In total darkness, with hands uplifted, Wilber F. Sanders administered the oath.
“Men, do your duty.”
If history has any say in the matter, that duty entailed killing upwards of 100 thieves and murderers (in the day, road agents, one of whom was the local sheriff) by what came to be known as Montana’s Alder Gulch Vigilantes.
“Men, do your duty.”
If history has any say in the matter, that duty entailed killing upwards of 100 thieves and murderers (in the day, road agents, one of whom was the local sheriff) by what came to be known as Montana’s Alder Gulch Vigilantes.
Halfway between Butte and Helena, Montana the present gives way to the past.
No thieves and murderers the day of our visit to Virginia City, the epicenter of the fevered Gold Rush of 1863-1864 that put this town on the map. Just a sleepy Old West town of 200, give or take a dozen or so people, now frozen in time, a ghost of a town spared the typical demise thanks to Montana’s dry climate and the financial resources of Montana Senator Charles Bovey (heir to a milling corporation, later known as General Mills) and his wife, Sue Ford Bovey.
A passion for Western history prompted the Boveys to buy the first of over 100 mostly abandoned houses and shops in Virginia City following their initial visit to the area in 1944. Recognizing the importance of preserving Montana’s heritage and history, Bovey enlisted the help of historians and local citizens to save the town from self-destruction (many of the empty, old dilapidated buildings were systematically being used for scrap lumber or for firewood).
Holy history! Time can be such a brutal beast.
A passion for Western history prompted the Boveys to buy the first of over 100 mostly abandoned houses and shops in Virginia City following their initial visit to the area in 1944. Recognizing the importance of preserving Montana’s heritage and history, Bovey enlisted the help of historians and local citizens to save the town from self-destruction (many of the empty, old dilapidated buildings were systematically being used for scrap lumber or for firewood).
Holy history! Time can be such a brutal beast.
The home of former slave and astute businesswoman Sarah Bickford at the turn of the 19th century.
The State of Montana now owns the National Historic Landmark; the Montana Heritage Commission manages it.
We owned the afternoon (well, truth be told, three hours of that lovely Montana day a month ago) before it was on to Yellowstone National Park. We set out along the rickety boardwalk
to do a little panning for gold, so to speak, heeding the advice of our fearless leader and tour guide, Conrad, as per our first stop.
The least we could do for our fearless leader (second from the right) was treat him to a treat.
Once fortified (first things first), we began our foray into the past. Virginia City’s Fairweather Inn was as good a place as any to start. It was so named for the prospector who garnered most of the credit for discovering one of the richest gold deposits in North America - $90 million at the time, $40 billion in today’s dollars.
Some are not meant for good fortune. Bill Fairweather died of hard living at the age 39. His remains lie above Alder's Gulch in Hillside Cemetery.
Holy motherlode, that’s a hefty helping of zeroes!
Of course, not all those zeroes belonged to Bill Fairweather. Seems Bill and his five prospecting buddies had a hard time keeping a lid on their good fortune. And just like that, in the time it takes to rustle up some grub, upwards of 10,000 people were camped out along a 14-mile stretch of Alder Gulch under Montana's Big Sky or in mud huts, ramshackle tents and lean-to shacks.
Of course, not all those zeroes belonged to Bill Fairweather. Seems Bill and his five prospecting buddies had a hard time keeping a lid on their good fortune. And just like that, in the time it takes to rustle up some grub, upwards of 10,000 people were camped out along a 14-mile stretch of Alder Gulch under Montana's Big Sky or in mud huts, ramshackle tents and lean-to shacks.
Looks like the family just kept growing and growing!
Claims were filed for towns bearing the names of Pine Grove, Highland, Summit, Virginia City, Central City, Nevada, and Adobetown. Montana was coming into her own thanks to Virginia City, the only town to survive the boom and bust of the Alder Gulch Gold Rush between 1863 and 1875.
Seems all that gold even caught the attention of the federal government and one Abraham Lincoln, then President of the United States; a Civil War raging on the east coast made Virginia City’s gold very attractive to both sides. Did I mention the great majority of the Territory’s inhabitants were secessionists?
As the story goes, the claim filed on June 16, 1863 to establish a township in the midst of all the mining activity was to bear the name Varina. Varina Howell Davis was the first and only First Lady of the Confederate States of American, wife of Jefferson Davis, then President of the Confederate States. Seems Dr. Gaylord Bissell, the Connecticut judge (and staunch Unionist) entrusted with recording the deed, objected to the choice. Records of that transaction bear the city name Virginia. Ah, yes, the pen is always mightier than the sword.
Seems all that gold even caught the attention of the federal government and one Abraham Lincoln, then President of the United States; a Civil War raging on the east coast made Virginia City’s gold very attractive to both sides. Did I mention the great majority of the Territory’s inhabitants were secessionists?
As the story goes, the claim filed on June 16, 1863 to establish a township in the midst of all the mining activity was to bear the name Varina. Varina Howell Davis was the first and only First Lady of the Confederate States of American, wife of Jefferson Davis, then President of the Confederate States. Seems Dr. Gaylord Bissell, the Connecticut judge (and staunch Unionist) entrusted with recording the deed, objected to the choice. Records of that transaction bear the city name Virginia. Ah, yes, the pen is always mightier than the sword.
No trade secrets divulged the day of our visit.
President Lincoln followed suit on May 25, 1864, securing all that gold for the Union when he signed into law the Montana Territory, organized out of the existing Idaho Territory.
Between June, 1863 and May, 1864, the battle for Virginia City’s gold also ensued between Virginia City “road agents” and the secret organization known as the Montana Vigilantes. Travelers heading into and out of Virginia City with all that gold were easy prey for thieves and murderers thought to be part of Sheriff Henry Plummer’s gang from nearby Bannack. With the law on their side, justice hardly prevailed.
Enter frontier justice on December 23, 1863. The secret organization of Montana Vigilantes followed the model of the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance. Sheriff Plummer was hanged on January 10, 1864. With the ensuing deaths of more than 20 members of his “Innocents” gang, order was restored, at least as much as could be expected in the Wild West.
By October, 1864, Hezekiah L. Hosmer, a lawyer from Ohio, arrived to serve as the first Chief Justice for the Territory of Montana. On December 6, 1864, in a bold move, Hosmer announced during a Grand Jury session in Virginia City that the vigilantes had served their purpose and from this day forward unilateral actions by the vigilantes would be considered criminal acts.
In a nod to Montana’s vigilante justice, the mysterious combination of numbers associated with the vigilantes, 3-7-77, were added in 1956 to the patch worn by Montana Highway Patrol troopers. The following was lifted directly from the website, Association of Montana Troopers.
Between June, 1863 and May, 1864, the battle for Virginia City’s gold also ensued between Virginia City “road agents” and the secret organization known as the Montana Vigilantes. Travelers heading into and out of Virginia City with all that gold were easy prey for thieves and murderers thought to be part of Sheriff Henry Plummer’s gang from nearby Bannack. With the law on their side, justice hardly prevailed.
Enter frontier justice on December 23, 1863. The secret organization of Montana Vigilantes followed the model of the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance. Sheriff Plummer was hanged on January 10, 1864. With the ensuing deaths of more than 20 members of his “Innocents” gang, order was restored, at least as much as could be expected in the Wild West.
By October, 1864, Hezekiah L. Hosmer, a lawyer from Ohio, arrived to serve as the first Chief Justice for the Territory of Montana. On December 6, 1864, in a bold move, Hosmer announced during a Grand Jury session in Virginia City that the vigilantes had served their purpose and from this day forward unilateral actions by the vigilantes would be considered criminal acts.
In a nod to Montana’s vigilante justice, the mysterious combination of numbers associated with the vigilantes, 3-7-77, were added in 1956 to the patch worn by Montana Highway Patrol troopers. The following was lifted directly from the website, Association of Montana Troopers.
The most widely accepted theory today is that the numbers represent the dimensions of a grave: 3 feet wide, 7 feet deep, and 77 inches (6 feet 5 inches) long. The idea behind this is that if the “Road Agent” did not leave town within a given amount of time (3 hours, 7 minutes, 77 seconds), they would find themselves in such a grave.
Another theory is that the numbers represent certain persons in the group from their earlier days in the mining camps of California. Most of the Vigilantes came from California and followed the gold from there to Montana. Many of the Montana miners had belonged to vigilante organizations in California where only numbers were used. This theory indicates that three prominent California vigilantes (3, 7, and 77) came to Montana and offered their expertise. This same theory applies to Colorado as well.
A third theory explains that the numbers signify the vocations of persons involved in the organization: 3 lawyers, 7 merchants, and 77 miners.
Perhaps one of the most well-known theories is that the Vigilantes were formed by the Masonic order. In this theory, 3 represents the number present at the first Masonic meeting in Montana, 7 the quorum, and 77 signified the number of Masons present at the first activity in the Territory, the funeral of Brother William Bell (Bell was the 77th Mason present).
Another theory is that the numbers represent certain persons in the group from their earlier days in the mining camps of California. Most of the Vigilantes came from California and followed the gold from there to Montana. Many of the Montana miners had belonged to vigilante organizations in California where only numbers were used. This theory indicates that three prominent California vigilantes (3, 7, and 77) came to Montana and offered their expertise. This same theory applies to Colorado as well.
A third theory explains that the numbers signify the vocations of persons involved in the organization: 3 lawyers, 7 merchants, and 77 miners.
Perhaps one of the most well-known theories is that the Vigilantes were formed by the Masonic order. In this theory, 3 represents the number present at the first Masonic meeting in Montana, 7 the quorum, and 77 signified the number of Masons present at the first activity in the Territory, the funeral of Brother William Bell (Bell was the 77th Mason present).
Don’t you just love all the history and the mystery!? It was all there in Virginia City. Among the artifacts, the Opera House;
Thespian and fellow vagabond, Iris, had the leading role at the Opera House the day of our visit.
the Dance & Stuart General Merchandise; the bank;
 Plenty of goods and services in the day to help you part with your money/gold. |  Two sweet treats - money and ice cream. |
the S.L. Simpson Barber Shop;
Simpson undoubtedly considered his own brand of vigilante justice every once in a while.
the Frank Prasch Blacksmith Shop; the C.F. Sauerbier Blacksmith;
 In the day, this building was probably a dance hall or saloon run by owner John Trollman. |  Making money as a blacksmith was a shoe-in. |
a saloon, and one Mills Gypsy Verbal Fortune Teller worth millions with an uncanny resemblance to Zoltar, the fortune-telling machine in the Tom Hanks movie, “Big”;
 Surprise there weren't more of these in VC. |  It's Freaky Friday every day of the week with Ms. Mills. |
the H. McGovern Dry Goods and Notions; the Spencer Watkins Memorial Museum;
 Iris making a squeeze play with Jim and Bob. |  Everything you need to know in one handy place. |
and one vintage Ford, Model T, circa 1915, that belonged to Charles Bovey. Nice touch!
Okay Sandy and Bob, how about we head to the nearest drive-in?
Some of the buildings were originals; others reproductions. All represented an extraordinary piece of Montana’s past courtesy of one pioneering patron and a classy lady that still goes by the name Virginia.
Here's to another 150 years, Virginia!
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Here's to another 150 years, Virginia!
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