Bannack

Bannack, Montana, United States

Whatever you believe about ghosts, there’s no denying that Southwest Montana has its fair share of stories of the dead-but-not-yet-departed. The tales of these ghostly denizens range from the tragic and terrifying to the touching and sweet.

45 E Mercury St
Butte, MT

In its heyday, the red-light district of Butte was said to rival the larger districts of San Francisco and New Orleans. The Dumas itself, purpose-built in 1890, is the longest running brothel in the United States, only shutting its doors in 1982 — 65 years after Montana outlawed prostitution. By the time the brothel was shuttered and Ruby Garrett, the last madam, was imprisoned for tax fraud, the Dumas was an oddity, but during the late 1800s and early 1900s, the hotel was just one of many such establishments along Mercury Street in Uptown Butte.

721 Bannack Rd
Dillon, MT

Bannack. The once-bright star of Montana, now a ruin. A town in arrested decay. The sun glints blindly off of the few remaining storefronts, stores with neither wares nor customers. The saloons do not hum with music, mule trains no longer clog main street, and the town’s five thousand plus residents no longer throng the boardwalks with the promise of gold glittering in their eyes. Ghosts walk the streets of Bannack.

266 Warren Ln
Deer Lodge, MT

Grant-Kohrs Ranch is open year-round, inviting visitors to step back in time and experience the life of the American cowboy. Don’t miss an opportunity to stop by while you are in the region. You never know what ghostly encounter you may have! Paranormal encounters run the gamut at the ranch, with many reporting the diverse experiences they have had on the property.

325 N Park Ave
Helena, MT

The haunting of Grandstreet Theatre is nationally renowned, and even included in Haunted Places: The National Directory. This turn-of-the-century granite Romanesque structure originally served as a Unitarian Church, opening its doors in 1901.

308 W Idaho St
Virginia City, MT

A former hospital, now the Bonanza Inn, is the site of several hair-raising tales of things that go bump in the night. There is, however, one ghostly figure who doesn't quite fit the mold, which Montana historian and ghost-story-teller par excellence Ellen Baumler recounts on her blog - check out the link!

1104 Main St
Deer Lodge, MT

The Old Montana Prison (now a Museum Complex) served as the Montana State Prison from 1870 until 1979 when the last prisoners were moved to the new facility west of town. The most well-known incident at the Old Deer Lodge Prison – which made international news – was the 1959 riots. During these riots, inmates held the prison for nearly 36 hours, locked guards in “the hole,” murdered the deputy warden, and held the warden hostage demanding better conditions before the National Guard was called in and the incident ended with the murder-suicide of Lee Smart and Jerry Myles (those who had organized the riot) in the northwest tower of the penitentiary. It's safe to say that restless souls wander this complex.