A Note on our Heritage

 

Bannack embodies the spirit of the Old West.

 

The stately Hotel Meade...

The picturesque Masonic Temple...

The melody of weathered wood tones...

The brusque reminders of faded dreams...

 

Altogether, they blend into a symphony of the past that once was Bannack, Queen of the Gold Camps and Birthplace of Montana Territory.

 

Each year thousands upon thousands of people from all over the world come to walk once again its dusty streets, tread its weathered boardwalks, and experience the past envisioned in its faded glory.

 

For over a century its skeletons of board and brick have stood silent sentinel to Montana's mining spirit and to the very origins of Montana itself.

 

Despite the ravages of nature and man, Bannack has survived with much of its dignity and its raw beauty intact. It has not been by accident.

 

Through careful attention, first by individual property owners, and later through the effort of the Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Department of the State of Montana, many of the landmarks of Bannack have been preserved for the enjoyment of those yet to come.

 

Each year weather and vandalism take its toll on these historic buildings and surroundings. Although the State of Montana, through Bannack State Park, works hard in its preservation efforts, it is an endless task.