Granite

In the autumn of 1872 the Granite mine was discovered by a prospector named Eli Holland. This was the richest silver mine on the earth, and it might never have been discovered if a telegram from the East hadn't been delayed. The miner's backers thought the venture was hopeless and ordered an end to operation, but the last blast on the last shift uncovered a bonanza, which yielded $40,000,000.

One of the most famous buildings in Granite was a large Miner's Union Hall with a pool parlor and club area on the first floor and an office, a library, a large dance floor, and an auditorium space on the second floor. The second floor was called the "Northwest's Finest Dance Floor." Quite often the auditorium played host to mineral shows, melodramas, and vaudeville. Some of the other amenities Granite offered were 18 saloons, a thriving red light district, a hospital, five doctors, a school, four churches, several banks, a water system, named streets, and several homes for the more than 3,000 inhabitants.

In 1893, the U.S. Congress repealed the Sherman Act resulting in lower silver prices, and on the morning of August 1, 1893, within 24 hours of the repealment, families began to leave Granite. Because of the swiftness of the move, most of their worldly possessions remained on the hill behind them. Only 140 people remained in Granite one year later, in 1894.

Today the shell of the Miners' Union Hall still stands. The roof supports have caved to the bottom floor, the third-floor dance hall, second-floor union offices, and ground-floor saloon/cafe are about to collapse together.

Granite is located south of Drummond. Take Highway 1 south, then Highway 10-A east from Philipsburg. The road to Granite is rough dirt road and RV users should use caution.

Contact Information:

Beaverhead Deerlodge National Forest
Pintler Ranger District, Philipsburg Office
88 10-A Business Loop
Philipsburg, MT 59859

Phone: 406-859-3211

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