Gold Creek (Montana)
Encyclopedia
Gold Creek is a creek in southwestern Montana
, United States
, on Interstate 90
northwest of Garrison
, between Butte
and Missoula
. It flows through parts of Granite County
and Powell County
and empties into the Clark Fork (river)
at the ghost town
of Goldcreek 46°35′12"N 112°55′43"W, northwest of the town of Garrison.
In 1852, a trapper named Francois Finlay, who was also known as Benetsee, found the first recorded gold
in what is now Montana in what he named Benetsee Creek. However, not enough gold was found to make mining commercially viable.
In 1858, prospectors James and Granville Stuart and Reese Anderson discovered gold in the creek. The three men didn't have sufficient tools do begin excavating, and were unable to return with the proper equipment until 1862. The creek was renamed "Gold Creek" because of the gold found there. The Stuart brothers and their prospecting party helped open up Western Montana to settlers, all due to their initial find at Gold Creek.
Gold Creek was where the last spike
of the Northern Pacific Railway
was driven on September 8, 1883.
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, on Interstate 90
Interstate 90
Interstate 90 is the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It is the northernmost coast-to-coast interstate, and parallels US 20 for the most part. Its western terminus is in Seattle, at Edgar Martinez Drive S. near Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field, and its eastern terminus is in...
northwest of Garrison
Garrison, Montana
Garrison is a census-designated place in Powell County, Montana, United States. The population was 112 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Garrison is located at ....
, between Butte
Butte, Montana
Butte is a city in Montana and the county seat of Silver Bow County, United States. In 1977, the city and county governments consolidated to form the sole entity of Butte-Silver Bow. As of the 2010 census, Butte's population was 34,200...
and Missoula
Missoula, Montana
Missoula is a city located in western Montana and is the county seat of Missoula County. The 2010 Census put the population of Missoula at 66,788 and the population of Missoula County at 109,299. Missoula is the principal city of the Missoula Metropolitan Area...
. It flows through parts of Granite County
Granite County, Montana
-National protected areas:*Deerlodge National Forest *Lolo National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,830 people, 1,200 households, and 784 families residing in the county. The population density was 2 people per square mile . There were 2,074 housing units at an average...
and Powell County
Powell County, Montana
-National protected areas:* Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest * Flathead National Forest * Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site* Helena National Forest * Lolo National Forest * Bob Marshall Wilderness Area...
and empties into the Clark Fork (river)
Clark Fork (river)
The Clark Fork is a river in the U.S. states of Montana and Idaho, approximately long. The largest river by volume in Montana, it drains an extensive region of the Rocky Mountains in western Montana and northern Idaho in the watershed of the Columbia River, flowing northwest through a long...
at the ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
of Goldcreek 46°35′12"N 112°55′43"W, northwest of the town of Garrison.
In 1852, a trapper named Francois Finlay, who was also known as Benetsee, found the first recorded gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
in what is now Montana in what he named Benetsee Creek. However, not enough gold was found to make mining commercially viable.
In 1858, prospectors James and Granville Stuart and Reese Anderson discovered gold in the creek. The three men didn't have sufficient tools do begin excavating, and were unable to return with the proper equipment until 1862. The creek was renamed "Gold Creek" because of the gold found there. The Stuart brothers and their prospecting party helped open up Western Montana to settlers, all due to their initial find at Gold Creek.
Gold Creek was where the last spike
Last Spike
The Last Spike is the final rail spike driven in the construction of a railway. It is often a momentous occasion, and special ceremonial spikes of gold or silver may be used.Last Spike may refer to:*Last Spike , driven in 1885...
of the Northern Pacific Railway
Northern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in...
was driven on September 8, 1883.