The location we are discussing today is the town of Garnet, situated in Montana. This town covers an area of approximately 550 m2, located at an elevation of about 1,830 meters, surrounded by mountainous forests and boasting stunning scenery. There are many abandoned buildings in the town, all over a century old.
According to records, Garnet was established in 1895, more than a decade after gold mines were discovered in the area. Initially named Mitchell, the town consisted of only 10 buildings. With the discovery and operation of over 50 nearby mines, the population of the town quickly grew to more than 1,000 residents.
In western Montana, USA, there is a ghost town that was once very famous. The town
was established in the 1890s, initially serving as a residence for workers and their families employed at the nearby mines, but was abandoned by the early 20th century. Over time, the town gradually turned into a tourist attraction, drawing tens of thousands of visitors each year; however, due to supernatural phenomena reported here, no one dares to stay overnight.
During its heyday, Garnet built many recreational facilities. While the standards were not high, it was known as a “small but well-equipped” town, featuring 13 saloons, 3 hotels, as well as grocery stores, a school, barbershop, jail, etc. Due to the town’s distance from the nearest city, Missoula, more than 30 km away, passing tourists often stayed overnight at the hotels here.
Even the hardest-working miners needed to unwind after a long day. Garnet offered them numerous recreational activities. In addition to conventional dining establishments, there were also saloons and other activities, with the town frequently hosting parties and dances.
As mining operations expanded, the gold mines gradually depleted. Like most mining towns, Garnet began to decline. Following a fire in 1912, most buildings were destroyed, and increasing numbers of people chose to leave.
Garnet is a mountainous town that once thrived in the late 19th century when it was discovered to be a source of precious metals. However, this prosperity lasted only for a short time. By the 1940s, rapid and extensive mining led to the depletion of the gold and silver mines. After that, Garnet became a ghost town, with its former residents leaving one by one.
In 1937, during the presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the price of gold in the U.S. skyrocketed. Many miners returned to Garnet in hopes of striking it rich. However, due to World War II, trade was impacted, and the town collapsed again by 1940. Once more, it was abandoned.
In 2010, due to the town’s unique historical significance, it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places and designated as “Garnet Historic District” under the supervision of the National Park Service. Although no one lives there anymore, Garnet has become a tourist attraction, open to the public year-round, welcoming about 16,000 visitors each year.
The town of Garnet has been abandoned for so long that its infrastructure is very poor.
To better protect this town, the Bureau of Land Management issued a call for volunteers in 2015. The announcement stated that volunteers would be responsible for caring for the town, assisting the public with tours, planning exhibitions, and working in the gift shop. However, due to Garnet’s prolonged abandonment, the infrastructure is severely lacking, with no electricity or water supply, and there is no mobile phone signal or Wi-Fi. This is simply a hardship for those accustomed to modern living.
In an article titled Montana Chillers published in the Helena Independent Record, journalist Ellen Baumler wrote about Garnet: “At midnight, those passing through hear the ghostly fingers gliding over piano keys, the eerie music wafting through the empty houses, echoing even louder. Especially in the frigid winter months, strange noises can also be heard.”
Although the Bureau of Land Management received numerous applications, ultimately no one submitted a proposal due to rumors about the mystical phenomena in the small town of Garnet. Some tourists reported hearing laughter and piano music coming from the saloon, with ghostly figures seen passing through it. Inside, footsteps and the sound of doors closing were occasionally heard from other rooms, and some claimed to have seen ghostly footprints in the snow during the winter. These rumors have become popular in the local area. If you were given the opportunity, would you choose to work and live in seclusion here?
According to the website Examiner.com, there are three visitors who return to this small town every summer to continue their exploration of this incredibly mysterious land.
