Ghost Town Ghosts in Bannack, Montana

The Lady in White: This is the most famous ghost story in Bannack. The Lady in White is said to be the spirit of a woman who was murdered in the town in the late 1800s. She is often seen walking through the streets of Bannack, or sitting on the porch of the old hotel. Some people have reported seeing her apparition in the window of the old jail.

Lady in White ghost, Bannack, MT

The Miner: This ghost is said to be the spirit of a miner who was killed in a mining accident in Bannack. He is often seen walking through the old mine shafts, or sitting on the edge of a mine cart. Some people have reported hearing his screams, or seeing his apparition in the shadows.

Miner ghost, Bannack, MT

The Bootlegger: This ghost is said to be the spirit of a bootlegger who was killed in a shootout in Bannack. He is often seen walking through the streets of Bannack, or sitting in the saloon. Some people have reported seeing him holding a bottle of whiskey, or hearing him laughing in the night.

Bootlegger ghost, Bannack, MT

The Children: This ghost is said to be the spirits of children who died in a fire in Bannack. They are often seen playing in the streets of Bannack, or running through the old schoolhouse. Some people have reported hearing their laughter, or seeing their apparitions in the windows.

Children ghosts, Bannack, MT

These are just a few of the many ghost stories that are said to haunt Bannack. Whether or not these ghosts are real, they are a fascinating part of the town's history and folklore.

Bannack is a popular tourist destination, and many people visit the town in hopes of seeing one of the ghosts. If you are ever in Bannack, be sure to keep an eye out for these spirits. You never know when you might see one.

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Ghost Town Ghosts in Bannack, Montana

Grasshopper Creek, near Bannack, Montana

Bannack, Montana was born in 1862 when gold was found along Grasshopper Creek. Like other gold rushes, miners rushed to the settlement in search of their fortunes and before long the hills around Bannack were filled with as many as 10,000 miners. With that many men during the era of the rough and tumble days of the Old West, there was bound to be violence.


Henry Plummer

Not long after the settlement was formed, in walked a man named Henry Plummer. Handsome, well dressed and charismatic, he gained the trust of the area miners and was soon elected sheriff of the burgeoning community. However, little did the unsuspecting citizens of Bannack know, but their new sheriff led a secret band of road agents called the “Innocents”, who began to terrorize the travelers between Bannack and Virginia City, robbing and killing more than 100 men over the next several months.

In December 1863 the miners formed the Montana Vigilantes and during the next forty-two days, the Vigilantes hanged 24 of the gang members, including Henry Plummer. Later, historians questioned the authenticity of the outlaw tale, suggesting that the whole story was only a cover for the ruthless vigilantes themselves. Today, many say that the ghost of Henry Plummer haunts this old settlement, which has long since become a ghost town. Perhaps he wants to avenge his name.


After Bannack lost the county seat, the courthouse became the Hotel Meade

At the Hotel Meade, which was originally built as a courthouse in 1875, there are numerous stories of ghostly activity. When Bannack lost its county seat status to nearby Dillon in 1881, the building sat vacant until 1890 when it was remodeled into a plush hotel. The hotel opened and closed sporadically through the years with the ebb and flow of mining activity. At one time the building acted in the capacity of a hospital.

Cold spots, the apparition of a teenage girl, and sounds of crying children are often reported by those who visit this old building. The first sighting of a young girl was well over a hundred years ago. The teen is said to be that of a girl named Dorothy Dunn who drowned in a dredge pond along the creek long ago. Shortly after her death, she made her first appearance to her best friend, who was with her at the time of her death.

Since then there have been multiple sightings of the teenage girl wearing a long blue dress on the second story of the old hotel. These reports often come from children, one of which reportedly stated that the ghost of Dorothy Dunn tried to talk to her. The seven-year-old could see Dorothy’s mouth moving but no sound came out. Dorothy has also been sighted standing in an upstairs window by passersby on the street below.

Yet more sightings have been reported throughout the town of ghostly women dressed in their best finery.

When mining played out, Bannack became a ghost town in the 1940s. However, the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks saved the town from the elements and vandalism by making it a state park on August 15, 1954.

Today, over sixty structures remain standing, most of which can be explored. The staff preserve, rather than restore the buildings of this old town allowing visitors an opportunity to relive the American West.

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Arlee High School / Girls Locker Room - Arlee,Montana

The Arlee High School has class pictures dating as far
back as the 1920's. It is said that a girl during the early years of
the High School committed suicide in the shower of the girls’ locker
room. Several eyewitnesses have heard screams when walking the halls at
night, or the sidewalks outside. Many students have also admitted to
feeling cold drafts in the water that moves from shower to shower
starting from the back to the front. To this day the screams can still
be heard.

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Garnet Ghost Town - Garnet,Montana

There is a full ghost town up in the hills of
Montana that was originally created as a mining town. After a fire
caught hold of the hotel there, many people started moving out. The
houses and buildings have been wonderfully preserved and the original
hotel that caught fire still stands and with little damage. Spirits can
be felt all in this town and especially in the hotel on the second
floor. If you go up the stairs, walk straight towards the wall without
turning, and then look to your left, the open door there is where one
of the spirits resides. Beware, though, because he's not nice. It's a
great place if you want a sensory overload. If you can't find it...
it's on the state map. It's worth going to see.

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The Lobby Bar - Great Falls,Montana

Supposedly the three floors above the old
bar are home to twelve different spirits or more. Very old building.
Lots of history there. Upper floors were at one time hotel, then after
hotel closed, used for years by passing vagrants and drifters, some of
whom supposedly died up there. Very eerie up there. Looks like
something right out of a horror movie.

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Sportsman’s RV Park - Libby,Montana

During the spring of the year, when
thunderstorms are rumbling overhead, and lightning flashes lighting up
the dark midnight sky, a shadow of a figure looking down, wearing what
looks like a hooded poncho that is blowing, and waving in the wind, can
be seen drifting (floating with no feet) around the RV Park. Before the
RV Park was built, in the late 1960s with anticipation, and the start
of construction on the Libby Dam, this place was called the Riverside
Inn. It was a steak house, gas station, mobile home park, and mobile
motel (house of ill repute). Construction workers and others gathered
here after work to let loose, and do who knows what else. It is said
that vagrants, and squatters called the Riverside Inn home. They camped
in the woods behind the Inn with hopes of landing a job on the Dam. A
few years after the Libby Dam was completed, the Riverside Inn burnt,
and was never rebuilt. Who knows what happened to the ones who never
landed a job? How did they survive with little or no food, and the
harsh winter weather in Montana? Could some poor lost soul, still be
wandering, and waiting with the hopes of landing a job on the Libby
Dam? Did something horrible happen to this person before their time,
and they will not rest until their wrong is righted?

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T.C. Power Mansion - Helena, Montana

T.C. Power Mansion can be found in the well-to-do section of Helena, western Montana; just west of North Park on Harrison Street, which is between Holter Street and Gilbert Street.

This is a private residence and business. Please respect their privacy.

The handsome Victorian homes found in Helena which were built from 1880's -1900's, were made well to serve the family's future generations and to be the center for family relatives and friends. The architecture is described as being "eclectic, using many borrowed styles from the European rich." These well-made homes were great examples of Renaissance Revival and the Victorian, mixing freely Gothic, Romanesque and Italianate styles.

In 1891, Senator T.C. Power, who made his millions running successful businesses, built such a mansion, an impressive stone castle-like residence which took two years to construct. This 3 story castle was made of rose granite, mined from Power's own quarry. The mansion has "rounded arches, arcaded porch and heavy tower are of the Romanesque style."

Skilled craftsmen and artisans carefully worked on the outside and inside. The mansion's Romanesque style was nicely softened by the "elaborate designs cast in terra cotta. Much of the fine cherry wood inside the mansion was carved in place. The original Tiffany gas light fixtures are still there, but were converted to electricity.

Behind the mansion on the same property he built a rather large carriage house, which was transformed into a building by future owners.

Thomas C. Power (1839-1923) began his career by opening a general store at Fort Berton, trading extensively with the Indians. He was able to expand and soon had a large mercantile business. He also over his life time owned a river steamer, a stage line and a large sheep and cattle ranch near Great Falls. In 1889, when Montana became a state, he was elected to be a Senator on the Republican Party ticket, and served from 1890-1895.

Thomas C. Power was married to Mary, and they had a son. Thomas and Mary lived there all their lives. When they both had died, their son willed it to the Catholic Church. It served as a nun's residence, among other uses by the Catholic church. The carriage house was turned into a child care center. The property was sold again to owners who contiued running a child care center in the carriage house.

This impressive stone castle mansion has two entities keeping the living company. 1) The apparition of a maid is seen in various rooms of the house. 2) Presence of T.C. Power is felt in the room where he died.

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Kleinschmidt House - Helena, Montana.

The Kleinschmidt House can be found west of city center in an old money section of town, where the rich of yesterday built their mansions.

Theodore H. Kleinschmidt immigrated to St. Louis from Prussia in 1843, with the rest of his family, to join his father in America, who died on the day they left Prussia. He was raised and educated in St. Louis, and learned the merchantile business in his step-father's store.

At the beginning of the Civil War, Theodore enlisted in the Third Missouri Volunteers, winding up a Lieutenant in Berger's Sharpshooters. After serving his time, He first traveled out West in 1862, and after several business ventures eventually wound up in Helena, Montana, where he proved to be a dynamo upstanding citizen with great business savy, doing a lot to develop Helena. He worked as the cashier for the First National Bank and was elected twice to be the mayor of Helena.

Theodore was known for his 12 inch long goatee. He married the love of his life, Mary M. Blattner who was from St. Louis in 1867. They had 6 children, one of whom died in childhood. Five children who survived were Theodore Jr., Arthur, Marie, Eugene and Erwin H.

As his family was growing, Theodore decided to build a dream mansion which reflected his success and wealth, and his position in the Helena community. In 1892, they moved into their gorgeous 19 room, 3 story gingerbread Victorian era, German architect influenced mansion, on a hilly lot, about five feet up from the street.

Kleinschmidt imported from Germany the cherry, oak and birch wood which he used to build his unique mansion. Inside, skilled artisans used their skills to make the elaberate fireplace mantels, the window frames, door frames, the wainscoting and the lovely turned balustrade which travels up the main staircase.

The third floor housed the 42 foot ballroom, and the 4 adjoining rooms located off the ballroom which made up the servants quarters.

All around the first floor one sees a beautifully designed, skillfully constructed covered spacias wooden porch, which during the summer served as an extra room for family activity, a typical feature found in many Victorian mansions. The ceiling of the porch is arched and the graceful curves between the posts are filled with a balustrade. One sees Asimilan balustrade under the porch railing as well.

This impressive mansion has the most elaborate roof line of any mansion found in Helena. It has many gables, fancy balconies and decorative windows which reminded Kleinschmidt of the old country. The Kleinschmidts loved their mansion and raised their family here. Their youngest son died in his childhood, probably from one of the childhood diseases which periodically went through neighborhoods.

In 1904, Mary Kleinschmidt died and her grieving husband held the funeral in the mansion.

Throughout the years, the mansion passed through family members and was eventually sold as a private residence to outside people. The current owner bought this mansion in the 1980s' for a very reasonable price, knowing that it had a entity or two for company. In recent years, the mansion has been rented out to tenants. It must be really expensive to keep the upkeep of the mansion humming along, and extra income would help pay for it.

Tom and I went to Helena last summer (August 200) and found it on Harrison St. and 6th. WOW! It really is impressive from the outside! It is on the list for national historic places, I'm glad to report. Late in the afternoon, it is really spooky and would make a great place to film a movie about the paranormal. The mansion itself looks to be in pretty good shape, though the backyard has huge overgrown bushes which hang over the stone wall. I would rethink the landscaping, but the people who live there probably like privacy. One can see also a huge gnarly tree which looks like it was one of the original trees planted there, and has a slightly creepy feel to it as well. We briefly peeked into the backyard via the driveway and saw quite a big grassy area and saw just how large this lot is!

This huge, 1892 spooky-looking Victorian mansion with a strong presence of German-decor has long had two unseen presences haunting the immense, intricate structure, since the 1950s'.

The original lady of the house, Mary Kleinschmidt and her young son, who died in childhood, have been heard and seen throughout the years.

The entity of Mary Kleinschmidt is still going about her business. Her foot steps are heard throughout the mansion, focussed on her tasks at hand, not bothered by the living who occupy her home.

The apparition of her youngest son, is seen playing in the mansion's bedrooms. He is described as being blond and wearing knickers, a style of pants worn by boys under 12 years old in the late 1800s'.

One can assume so, though no investigations have been conducted. Stories told by people who have lived there offer circumstantial evidence. Whenever this mansion was on the market, real estate agents felt compelled to tell prospective buyers about the entities which come with the property.

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Grandstreet Theater - Helena, Montana

For the cost of $20,000, this lovely stone building was built in 1901 as a Unitarian Church, to also be used as a multi-user facility, for "anything that tends to build up the better life." The church offered its social rooms for community use; "various sorts of gathering for clubs, classes, social events and all the rest." - Reverend Leslie Willis Sprague, October 190

The original building was built with it's present sloping floor and proscenium stage area. When a church member, by the name of Clara Bicknell Hodgin died in her prime at the age of only 34, her bereaved friends and neighbors took up a collection to buy a beautiful Tiffany window which they donated to her beloved Unitarian church family, who of course installed the window in the building, a symbol of their love for her. 1.

In 1933, a terrible earthquake hit Helena, and nearly destroyed the Helena public library. This church was donated in memory of another woman, Ellen Dean for the city to use as the interim library. The Tiffany window was taken down and carefully put into storage at the civic center, and the building was renovated. The house floor was leveled and a mezzanine was added, to make the use of the building as a library work.

In 1976, a enterprise known as Broadwater Productions moved into the building and established the Grandstreet Theater. When the Tiffany window was rediscovered soon afterwards, it was reinstalled in the building.

Since 1976, the Grandstreet Theatre has been busy restoring the theatre to its former beauty, using money received from Helena's tax-increment financing funds, additional fundraising efforts and the generous donations from their patrons and givers.

The first renovations done in 1976 required the careful removal of false floors and the mezzanine mentioned above. Carpenters then restored the tiered seating in the balcony and built a second exit stairway.

Over the years, the auditorium, box office, balcony, back stage area and lobby were restored. 200 brand new seats were installed. The worn-out rose carpeting has been replaced with lovely jade green carpet and new drapes cover the church-style windows.

The Grandstreet Theatre offers a lot to the city of Helena, which would please Reverend Leslie Willis Sprague if he were here today.

Their mission to the community:

"Our mission is to produce a diverse spectrum of theatre of the highest quality, to provide hands-on learning experiences in all aspects of theatre production to all ages, and to celebrate the achievements of volunteers and staff. Grandstreet seeks to nurture the performing arts as an integral part of life in Helena and the surrounding area."

When the Tiffany window which was bought in memory of Clara Bicknell Hodgin, was once again reinstalled in the building, the following began to happen.

* The gentle, kind entity of Clara moved into the building as a friendly presence, felt by many visitors and participants, both children and adults.

* Her light footsteps are heard throughout the theatre.

* This entity likes to play with electrical appliances and lights, which sometimes seem to have a mind of their own.

Although Clara died at a young age, she is hanging around and is enjoying observing the living as they perform in the theatrical arts.

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Carroll College - Helena, Montana

LOCATION: The Carroll College Campus is located in the center of Helena, just a few blocks from downtown Helena.

Bishop John Patrick Carroll's quest to open a Catholic college in Western Montana became a reality when 50 acres on Capitol Hill were donated to the Diocese for the future college. The other land needed for the college was bought by 100,000 dollar fundraising monies and 50,000 dollars donated by Mr. Hill, president of the Great Northern Railroad. The cornerstone of this college was laid on September 1909 by President Taft himself.

Mount St. Charles College opened on September 22nd, 1910, offering preparatory classes for boys 10 and older, four years of high school. The first college students entered the college studies program on September 12, 1911.

The college picked up the nick name of Jack's castle!

Bishop John Patrick Carroll celebrated his silver jubilee of his joining the priesthood in 1914. When he was given $22,000 on this grand occasion, the good Bishop immediately turned the money over to the president of the college to pay off the debt still owed on the school!

The college was ready to grow in both size and areas of study. Throughout the 1920s', the college added pre-law, pre-medicine, a two year basic engineering curriculum and a Dept. of Education. New buildings which were built on campus housed the gym and Science Department, a chapel, the library more residents' rooms and a convent which was built behind the original buildings.

When World War I began to drain the school of students, Bishop Carroll jumped into action and the school signed up to be a training center to keep the doors open.

When Bishop Carroll died in 1925, Bishop Finnigan who took over continued to nourish and enlarged the dreams for the college of his predecessors. He took many trips to personally recruit students and solicit funds. To boast the athletic department, Bishop Finnigan recruited the assistant football coach at Notre Dame. In 1931, Bishop Finnigan had the name of the college changed to Carroll College, in honor of Bishop Carrolll.

Hard times hit the college because of the depression years, but the college stayed open because of the generosity of the faculty, who agreed to drastic salary cuts. To make things harder, destructive earthquakes hit Helena, causing building woes which had to be worked out. From all the fallen stones, a new astronomy building was constructed by students under the direction of Dr. Edward Neuman.

In 1936, Carroll College became officially a libral arts college for men, after the high school moved to another location.

Again, during WW 2, the college missed the lethal financial bullet by becoming a V-5 NAval Training Center, setting up a V 12 program for young men in the Navy to study and live there. After the war, the college became a civilian school once more and expereinced great growth.

In 1946, the first women entered Carroll College to participate in a three year nursing education program in cooperation with the Sisters of Charity. The college continued to grow for the next 40 years.

In 1989 a huge explosion in a railroad car near the campus caused serious damage from the blast and from the loss of electrical power. Despite all the inconvenience the college continued to function with gusto. Because of considerable effort, all was repaired by the fall of 1989!

Besides housing and educating hard working students who attend this Catholic College, other entities seen and unseen make this place their home.

St Charles Hall -

1) Fourth floor room is sealed because of reoccurring blood stains in sink and an appearing of an apparition of the student who hit his head on the sink and died.

2) The living see the reinactment of a student jumping from the stairwell to his death.

St. Albert's Hall -

Hallways on the top floor in the student Union - Living see an apparition of a nun fleeting about. She had died of an illness in this building.

The entities become more active during the time of mid-terms and finals, when student stress levels go up.

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Brantley Mansion - Helena,Montana

LOCATION:

Brantley Mansion can be found in Helena, west-central Montana, built on Holter Street, sitting on top of a hill, which gives the mansion a full view of the city. Helena is 64 miles north of Butte on 1-15. The Mansion now is currently owned by a private party, so please respect their privacy.

Built in 1887, this grand, imposing mansion was created to impress the neighbors, with three floors, an attic, and a full basement. Inside, oak was extensively used throughout the interior. A main staircase wound majestically up toward the second and third floors. The dining room held a magnificent, built-in breakfront, fitted with lead glass doors. Sometime during its long history, each of the 4 floors, (including the basement), was converted into an apartment, dividing this grand mansion into 4 separate units. The attic was partially sealed off, and not used.

This stately, majestic mansion was originally the dream home of Judge Brantly, his wife, and three children, and was owned by the Brantly family until 1963. In 1887, Judge Brantley was a successful, self-made man, who was much admired by his community. The one big fault of this consciencious man was that he was a work-a-holic, who made little time for his family. He often came home after the children were in bed, and often brought work home with him.

In 1970, Bob and Dorthy and their three children bought the property, with plans to rennovate the old mansion, and make it into their family dream home.

The occurances started when the third floor was gutted and turned into the family living space. Dorthy started to feel the unrest in the house.

1) Both Dorthy and the kids heard at different times the big, heavy, front door open, and slam shut. Then foot steps would be heard traveling up the main staircase, all the way to the third floor, stopping to open doors along the way, as if someone was checking to see if all was well. ( Judge Brantly used to come home late at night when all were sleeping.)

2) Above Bob & Dorthy's bedroom, they would be awakened by someone thoughtfully pacing back and forth. Bob found a false wall in the closet, where a staircase once was, which led up to the sealed, attic room, located above their bedroom. This attic room was Judge Brantly's private study, where he thought about the cases that were being heard by him in his courtroom. (He was known to work at home often.)

3) Poltergeist activity was also experienced by both Bob & Dorthy & kids and their basement apartment tenant. The following incidents happened several times.

a) After a family ride in the car, they all came home to find their T.V. on full blast, and all the lights blazing away in the two boys' room.
b) Their basement tenant had the problem of having her candy all disappear, without eating any of it. The dish would be full one minute, and empty the next, too fast for human consumption. (Was a ghost with either a sweet tooth or a health agenda to be blamed?)

4) After Bob and Dorthy moved out because children were in college, the new caretaker and his wife looked in amazement as one of their potted plants went floating slowly through the air, and then suddenly dropped on the floor, breaking the pot, and killing the plant. Then, the vacuum cleaner turned on by itself and was moved by some guilty, unseen party, with a conscience, to clean up the dirty mess.

They also reported that some of the same occurrances recounted above, as happening to them.

It is assumed that at least one ghost, Judge Brantly, is an unseen resident here. He became active when rennovations started on his beloved home, and when a family much like his own moved in. No known psychic research has been done on the mansion, so no one knows for sure. No seen apparition has been reported, just the actions of one, (or more?) unseen restless one(s).

Caretakers and tenants alike still hear the footsteps of the stern spirit of State Supreme Court Judge Theodore Brantly going up the staircase to the third floor. Children still feel his presence watching over them. Caretakers and tenants have clearly indentified the ghostly entitiy of the good judge as the one who has a weakness for M & M candies, and will help himself to the candy if it is left out in a dish. Some ghosts like wine, some like tea, and this one has a sweet tooth!

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Butte-Silver Bow County Courthouse - Butte, Montana

155 W. Granite Street, Butte, Montana

Historically this part of town was the place where the Butte County Courthouse and jail has always stood, from the very beginning of the town. The original courthouse was a structure that by 1908 was deemed a little too funky and ratty looking for the booming, rich mining town of Butte, so a new, grander courthouse was started in 1910, built upon the same lot where the old one had stood. It was finished by 1912. It was and is one of the West's most beautiful public buildings, designed in the Beaux Arts style. It cost 482,600 dollars and was financed by public bonds.

Today, this impressive courthouse building is used as office space for county government employees and officials. The modern jail was built across the street just to the east of the building.

A miner named Miles Fuller was convicted of killing another prospector probably over a claim or a card game. While a prisoner, he was kind and thoughtful to the guards, leaving thank you notes with the empty food trays, while being held in the jail next to the courthouse.

Because he received the death sentence, Miles was executed by hanging via the portable gallows which were set up in the yard, which was located on the north side of the jail behind the courthouse on May 18, 1906. As his coffin was being placed on the funeral wagon by his pallbearers, a loud crack-like noise, sounding like thunder, was heard by the living, bringing up the possibility to those who heard it that he may have been innocent of the murder. UH OH!

Throughout the years, an apparition looking just like Miles has been seen wandering around this same yard, by the back door of the courthouse ground floor.

Cold spots have been felt in the ground floor offices, and doors have opened and shut by themselves.

Although the old courthouse has long been torn down, this gentle spirit still haunts the land where it once stood by wandering the old gallows yard and occasionally visiting the inside of the ground floor area of the present courthouse building, which is also next to the outside yard area where Miles was executed via the gallows almost 100 years ago.

Miles is perhaps still looking for something at the scene of his death, needing to perhaps to clear his name before passing on to the other side. Or perhaps though he was justly convicted, he wasn't ready to die just yet.

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Dumas Brothel - Butte, Montana

The Dumas was designed and built as a brothel in 1890 and remained active as a brothel until 1982, making it America's longest running house of prostitution. It was one of the first two story brick structures built in Butte's famous Red Light District along Mercury Street. And ironically, the Dumas is the last survivor of an area where vice thrived and women worked hard, lived hard and sometimes died hard.

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