You never drink twice from the same stream.
Copyright MMXV ALL StoneBearTracks blog posts and photographs ALL Rights reserved
Sept 14, 2009
Virginia City, Montana
Virginia City, Montana is a western mining town... a boom town... and bust. Virginia City at one time was the provisional territory capitol of Montana , until it was wrestled away by Bozeman and eventually Helena. -- Also see Helena, Montana "Last Chance Gulch" post on ITWtracks of the StoneBear -- http://stonebeartracks.blogspot.com/2011/03/last-chance-gulch-helena-montana.html --
The gold rush was on in the 1,860s and Virginia City was a hot gold mining Boomtown.
The life of the gold miners was a rough tumble life. They'd be up at dawn, working their claim; 10 feet of dirt Creekbank that was theirs and anything they could pan out of it. Typical day was to pan gold all day from dusk 'til dark.... or late eve when they'd take their Golddust into the saloons and "weigh out"... tally their daily Gold weight for dollars... most of the time on a credit ledger in the saloon. .... then for the rest of the night spend it on wiskey and saloon women... until dawn. ... then get up and do it again. WHAT a life to be a gold prospector in Helena Montana!!!
Wait a minute!!! ... men that would work hard all day and cavort into the night.... I know these guys; I worked with these guys. I knew Marine buddies that did the same thing. ... I worked with shipyard Cajuns that did this.... i worked with stockbrokers that did this... I worked with contruction workers that did this. .... Dad ! .... I know these guys; I worked and lived with them... god I love 'em!!! These are the guys that lived life to the fullest and built America!
Claims to the 10feet creekbanks were sold,... claims were traded.... worthless claims were sold to greenhorn tinpan newcomers,... claims were jumped by cutthroat scoundrels, ... men / prospectors were killed / beaten to death for worthless claims ... right here in Virginia City. And it has now transformed through history to be one of the old Montana off the beaten path forgotten attractions.
Because there was so much gold / silver mined here... very little banking system... this was the old west lawlessnes. Highwaymen... Robbers, Thieves, Thugs, Scoundrels ran wild here with little consequences for their scullduggery. Prospecting for placer gold was awful hard work; Robbing paid well for little work and less consequences.
But the pendulem always swings back to the other side.
Virginia City, Montana is not just any mining boomtown with rich history... most notably... the origin of the 3 - 7 - 77 Logo that is still on the present Montana State Troopers cars.
Legend is ... Virginia city, MT Vigilantes finally got fed up and took matters into their own hands; Old West Law / Justice.
The vigilante law was --3-- , --7--, --77--.
If you were a thug, robber, scoundrel.... the -3- -7- -77- was painted on your door.... on your linen tent,... your number was up --you have been found out for the riff-raff you are.
It meant... the stage leaves town at 3, the sun sets at 7, & it's 77 miles to Bozeman... the territorial capitol where you might could get a fair trial by official law. Otherwise,... take your chances here w/ the vigilantes western justice of a noose.
The vigilantes hung about 24 thugs (most notably the elected sheriff Henry Plummer and associates) in a couple of months when they cleaned up the town. Several were Hanged in this building. The ropes stayed there for a long time and you can still see their impression on the wooden beams. There was an eerie spooky musty smell about the place. go figure
god I love Montana and their people! --- They understood how to govern!
Old Faithful to Dillon, Montana
Sept 14, 2009
Virginia City, Montana
Virginia City, Montana is a western mining town... a boom town... and bust. Virginia City at one time was the provisional territory capitol of Montana , until it was wrestled away by Bozeman and eventually Helena. -- Also see Helena, Montana "Last Chance Gulch" post on ITWtracks of the StoneBear --
The gold rush was on in the 1,860s and Virginia City was a hot gold mining Boomtown.
The life of the gold miners was a rough tumble life. They'd be up at dawn, working their claim; 10 feet of dirt Creekbank that was theirs and anything they could pan out of it. Typical day was to pan gold all day from dusk 'til dark.... or late eve when they'd take their Golddust into the saloons and "weigh out"... tally their daily Gold weight for dollars... most of the time on a credit ledger in the saloon. .... then for the rest of the night spend it on wiskey and saloon women... until dawn. ... then get up and do it again. WHAT a life to be a gold prospector in Helena Montana!!!
Wait a minute!!! ... men that would work hard all day and cavort into the night.... I know these guys; I worked with these guys. I knew Marine buddies that did the same thing. ... I worked with shipyard Cajuns that did this.... i worked with stockbrokers that did this... I worked with contruction workers that did this. .... Dad ! .... I know these guys; I worked and lived with them... god I love 'em!!! These are the guys that lived life to the fullest and built America!
Claims to the 10feet creekbanks were sold,... claims were traded.... worthless claims were sold to greenhorn tinpan newcomers,... claims were jumped by cutthroat scoundrels, ... men / prospectors were killed / beaten to death for worthless claims ... right here in Virginia City. And it has now transformed through history to be one of the old Montana off the beaten path forgotten attractions.
Because there was so much gold / silver mined here... very little banking system... this was the old west lawlessnes. Highwaymen... Robbers, Thieves, Thugs, Scoundrels ran wild here with little consequences for their scullduggery. Prospecting for placer gold was awful hard work; Robbing paid well for little work and less consequences.
But the pendulem always swings back to the other side.
Virginia City, Montana is not just any mining boomtown with rich history... most notably... the origin of the 3 - 7 - 77 Logo that is still on the present Montana State Troopers cars.
Legend is ... Virginia city, MT Vigilantes finally got fed up and took matters into their own hands; Old West Law / Justice.
The vigilante law was --3-- , --7--, --77--.
If you were a thug, robber, scoundrel.... the -3- -7- -77- was painted on your door.... on your linen tent,... your number was up --you have been found out for the riff-raff you are.
It meant... the stage leaves town at 3, the sun sets at 7, & it's 77 miles to Bozeman... the territorial capitol where you might could get a fair trial by official law. Otherwise,... take your chances here w/ the vigilantes western justice of a noose.
The vigilantes hung about 24 thugs (most notably the elected sheriff Henry Plummer and associates) in a couple of months when they cleaned up the town. Several were Hanged in this building. The ropes stayed there for a long time and you can still see their impression on the wooden beams. There was an eerie spooky musty smell about the place. go figure
god I love Montana and their people! --- They understood how to govern!
You never drink twice from the same stream.
Copyright MMXV ALL StoneBearTracks blog posts and photographs ALL Rights reserved
