Ghost Town Tuesdays; Nevada City, Montana

Back 2015 I was traveling to Yellowstone National Park from Glacier National Park. My route took me through Montana State Route 287 which crossed through Nevada City in the Rockies of Madison County.

Nevada City is located at approximately 5,700 feet above sea level was settled in 1863 after placer mining claims were staked in Alder Gulch. Nevada City essentially was a suburb of the much larger Virginia City but actually managed to incorporate first in 1865. Nevada City being tied to mining claims started to decline by the mid-1870s falling to a population of about 100. By 1880 the US Census showed on 50 people living in Nevada City occupying only 16 structures. In 1896 a construction project to widen Alder Gulch destroyed much of the original town site of Nevada City.

Presently there are only 14 original buildings that were originally part of Nevada City. Most of Nevada City is consists of over 80 additional buildings that were brought in from other sites which are maintained by the State of Montana.

MT 287 was originally signed MT 34 and oddly connects to US Route 287 to the east in nearby Ennis. According to the topographical maps I've looked at on historicaerials MT 34 was renumbered to MT 287 sometime between 1986 and 1989. US Route 287 was extended north of Yellowstone in 1965 but it seems that Montana signed the current route as MT 287 at least through Ennis as a renumbering of MT 1 from some point after 1958.

Comments

Former US Route 50 and the Pioneer Route Lincoln Highway on Johnson's Pass Road

Johnson's Pass Road is one of the oldest highway corridors in California. Johnson's Pass was part of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road as it was completed during 1856 over the Sierra Nevada. The pass would later be incorporated into the Pioneer Branch of the Lincoln Highway in 1913 and US Route 50 in 1926. Johnson's Pass Road would be bypassed by a new alignment of US Route 50 over Echo Summit in 1938. A replacement of the Meyers Grade east of Johnson's Pass would be opened to traffic in 1947. Johnson's Pass Road remains accessible to traffic and is still signed by the Lincoln Highway Association. Pictured as the blog cover is the view from the top of Johnson's Pass Road overlooking modern US Route 50 and Lake Tahoe. Part 1; the history of Johnson's Pass Much of the history of what become the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road is discussed in the September 1950 California Highways & Public Works during its Centennial Edition. The or...

Former US Route 50 and the South Lincoln Highway from Folsom east to Placerville

The corridor of Folsom of Sacramento County east to Placerville of El Dorado County has been a long established corridor of overland travel dating back to the California Gold Rush. The Folsom-Placerville corridor was once part of the path of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road which became the first California State Highway and later the South Lincoln Highway. In time the South Lincoln Highway's surface alignment was inherited by US Route 50. The Folsom-Placerville corridor also includes the communities of; Clarksville, Shingle Springs and El Dorado. Part 1; the history of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road, South Lincoln Highway and US Route 50 through Folsom-Placerville Folsom is located on the American River/Lake Natoma of eastern Sacramento County. That lands now occupied by the City of Folsom were part of Rancho Rio de los Americanos prior to the finding of gold at Sutter's Mill during 1848. During the California Gold Rush the lands of Rancho Rio de los Americanos were p...

Abandoned US Route 40 in the Truckee River Canyon

Within the Truckee River Canyon in the Sierra Nevada range numerous abandoned portions of US Route 40 can be found alongside modern Interstate 80. This segment of highway was opened during 1926 as a bypass of the Dog Valley Grade which carried the early North Lincoln Highway and Victory Highway. The corridor of the Truckee River Canyon State Highway would be assigned as US Route 40 when the US Route System was commissioned during November 1926. During 1958 the segment of Interstate 80 between Boca, California and the Nevada state line was complete. When Interstate 80 opened east of Boca numerous obsolete portions of US Route 40 were abandoned. Some of these abandoned segments have been incorporated into the Tahoe-Pyramid Trail. Part 1; the history of US Route 40 in the Truckee River Canyon The Truckee River Canyon for centuries has been an established corridor of travel known to native tribes crossing the Sierra Nevada range. The first documented wagon crossi...

Gribblenation

Search This Blog