For our latest Montana adventure, Desiree and I toured the gold rush towns of Virginia City and Nevada City. The two towns almost instantly sprouted up along Alder Creek in southern Montana upon discovery of gold in early 1863. At the peak of the ensuing gold rush, some 10,000 people streamed in to the immediate area to take advantage of what became the richest placer gold strike in the Rocky Mountains. Early on, Virginia City had enough flourish and activity to be named the territorial capital of Montana in 1865.
Today, the two towns, separated
by only a mile of highway, are mostly authentic ghost towns. Enough old buildings, antiques, and real-life
characters remain collected together in the towns to make you feel as though
you have stepped into another era. A
couple buildings we visited while walking around ‘felt’ creepy enough that Desiree
didn’t want to explore deep inside them.
Desiree especially enjoyed the old
horse-drawn wagons on display at various locations. I am always thrilled to drop quarters into
the music machines on display at Nevada City.
I have posted a selection of
photographs from our adventure and a short video of Desiree at one of the music
machines.
The Tobacco Root Mountains
Virginia City
Nevada City
Desiree as a Ghost in the Light
Desiree and a Music Machine at
Nevada City
—Mitchell Hegman
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