Gold Creek (Montana)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gold Creek is both a town and a creek in southwestern Montana, U.S.A, on I-90 between Butte and Missoula.

In 1852, a trapper named Francois Finlay, who was also known as Benetsee or Penetzi, found the first recorded gold in what is now Montana, in what he named Benetsee Creek. Having seen what happened to the fur trade in California when news of gold was released, the powers that be told Finlay to keep his discovery a secret.

In 1858, prospectors James and Granville Stuart and Reese Anderson discovered gold in the creek. This was the first recorded discovery of gold in Montana.

Granville later wrote:

“This prospect hole dug by us was the first prospecting done in what is now Montana and this is the account of the first real discovery of gold within the state.”

The boys didn't have sufficient tools do begin excavating, and were unable to return with the proper equipment until 1862. Hopeful gold miners established a community known as American Fork at the mouth of the creek.

The creek was renamed "Gold Creek" because of the gold found there.

Gold Creek was where the last spike of the Northern Pacific Railway was driven on September 8, 1883.