History of Nye, Montana

The following information was taken from the March, 1994 edition of the MONTANA FREE PRESS, the Journal of Rural Montana. All articles are copyrighted by the MONTANA FREE PRESS. Nye Elementary School would like to thank Mr. Jim Coates, editor, for supplying this material and granting permission to use it on our web page. Any authors of specific articles are also acknowledged.

NYE - Now you see it . . .

The essence of Montana can be boiled down Into Nye and the upper Stillwater Valley. The history and development of the area parallels Montana's past and present.

It's land is as varied and rich, its people as hardy and independent as any place in the state. Treasures remain hidden deep within the earth, or discovered in the pristine water of the rivers and creeks, in the sparkling transparency of its air. With arms as open as the steep wailed canyon at whose mouth it sits, Nye has attracted developers and settlers throughout its many lives, embracing them as along lost love before casting out the unadaptable with cruel efficiency.

Nye, like Montana, has seen its share of cycles. Mines have come and gone. Homesteads have sprouted over-night like weeds, to dry up and blow away tomorrow. People living on the edge have staked their future on what they think is a sure shot, only to have their aim distorted by the winds of fortune or those that howl off the mountains.

All the booms and busts foisted upon the residents of Nye have tempered those who've stuck. They have created a citizenry who accept one another even in disagreement, who appreciate the strength of those around them, and who cling fervently to the right to live as they choose. It has been said that Montana is one small town with a long main street. Nye exemplifies that perfectly. The center of the community is always moving, evolving to fit the times. Ranchers, miners, recreationists, big business and small, new comers and old timers coexist in a state of historical flux. Nye's economic vitality is perpetually dependent on the whims of the outside world, a world to which it is only tenuously linked by its long main street, yet from which it is more often than not culturally disconnected by its fervent independence and perseverance. When you pass through Nye, look quickly. You may not recognize it tomorrow. Now you see it...

The History of a Ghost Town

by Jay W. Hanks
(From the files of the Stillwater County Library)

Located in the upper Stillwater Valley is a ghost town that dates back to the days when Montana was still a territory. Nye City, an almost forgotten mining town of the 1880's, was once a thriving boom town and one of the liveliest mining camps in Montana.

It came into existence in 1883, but like many mining towns its only destiny was to become the ghost town that it is today. In 1889, the future looked bright for the little mining town. The smelter had just been completed with latest improvements and machinery. Several good veins of ore had been tapped and the town was well established.

Officials of the Minneapolis Mining and Smelting Company cast eyes on what they thought would be a bright mining future in the Beartooth Mountains. Then came the unexpected climax. One November morning in 1889, word was received from the Secretary of the Interior that the town and mining property was located on the Crow Indian Reservation, and the miners were ordered to clear out.

All work was immediately halted and in a matter of days nearly all of the three or four hundred residents of Nye City had left. Such was the hurry of leaving that much equipment was left.

That marked the end of a town that was thought to have the promisings of a second Butte; and it also caused the virtual collapse of the Minneapollis Mining Company which had spent $200,000 in the development of the mining region.

Prior to 1887, Nye City consisted of four log cabins, a boarding house, and a saloon. Then came the boom and before the end of that year the town reached the peak of its population of between three and four hundred people. Besides the many log houses which were built, the town had a general store, a hotel, post office, assay office, commissary, smelter, and a laundry.

The laundry was operated by Lee Lute, a small Chinese who washed the clothes of the miners and merchants in a dirt cellar down by the river.

The town had seven saloons, six of which were built of frame and canvas and were destroyed by a strong New Years day wind, only to be replaced by six log buildings. The largest saloon and gambling place was run by Jerry Toohey, who was later killed at Red Lodge. Other saloon keepers were Bob and Johnny Lily.

The general store was owned by Thomas Ross, John Turco, and a man by the name of Dyer. Mr. Turco was also the freighter and made frequent trips to Columbus to bring supplies to the mining town

J. E. Mushback was assayer for the Minneapollis Mining Company. Mr. and Mrs. Mushback also had the Post Office.

The commissary which supplied the mining equipment was run by Jimmy Hedges. who also performed some of the duties of head cook.

The boarding house was run by Mont Sylvester and the hotel was owned by a Mr. Cavanough.

The town was built in a sort of arc which extended from the river to the site of the present Mill building. Ten lots were sold as placer claims. Anyone owning a placer claim was expected to do a certain amount of work on his claim.

Today, M. W. Mouat resides on what would have been the corner of Seventh Street and Spruce Avenue if Nye City had not faded from Montana mining history.

Other prominent people of old Nye City were N.J. Trodinick, who was official boss of the camp, and Steve Trodinick, his brother, who was timekeeper and bookkeeper. A man by the name of Burford had the job of freighting all the machinery and mining equipment from Columbus. He hauled the equipment in with ox teams.

There were very few women in Nye City. Mrs. Seeley, Mrs. Toohey, and Mrs. Mushback were the first three white women Later a few of the miners brought their wives.

In this early , community, schools were unnecessary, churches were unknown, and officers of the law were not wanted. It was a town with only one purpose- the mining and smelting of mineral ores. When that purpose failed, there was nothing for the residents to do but leave.

Mr. and Mrs. John Turco were the last to leave Nyc City, remaining there until 1892. Mrs. Turco has said that at night they would hear the pounding of the settlers and homesteaders who tore down all of the old buildings and moved them away. They also took much of the equipment and machinery. The Mining Company employed a Watchman but he was unable to keep the people out, so nearly everything that was up at Nye City was stolen and hauled away.

The original locators of Nye City were Jack V. Nye, (Jimmy and Jonas Hedges), H. A. Thompson, E. R. Nichols, and E. S. Case. These men were the first prospectors in the region. Jack V. Nye was later an agent for the Minneapolis Mining Co.

One of the early residents of Nye City was "Skookum" Joe Anderson. He was a Norwegian by birth, but from his accent one would have thought that he was English. Skookum Joe, as he was commonly called, did a lot of prospecting between the Stlllwater and the Boulder and over in the vicinity of Iron Mountain. For many years he had a cabin between the Stillwater and the Boulder rivers and every fall he would come down to Nye City and bring some high grade gold ore. No one knew where his mine was located and he was kllled before he could give anyone information about it

Attempts have been made to find his lost gold mine but no one has ever found a trace of it and they probably never will. It is quite possible that Skookum Joe never had a gold mine and that he obtained his gold ore from mining camps over in Boulder or over near Jardine and brought the ore over to Nye City to lead people to think that he had discovered a gold mine.

Dan Countryman had a mail route from Columbus to Nye City. Byron Woods also had this route but at a later date. From Nye City the mail was carried up the Stillwater to Cooke City by Albert Boman and Oliver Kelseth. Pack horses were used to carry the mail to Cooke City in the summer months and in the winter time the mail was carried in by men on snowshoes.

At the time of Nye City, chrome was of little use. The mineral ores which the Mining Company was interested in were copper, silver, and gold. A considerable amount of low grade copper ore was found. Some silver and gold had also been discovered. The Minneapolis Min-ing Company did placer mining for gold on the land between the town and the river.

From 1883 to 1887, Nye City was located in Gallatin County. In 1887, Park county was formed from the eastern part of Gallatin and the mining town was then in Park County. Later in 1895, Sweet Grass was formed and the location of the deserted town was in that county. In 1913, when Stillwater became a county, the site of the old town was within the boundaries of Stillwater County.

In 1942, the Mouat Millsite town was built in the same place where Nye City had stood 65 years before. (After only 3 months of production of chrome ore, with 1900 workers and their families in residence at Mouat and Lake Camp, the mine and mill were closed.) It is interesting to note that now there is not just one but two ghost towns located on the same tract of ground.

Mr. Hanks wrote this history of Nye sometime after 1943 and before 1953. During that year the chrome mine and mill reopened for about eight more years. After that, most of the mineral activity in the area was exploratory until Stillwater Mine received its mining permit in 1984.