Montana is called the Last Best Place for a reason. Our state is one of the last frontiers for exploration and adventure, and although we’ve come across many prehistoric finds and ruins from the past, it’s clear we still have much to discover. Our ghost towns in particular still hold some of the keys to our history, especially Glendale.

Glendale is a ghost town located in Beaverhead County, but in the late 1800s, it was a thriving mining town.
TGSEC / Flickr
At one time, it was home to 2,000 citizens.
Glendale is where you'll find the Canyon Creek Charcoal Kilns, the only known kilns in the Treasure State.
TGSEC / Flickr
The kilns are over 100 years old, and they're remarkably sturdy.
The kilns kilns were used between 1881 and 1900 to reduce 11,665 acres of pine trees down to 19 million bushels of charcoal.
TGSEC / Flickr
The kilns are about 20 feet tall, which surprises a lot of people when they see them.
The Hecla Consolidated Mining Company ran the operation, and the charcoal from the kilns was used to fuel the furnaces at the mining company's silver smelter
TGSEC / Flickr
In 1900, the Glendale the kilns were abandoned.
To see the Canyon Creek Charcoal Kilns, head about five miles past Glendale on Canyon Creek Road.
TGSEC / Flickr
It's fascinating to see this perfectly preserved piece of history.

 

Montana’s fascinating mining history is evident in our ghost towns and abandoned villages. Check out Garnet Ghost Town the next time you’re in the area.

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