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. 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. 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 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.
Tjflex2/Flickr The Innocents began to terrorize the travelers between Bannack and Virginia City. 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.
pattys-photos/Flickr Bannack’s unsettling history gives it a creepy vibe, 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 sightings of ghosts in the buildings that still stand.
Meredith Rendall Photography/Flickr The Hotel Meade, which was originally built as a courthouse in 1875, has had numerous reportings of ghostly activity. 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.
cyclewidow/Flickr Chrismans’ Store, the old general store, was once a gathering place for the men in town to chat about local news and their lives. 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.
Tjflex2/Flickr What is creepiest of all is that the grave of Henry Plummer was allegedly vandalized, possibly more than once. 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.
Bannack State Park is a beautiful place to visit. You can even camp about ¼ mile from the ghost town site, if you dare. But don’t be surprised if you see a bit more than you bargained for.
Tjflex2/Flickr
But what makes Bannack 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. 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.
pattys-photos/Flickr
Bannack’s unsettling history gives it a creepy vibe, 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 sightings of ghosts in the buildings that still stand.
Meredith Rendall Photography/Flickr
The Hotel Meade, which was originally built as a courthouse in 1875, has had numerous reportings of ghostly activity. 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.
cyclewidow/Flickr
Chrismans’ Store, the old general store, was once a gathering place for the men in town to chat about local news and their lives. 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.
What is creepiest of all is that the grave of Henry Plummer was allegedly vandalized, possibly more than once. 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.
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