-7677 Rotary Club of Philipsburg . . . . . . . . . . . 859-3241 The Philipsburg Territory is the premier annual publication of the Friday Night Pizza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .859-3000 S&N Concrete, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 563-3031 Design, LLC for the invaluable work of advertising sales, photography, Old World Style! New World Taste! Concrete � Sand � Gravel Lunch & Dinner � Montana Ice Cream � Huckleberry Shakes & More Service Above Self Since 1924 DINING Pfendler Post & Pole, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288-3817 Posts � Rails � Tree Stakes � Cross Bucks � Doweled Rail Fencing INFORMATION Philipsburg Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber thanks Quantus designing, layout and preparing the publication for print. 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory P age 39 P age 40 2009 P h i l i P sbu rg t er r i tory