Coolidge - Montana Ghost Town

COOLIDGE

NAME: Coolidge
COUNTY: Deer Lodge
ROADS: 2WD
GRID: 4
CLIMATE: Wet when rainy, dark at night.
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Road in probably not plowed in winter.

COMMENTS: empty of people. Lots of
buildings, some in "good" shape, others a heap of rubble. Most of the large mine building is still standing Crystal clear creek flows through it. up in the high country about 25 miles northwest (I think)from Polaris. Great place to explore. It doesn't seem to have been ravaged by scavengers too much. Probably too hard to find!!.
REMAINS: Many structures including large mine.

I don't know anything about it other than it was a mining community. There is some reference to it in a book called Ghost Towns of Montana.In the book it's called "Mystery Town". I took some pictures that turned out well and I have quite a bit of video. Submitted by: Les Kruger You can find good information on and even a map to Coolidge, Montana by looking up a couple of Web sites:1. The Web site for US Forest Service - Beaverhead/Deerlodge National Forest2. The Web site for Great Outdoor Recreation Pages: http://www.gorp.com/default.htmIn GORP, click on Attractions, then Scenic Drives, then Montana, then WiseRiver-Polaris Road, then Beaverhead National Forest, then "abandoned miningtowns" . Submitted by: Tim Stolle "The Elkhorn mine, located high in the Pioneer Mountains, was discovered on October 24, 1873 by Mike Steel and F.W. Panish. Bill Roe was said to have given the mine its name of a result of having found a pair of elk horns in the area. The mine was first open and worked by a company financed in the East. Silver ore which was the mines primary metal was hauled by bull teams as far as Corrine Utah where it was loaded on railroad cars and transported to San Francisco. At San Francisco it was transferred to ships sailing to Swansea, Wales, there to be treated and produced into metal. In 1911 Mr. William R. Allen had begun buying claims in the area and in 1913 formed the Boston Montana Mining Company who hired Engineer, S.W. Hall to come to the mine and examine the Elkhorn Properties. Hall spent 40 days investigating the claims. Impressed, he urged the company to begin operations which had every indication of a big return. At this time the seeds of Allen's dreams must have surely have began to form. William R. Allen was born in French Gulch near Anaconda Montana, in July of 1871. He received his early education in Deer Lodge County School, then attended Helena Business College, where he graduated with Honors in 1891. As a young man he was employed by Marcus Daly in the early development of the Anaconda Smelter and was in charge of Mr. Daly's lumber business. In 1893, Mr. Allen married Eliza Berkin, and four children where born of this union. Following his first wife's death in 1917, he married Ethel Louise DeMar, with whom he raised three children. In 1902, Allen was elected to the legislature, representing the republican party from his county. He served in this compasity until 1908 when he was elected Lieutenant Governor, serving in this office under Governor Edwin L. Norris until 1913. When he retired from Politics, he decided to devote his time to raise money for the development of Montana Enterprises. As early as 1914, the community of Coolidge, named after W.R. Allens friend, Calvin Coolidge, had begun to thrive and at this time work was just beginning on the mine tunnel. The town had both Telephone service and electricity provided by a power line carrying 65,000 volts running from Divide over the hill to Coolidge. The cost on completion was $150,000.00. With more families moving to Coolidge, the school district was organized in October 1918. A post office was est. in Jan. 1922. In 1927 the school district was abandoned and in 1932 the post office was discontinued and the mail was order to Wise River. Two mining camps evolved from the mining operations, the Idanha, or upper, which was located just above the present mill. The Elkhorn camp at the Mill sight. The Idanha was to become the best producer of the mines located in the district. A long shute ran from the upper camp to the lower camp area. In the winter, this provided recreation to the young as well as the older residence. Large frying pans were borrowed from the camp cook and along with fun loving participates were transported to the top of the mountain in Ore cars. The frying pans were used as sleds and ridden down the log shute. The last narrow gauge railroad inthe US was built from the mine to the town of Divide. For an estimated cost of $1,500,000.00. Construction began on the Montana Southern, in 1917 and was completed with a golden spike celebration at Divide, Montana in November 1919. Much of the old railbed and the remains of the trestles remain. The completion of the Montana southern railway was a tremendous asset to the Construction of the Mill. This huge building covered nearly two acres. For winter work it boasted Steam heat and also had an up to date fire protection system of Hydrant hose and sprinkler. Completed in 1922, at a cost of $900,000.00, the finish structure was truly overwhelming as it still is today, although time and scavengers have taken their toll. The mill didn't operate to compasity very often. Three months in 1922-1923, and four months in 1925 are all that were recorded. Three shifts of men per day ran the operation using only one section of the two identical parallel processes available. Using the oil floatation process, the mill saved from 90 to 93% of the metals out of the ore. 8900 tons of concentrates were produced from 40,000 tons of ore. Shippment was suspended in 1927, when the wise river dam broke, destroying a section of the railroad. By the time the railroad was repaired in 1930, metal prices had declined to the point where it seemed inadvisable to operate. In the years that followed, no work of any importance was attempted. Note: As you look around coolidge you will notice many old rusty tin cans, particularly just outside the back door of the cabins. These have been left as part of the sight. They illustrate how trash was handled back in the Early 1900's and help to give you a feel of life in the mining camp. Thank you for your help in preserving these structures." Heather & Chad Brace Coolidge Courtesy Kevin Ward Coolidge Courtesy Kevin Ward Coolidge Courtesy Kevin Ward Coolidge Courtesy Kevin Ward Coolidge Courtesy Kevin Ward Coolidge Courtesy Kevin Ward	Coolidge Courtesy Les Kruger Coolidge Courtesy Les Kruger Coolidge Courtesy Les Kruger Coolidge Courtesy Les Kruger Coolidge Courtesy Les Kruger Coolidge Current Residents Courtesy Kevin Ward

I don't know anything about it other
than it was a mining community. There is some reference to it in a book called Ghost Towns of Montana.In the book it's called "Mystery Town". I took some pictures that turned out
well and I have quite a bit of video.

Submitted by: Les Kruger

You can find good information on and even a map to Coolidge,
Montana by looking up a couple of Web sites:1. The Web site for US Forest Service - Beaverhead/Deerlodge National Forest2. The Web site for Great Outdoor Recreation Pages:
http://www.gorp.com/default.htmIn GORP, click on Attractions, then Scenic Drives, then Montana, then WiseRiver-Polaris Road, then Beaverhead National Forest, then "abandoned miningtowns" .
Submitted by: Tim Stolle

"The Elkhorn mine, located high in the Pioneer Mountains, was discovered on October 24, 1873 by Mike Steel and F.W. Panish. Bill Roe was said to have given the mine its name of a result of having found a pair of elk horns in the area. The mine was first open and worked by a company financed in the East. Silver ore which was the mines primary metal was hauled by bull teams as far as Corrine Utah where it was loaded on railroad cars and transported to San Francisco. At San Francisco it was transferred to ships sailing to Swansea, Wales, there to be treated and produced into metal. In 1911 Mr. William R. Allen had begun buying claims in the area and in 1913 formed the Boston Montana Mining Company who hired Engineer, S.W. Hall to come to the mine and examine the Elkhorn Properties. Hall spent 40 days investigating the claims. Impressed, he urged the company to begin operations which had every indication of a big return. At this time the seeds of Allen's dreams must have surely have began to form. William R. Allen was born in French Gulch near Anaconda Montana, in July of 1871. He received his early education in Deer Lodge County School, then attended Helena Business College, where he graduated with Honors in 1891. As a young man he was employed by Marcus Daly in the early development of the Anaconda Smelter and was in charge of Mr. Daly's lumber business. In 1893, Mr. Allen married Eliza Berkin, and four children where born of this union. Following his first wife's death in 1917, he married Ethel Louise DeMar, with whom he raised three children. In 1902, Allen was elected to the legislature, representing the republican party from his county. He served in this compasity until 1908 when he was elected Lieutenant Governor, serving in this office under Governor Edwin L. Norris until 1913. When he retired from Politics, he decided to devote his time to raise money for the development of Montana Enterprises. As early as 1914, the community of Coolidge, named after W.R. Allens friend, Calvin Coolidge, had begun to thrive and at this time work was just beginning on the mine tunnel. The town had both Telephone service and electricity provided by a power line carrying 65,000 volts running from Divide over the hill to Coolidge. The cost on completion was $150,000.00. With more families moving to Coolidge, the school district was organized in October 1918. A post office was est. in Jan. 1922. In 1927 the school district was abandoned and in 1932 the post office was discontinued and the mail was order to Wise River. Two mining camps evolved from the mining operations, the Idanha, or upper, which was located just above the present mill. The Elkhorn camp at the Mill sight. The Idanha was to become the best producer of the mines located in the district. A long shute ran from the upper camp to the lower camp area. In the winter, this provided recreation to the young as well as the older residence. Large frying pans were borrowed from the camp cook and along with fun loving participates were transported to the top of the mountain in Ore cars. The frying pans were used as sleds and ridden down the log shute. The last narrow gauge railroad inthe US was built from the mine to the town of Divide. For an estimated cost of $1,500,000.00. Construction began on the Montana Southern, in 1917 and was completed with a golden spike celebration at Divide, Montana in November 1919. Much of the old railbed and the remains of the trestles remain. The completion of the Montana southern railway was a tremendous asset to the Construction of the Mill. This huge building covered nearly two acres. For winter work it boasted Steam heat and also had an up to date fire protection system of Hydrant hose and sprinkler. Completed in 1922, at a cost of $900,000.00, the finish structure was truly overwhelming as it still is today, although time and scavengers have taken their toll. The mill didn't operate to compasity very often. Three months in 1922-1923, and four months in 1925 are all that were recorded. Three shifts of men per day ran the operation using only one section of the two identical parallel processes available. Using the oil floatation process, the mill saved from 90 to 93% of the metals out of the ore. 8900 tons of concentrates were produced from 40,000 tons of ore. Shippment was suspended in 1927, when the wise river dam broke, destroying a section of the railroad. By the time the railroad was repaired in 1930, metal prices had declined to the point where it seemed inadvisable to operate. In the years that followed, no work of any importance was attempted. Note: As you look around coolidge you will notice many old rusty tin cans, particularly just outside the back door of the cabins. These have been left as part of the sight. They illustrate how trash was handled back in the Early 1900's and help to give you a feel of life in the mining camp. Thank you for your help in preserving these structures." Heather & Chad Brace

Coolidge
Courtesy Kevin Ward

Coolidge
Courtesy Les Kruger

Coolidge Current Residents
Courtesy Kevin Ward

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