Route for condensed road log of benbow area start point dean, mt end point near benbow mine roads benbow road u. Dean, montana at the intersection of montana 419 and u. An overview of the mining history and geology of butte. Benbow chromium mine near nye, montana the diggings.
Gold silver and coal oh my mining montanas wealth from the montana historical society. Historically the site has been associated with the stillwater mining district which is now part of the custer national forest. This book offers a unique historical perspective on the gold dredges that once operated in montana. Benbows attempts to build up the mine died during the crash of the stock market in 1929, according to a history of the area compiled by the montana department of environmental quality. The land on which butte was established is positioned in the silver bow creek valley or summit valley, a natural bowl sitting high in the rocky mountains straddling the continental divide. As more age information is added this table may expand in the future. Continental open pit molybdenum mine in buttesilver bow. Dept of geological eng, montana tech, butte mt 59701, usa.
Barbers john duncan and chris dorsey published the paper between 1902 and 1903, focusing articles and content on political and social issues, proclaiming it was published in the interest of colored people. Additional information and resources for chapter 6. Dean, montana the custer gallatin national forest and montana department of environmental quality have prepared an environmental assessment and decision notice and finding of no significant impact for stillwater mining companys benbow exploration portal and support facilities plan of operations for mineral exploration. Usmining provides information on mines, operators, and minerals mined in bozeman, mt. Other trails in the area offer access to abandoned mines and historic cabins. Clary mcadow the amazing lady mine owner by larry hoffman. The city covers 718 square miles 1,860 km 2, and, according to the 2010 census, has a population of 33,503, making it montanas fifth largest city. A number of trails in the lewis and clark national forest are open to atvs and motorcycles. Forest service road 1414, road to benbow mine access the road to the benbow chromite mine is open to the public, but the mine is on private property. A list of all the mines in montana that begin with a with maps, driving directions and a local area search function. Sibanyestillwater is a leading international precious metals mining company, with a diverse portfolio of platinum group metal pgm and gold operations and projects. This book includes such highlights as the grand opera house, once graced by entertainers and cultural icons like charlie chaplin, sarah bernhardt and mark. From the stately queen anne mansions of the west side to the hastily constructed shanties of cabbage patch, lost butte, montana traces the citys history through its architectural heritage.
A history of thomas chalkley benbow by his daughter, dorothy benbow ragsdale collection of cebe hanson, 31504 early life thomas chalkley benbow was born december 29, 1864, at new providence, hardin county, iowa. The continental open pit molybdenum mine is a surface mining operation. Benbow s attempts to build up the mine died during the crash of the stock market in 1929, according to a history of the area compiled by the montana department of environmental quality. Snowshoe mine leadsilvergold the snowshoe lode was discovered in october, 1889, while two miners were prospecting up leigh creek near libby. Chapter 6 montanas gold and silver boom, 1862 1893. Past producer in stillwater county in montana, united states with commodities chromium, iron. Montanas abandoned mine reclamation work is largely privatized. A tough passenger car can make to the benbow mine but a high clearance 4wd vehicle is advised, and certainly required if you plan to drive beyond benbow mine. The berkeley pit operated until 1982, when increasing costs and low copper prices resulted in a full shutdown. Benbow mine golf course the benbow mine aka golf course trailhead is the normal starting point for people wishing to access the north side of pyramid mountain. The complex contains a mixture of mafic igneous and metamorphic rocks that crystallized with rare dense minerals at high pressures and temperatures deep underground. Anaconda company nye basin, east benbow, mouat mine and mountain view mine drilling projects. His parents were doctor thomas alexander benbow and mary nicholson benbow, who were born at greensboro, north carolina. Cri and evaluation of the benbow mine and mill and the.
Abandonedinactive mines of the flathead national forest. Thus, each year, abandoned mine reclamation projects in montana provide income and employment for dozens of construction and mining companies and hundreds of. Historically the site has been associated with the butte mining district which is now part of the deerlodge national forest. The southwestern side of the bowl is made of a large mass of granite known as the boulder batholith, which dates to the cretaceous era.
We are the worlds largest primary producer of platinum, the second largest primary producer of palladium and the third largest producer of gold on a goldequivalent basis, as. Usfs and deq approve benbow mineral exploration portal. The rich ore deposit at the snowshoe encouraged operators to develop the mine. Montana mine accident index updated 29 mar 2014 a0128 sherard collection. The nearest weather station for both precipitation and temperature measurements is nye 2 which is approximately 5 miles away and has an elevation of 4,840 feet 3,428 feet lower than benbow mine. The information in this record has been migrated into tdar from the national archaeological database reports module nadbr and updated.
In 1977, the city and county governments consolidated to form the sole entity of buttesilver bow. Bozeman, mt mines, mine companies, mine owners and mine information. This resource is a citation record only, the center for digital antiquity does not have a copy of this document. A pioneer history of montana 18051925 cascade, chesnut valley, hardy, st. The butte mine district is essentially within the city limits of butte.
The north butte mining disaster of 1917, michael punke takes a look at a not well known mining disaster which is the deadliest in us history. The mines explorer pro is available to mines level premium members. Dillon on the boulder plateau, and in the gish mine area in the boulder river mining district. Founded in 1879, butte, the richest hill on earth, is located in silver bow county in southwest montana. Benbow, who first discovered chromite there is at the east end of the exposed stillwater complexmost of the localities described. The city of 34,000 is nearly on the continental divide at an elevation of 5549 feet in the rocky mountains flanked by the boulder mountains to the north and. Most underground mines had been closed in the 1970s, so for the first time in its history, butte was a mining town without a mine. The western mining history mines explorer pro is an interactive map that displays over 116,000 mines from the usgs mrds database, lode and placer claims by plss section centers, mining towns, and mining district information. Anaconda company nye basin, east benbow, mouat mine and.
Butte was the home of montanas first full, black owned newspaper, the butte new age. The badger state mine headframe and hoist house are located on the north side of the mining district. Butte mineyards, kelley mine, butte, silver bow county, mt. The benbow mine is a chromium mine located in stillwater county, montana at an elevation of 8,451 feet. The 12th annual conference of the mining history association was held in butte, montana, june 1417, 2001. Ore hoist in the butte district courtesy of the butte silver bow archives construction of timber head frames in the butte district courtesy of butte silver bow archives 1883 history of mining on the stillwater complex in southcentral montana. During the 1980s, the population declined before stabilizing around 32,000 in the early 1990s. During world war i there was new development at the benbow mine in the nye mining district and at the claims of a. Benbow mine trail montana july 17, 2016 southwest of billings and northwest of red lodge in the custer national forest, the benbow mine trail system is open to atv riding. Atv travel allows access to hard to reach locations such as the trailhead to island lake for fishing, the golf course for breathtaking views, sorry, no actual golfing, or the old benbow mine, rich in stillwater county history. This trailhead is unmarked and difficult to get to. Check out all our videos and pictures of our adventures on our website at this video will take you on an adventure up high. This book on montana mining history is lavishly illustrated with dozens of rare historic photos gold dredges that once operated in montana, as well as.
This decision approves construction of an underground. It is served by bert mooney airport with airport code btm. In the late 1890s, the ore was milled at the mine and then shipped to a. Stories behind beartooth mountain monikers outdoors. Bozeman, mt mining, mines, mine owners and mine statistics. The anaconda mining company got so big, in fact, that by the late 1920s it was the fourth largest company in the world and by far the largest company in montana. This table is based only on rock and mineral ages recorded on for this locality and is not necessarily a complete representation of the geochronology, but does give an indication of possible mineralization events relevant to this locality. The continental open pit molybdenum mine is in buttesilver bow, montana. This trunk chronicles the discoveries that drew people to montana in the late.
Montana bureau of mines and geology, butte mt 59701, usa. Butte is the county seat of silver bow county, montana, united states. The history of gold dredging in montana by us bureau of. Forest service road 1414 benbow road roads and trails montana 419, benbow road total distance 18. The benbow chromium mine was closed at the time of data entry with no known plans to reopen. It owned virtually every mine on the hill in butte the hill is the hill above and around butte that contained all the minerals and where most active mining was done. Nov 21, 2017 peek into the past of the richest hill on earth. Stillwaterbenbow mine area september 15th on the northwest flank of the beartooth range, the stillwater complex is an active source of mining for chromite and platinumgroup metals. Because the nearest station and this geographic feature may have. With its huge berkeley pit now flooded and the headframes from famous underground mines standing motionless, but thankfully well preserved, butte means many things to many people. There are numerous ghost towns in montana that provide vivid peeks into the life in the old west, especially at the many old mining camps located in the treasure state. Forest service road 1414 benbow road end point dean, montana at the intersection of montana 419 and u.
With great detail as well as with an insight into montana history, we the reader go through the events of this tragedy in 1917. From the time that gold was first discovered in gold creek in 1852 to the first major gold rush boom in bannack in july 1862, and all the way through today, millions of dollars in gold, silver, copper, zinc and other. A pioneer history index courtesy of janet thomson, gfgs volunteer. Montana mine accident index updated 29 mar 2014 a0128. Rides range from flat forest roads accessing scenic ridge tops to rugged and rambling trails through stream beds and over rocks.