Philipsburg: A Visit to a Charming Old Mining Town

We stayed two nights in an RV park in Garrison, MT, using it as a base from which to explore some real Montana history. The first day, our destination was Philipsburg and two ghost towns, Granite and Garnet. Our route took us over the Pintler Veterans' Scenic Highway , through Anaconda, with its commanding smokestack visible from miles away, over sage-clad hills and forested mountains, frequently skirting sparkling lakes and streams. Last time I saw Philipsburg, it was an anemic vestige of past glory days, but now this mile-high mining town is all dressed up to welcome visitors to historic restored buildings and inviting shops, galleries, and restaurants, including a microbrewery and a candy factory. We arrived too late in the day to visit the history museum, as it closes at 4 pm, and we arrived at 3:50. We weren't too late, however, to enjoy a couple scoops of ice cream in the inviting main street restaurant and soda fountain. They even serve phosphates.

 In the hills above Philipsburg is the ghost town Granite. We decided not to visit it when we learned that it had decayed to the point that there was practically nothing left to see. There will be other ghost towns in the next few days. Also, there was quite a haze over the hilltops, as you can see in the distance in the photo above, due to forest fires burning in the area. We were advised to also skip Garnet, the other ghost town we had planned to visit, due to forest fire in the area.

Continuing the scenic route, this fellow caught my eye. I pulled off the road and walked over to capture his picture. I really wished I had a carrot or an apple, as he began braying indignantly when I walked away.

Isn't he incredibly sway-backed?  A few feet away was this sign.

The next day I learned that Elwood, who lives near Hall, MT, is something of a local celebrity, being something like 35 years old. I suspect he really was indignant that I had nothing for him, being used to attention as he apparently is.