Pictures from 2005 and 1968 visits to Granite, one of Montana's many ghost towns. Granite is a short distance (over a very rough mountain road) from Phillipsburg, MT. Phillipsburg is a historic town off the beaten path and is well worth a visit.
Miner's Union Hall Ruin
Photos titles ending in "b" are by Bill; in "r" by Roger; and, in "a" by Andrew.
Troop 24 Kickass Trekkers: "The High Adventure Troop" Alumni Backpacking Trip
-Cascade Bill Mooseker
Date(s): August 2005. Album by Cascade Bill. Photos by WHM and Andrew. 1 - 23 of 23 Total. 3179 Visits.
enlarge 63KB, 600x800 1 mt05-001a On the Road Again: cheapest gas in Missoula, Mt - $2.37 on the way in and $2.47 on the way back. Roger and Shelby.
enlarge 70KB, 800x576 2 mt05-001amap After a long days ride we were too late to start our hike but early enough to take a side trip to the Ghost Town of Granite, Montana which is located a few miles from Phillipsburg. Before heading up to Granite, I would recommend that you stop at the Granite County Museum in Phillipsburg and pick up this free map and attached brochure. I would also recommend that you also purchase "Ghost Town Trails - A Guide to the Historic Ghost Towns of Granite County, Montana" by Ronald Paige, Dennis C Darling, and Jack B. McCoy . ($8.00 at the Museum or can be ordered online from "http://www.garnetghosttown.org/store/books.htm" for $12.00). This book covers several ghost towns in the area and has a good write up and pictures of Granite in it's heyday. Sue and I had visited here in 1968.
enlarge 106KB, 800x600 3 mt05-002a This is the bank vault which is all that remains of the bank.
enlarge 120KB, 800x522 4 mt05-002aa This is the cabin of the last resident of Granite who died in the '60's.
enlarge 154KB, 800x600 5 mt05-003a Andrew - another view of the last resident's cabin. Notice the relative modern corrugated roofing.
enlarge 89KB, 800x600 6 mt05-004a Inside the cabin.
enlarge 94KB, 800x536 7 mt05-004aa This is the Miner's Union Hall Building which was constructed in 1890. The building is now just a shell of its former self and is rapidly deteriorating (See 1968 photo) and 1950's photo in Ghost Town Trails. The Bank is behind the trees to left of center.
enlarge 88KB, 600x800 8 mt05-005a Another view of the Miner's Union Hall.
enlarge 115KB, 600x800 9 mt05-006a A view of the side wall of the Miner's Union Hall - Roger is down on Main St.
enlarge 88KB, 542x800 10 mt05-006aa Andrew, Shelby, and Roger.
enlarge 65KB, 800x656 11 Miner's Union Hall - Granite Montana in 1968 This is the Miner's Union Hall in August, 1968 - Sue and Greg in the foreground. You can see that the building is now just a shell of it's former self. Here much of the roof is intact as waell as the entire front facade. According to Ghost Town Trails, the building was vandalized by fire in 1966 - you can see that the roof at the back of the building has been destroyed. Notice also in comparing the 2005 pictures with the 1968 ones how much the trees have reclaimed the area. Also note that the Bank is visible as the roof beyond the cabin at the left.
enlarge 80KB, 800x600 12 mt05-008a This is the cabin to the left in the 1968 photo - it is "relatively" new and does not date to the 1890's boom period.
enlarge 139KB, 600x800 13 mt05-009a We followed the signs to the "Visitor Center" and got a big laugh when we saw that it was basically a signboard.
enlarge 114KB, 800x600 14 mt05-010a Informational sign for Granite.
enlarge 155KB, 800x600 15 mt05-011a This is the ramains of the "Company Barn" - see map for location.
enlarge 131KB, 600x800 16 mt05-012a The Blaine Shaft - I don't remember this being here on our 1968 trip and I didn't have any photos of it, so I think that it was built after 1968 and subsequently mothballed when the price of silver fell.
enlarge 130KB, 600x800 17 mt05-013a Roger and Shelby - Note the deteriorating conditions of the steps.
enlarge 98KB, 800x600 18 mt05-014a The remains of the Ruby Shaft and mine tailings as seen from the Blaine Shaft. Note the amount of mine tailings that testify to the activity that once took place here. Note: Could not see the "hospital" which should have been visible - see following pictures.
enlarge 66KB, 800x653 19 mt05-015a View of the Ruby Shaft and Hospital in 1968. In Ghost Town Trails, the Hospital is now described as "the large pile of rotting wood against the hill".
enlarge 89KB, 800x539 20 mt05-015a-1910 I've reprinted same view as the previous pictures circa 1910 (from Ghost Town Trails) - the hospital is to the left and the Ruby Shaft at the upper right.
enlarge 127KB, 600x800 21 mt05-016a Roger checking out the debris just downhill from the Blaine Shaft.
enlarge 123KB, 800x600 22 mt05-017a These are the elevator cabs for the Blaine Shaft - you can see why the tower is so high as these must be about 20 - 25 feet high.
enlarge 103KB, 600x800 23 mt05-018a Just a funny - note the transition in pipe diameters. The building in the background (along with several others) shows that this operation must have been relatively recent.
