Montana has quite a few ghost towns, most of which are more charming than creepy. But most of them don’t have the colorful history and rumored hauntings of Bannack, Montana. This ghost town feels a little more eerie than the rest. In 1862, when gold was discovered in Grasshopper Creek by John White and other members of the Colorado Pikes Peakers, Bannack was founded. By the next year, 3,000 people called it home, and the city was thriving. Come along as I show you how eerie meets historical in some really fascinating ways!

The area grew fast and stayed popular for years, but when the mining slowed down after the end of the gold rush, the population dwindled. By 1940, the town was shut down.
Tjflex2/Flickr
But what makes Bannack, MT feel so creepy has nothing to do with the lack of population. It has to do with its history. Henry Plummer was elected sheriff of the town not long after its beginnings, and unbeknownst to the residents, he was the leader of a secret band of thieves and murderers called the Innocents.
The Innocents began to terrorize the travelers between Bannack and Virginia City.
Tjflex2/Flickr
Over 100 men were harmed or lost their lives. Eventually, Henry Plummer was found out and hanged by a group of vigilantes who ended up executing the majority of the Innocents.
Bannack’s unsettling history gives it a creepy vibe...
Tom Hart/Flickr
... but that’s not the only thing that will cause the hair on the back of your neck to stand up if you visit. There have been multiple ghost sightings in the buildings that still stand.

Related Stories

This Breathtaking Drone Footage Of A Montana Ghost Town Will Captivate You

This Breathtaking Drone Footage Of A Montana Ghost Town Will Captivate You

 You Can Spend The Night At These 4 Spooky Ghost Towns In Montana

You Can Spend The Night At These 4 Spooky Ghost Towns In Montana

 There's A Terrifying Abandoned Tunnel In Montana And It's Not For The Faint Of Heart

There's A Terrifying Abandoned Tunnel In Montana And It's Not For The Faint Of Heart
The Hotel Meade, which was originally built as a courthouse in 1875, has had numerous reportings of ghostly activity.
Meredith Rendall Photography/Flickr
A teenage girl named Dorothy who drowned in the pond along Grasshopper Creek is often seen (mostly by children), and an old woman has been spotted in the second floor window.
Arthur T. LaBar/Flickr
Other sightings of women dressed in fine clothing have been reported throughout town. Some people have also heard children’s voices.
Chrismans’ Store, the old general store, was once a gathering place for the men in town to chat about local news and their lives.
cyclewidow/Flickr
Many have reported feeling a presence in the building, and occasionally entities can be seen grouped together, as if they are a group of people having a conversation. Returning to the classic general store in Montana ambiance would be great!
What is creepiest of all is that the grave of Henry Plummer was allegedly vandalized, possibly more than once.
Tjflex2/Flickr
At one point, two men passing through town got drunk at the bar and decided to dig up the grave and decapitate the body. That would probably anger any ghost. If you don't care for cemetery visits, this may make you even more wary!

Bannack State Park is a beautiful place to visit. You can even camp about a quarter of a mile from the ghost town site, if you dare. But don’t be surprised if you see a bit more than you bargained for. What do you think about all of this Bannack, MT history? Do you have any great Bannack photos to share? Do you know of any other ghost towns in MT?

If you’d like to explore hikes around Bannack, you can find some great trails by going to the overall AllTrails website.

If you enjoy the outdoors, be sure to read These 4 Winter Waterfall Hikes In Montana Are The Cure For Cabin Fever.

These 4 Winter Waterfall Hikes In Montana Are The Cure For Cabin Fever

 

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

More to Explore

More to Love About Montana

Lysa Allman-Baldwin | February 06, 2024

Where can we find the best steakhouses in Montana?

  • The Mint Cafe and Bar in Belgrade is an upscale, circa-1904 steakhouse and one of the best in the state.
  • The Land of Magic in Logan serves up great steaks and other fare in an old-fashioned log building.
  • The McAllister Inn, located in its namesake town of McAllister, serves elegant steaks, burgers, and occasional prime rib specials.

Read on to learn more about some of the many other delicious steakhouses in Montana.

Where can we find lakes in Montana?

  • Cliff Lake near the Idaho border is an over 40-acre glacial cirque lake offering dramatic mountain views.
  • Dewey Lake in the town of the same name is known for its great trout fishing.
  • Lake Como in the Bitterroot Valley is a popular spot for boating, waterskiing, and fishing.

Read on to learn more about the many other beautiful lakes in Montana.

Where can we find ghost towns in Montana?

  • The Granite Ghost Town State Park in Philipsburg is the home of an old mining camp from around 1872 that was once the world’s richest silver mine.
  • Virginia City was the state of Montana’s original capital, and from here can embark upon a train ride to nearby Nevada City, which is also an abandoned ghost town.
  • Garnet is Montana’s best preserved ghost town and visitors will find several remnants of this former mining town.

Read on to learn more about some of the many other spooky ghost towns in Montana.

 

Related Articles

Explore Montana

Featured Addresses
Bannack, MT 59725, USA