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Mineral County, Montana
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Stories
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Travelers frequently report seeing deer and elk alongside the road and an occasional bear is spotted. Such observances are commonplace to local residents and just taken for granted. Fishing stories abound and sometimes it becomes difficult to separate fact from fiction. However, with the abundance of good size trout from both the Clark Fork and St. Regis rivers available to the angler, fabricating a story about the one that got away seems somewhat un-necessary. Nearly every traveler is familiar with the Gideon Organization, but few know where it got its start. The idea of making bibles available to weary travelers was born at the original Superior Hotel in Superior. The hotel is now gone and has been replaced by another business with a plaque attached to the front of the building commemorating that event in 1908. |
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Winter activities abound in the Superior area. Cross county skiing, snowmobiling; sledding, ice skating and good road conditions all winter long assure you of finding the perfect spot for winter fun. A short drive-in just about any direction will put you at some of the finest downhill ski runs in the country. As we have mentioned, summertime offers the angler some of the best trout fishing to be found anywhere. Hiking and backpacking will take you into areas with alpine lakes and serene beauty. Rafting, swimming, boating, camping and just about any other outdoor activity you can think of will make your time pass all too quickly. At day's end you'll find rest comes easy with cool night time temperatures; clean mountain air and only the sound of the wind in the pines to lull you to sleep. You'll find yourself at peace after an eventful day in our portion of the Big Sky Country. |
History
The first travelers in Mineral County were Captain John Mullan and his men in 1859. They were under orders to build a wagon road some 624 miles long that was to stretch from Walla Walla, Washington, to Fort Benton, Montana.
Since no one, not even Indians, ever travelled this way, there were no trails to follow. It was the first road in the West to be built by engineering principles. The ability of Captain Mullan and his men is evident in that the route of their road was not changed For many years. The durability of the road is also evident in that several portions still survive and can be seen as you travel Interstate 90 through Mineral County.
In 1869 the discovery of gold on Cedar Creek by L.A. Barrette created an immediate stampede to the area. As among the first to arrive were merchants and businessmen from Frenchtown and Hellgate, which is now Missoula, it was considered one of the most lawful and organized of all gold rushes.
In 1870 a census showed just under 1700 people in the county with most engaged in some sort of mining activity. Ten years later only 265 persons remained with most becoming permanent residents and by 1900 the county was fairly stable consisting of merchants, trades and professionals. At the present time there are several operating mining interests with placer mines still producing sizable amounts of gold. Silver, copper, lead and zinc are also of economic importance to the county.
Situated in the western section of Montana, Mineral County is bounded by Missoula and Sanders counties and the state of Idaho. It has a total area of 1223 square miles and the Clark Fork and St. Regis rivers constitute almost all of the water surface area in the county.
Most of the county topography is quite rugged with elevations ranging from 2500 to 8000 feet above sea level. Most of the land is covered by forests of the Lolo National Forest.
The population is spread relatively evenly through the center of the county and generally clusters near transportation routes and the river valleys. Federal, state and secondary highways serve the county, including lnterstate 90.
In 1914 the city of Superior was named the county seat of the newly created county.
The outstanding hunting and fishing in the Superior area brings people from all over the United States to try their luck. It's not unusual to see license plates on cars from Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, California and even the international community is represented from Canada and Mexico and occasionally even from overseas.
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Alberton & Superior
West End (Haugan)
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