Spokane Ghost Town
The Black Hills is known for its rich history in mining for gold and other precious minerals. Spokane was once a town hopeful in the search for these gold and riches, but withered into the ghost town that remains today.
History
Between 1873-1930, more than four-hundred ghost towns popped up and disappeared in the Black Hills. Spokane was one of these towns, founded in 1890 in hopes of prospering from the gold in its location. Unfortunately, pioneers of the Black Hills Gold Rush did not find much gold here, but instead discovered silver, copper, zinc, mica, and graphite. Mining these materials brought people to the area to form the small community of Spokane. Spokane saw its most prosperous year in 1927, when the town brought in $114,742. This money went to a new schoolhouse and updates on some town buildings. After this year, however, the small community could not bring in enough money to keep the town going, and by 1940, the town was mostly abandoned. The only person that remained was a watchman, who stayed there until 1980, when the town officially became a ghost town.
Today
To get to the town today, a person must take Highway 16A to Iron Mountain Rd., and then follow it to Forest Service Road 330. Many of the town’s buildings have been burned down by the Forest Service because of structural hazards, but there are a few buildings that still remain, as well as many foundations of previous buildings. The location of the once hopeful town is a popular spot for ghost town hunters, who search for the abandoned towns that once held so many treasures. The area is also a photographer’s playground, as the various structures and vehicles left behind make for fantastic backgrounds and props. Historical buildings and various rusting items are not the only thing to be explored on these grounds. Two geocaches are located in the ghost town, which make for a good combination of old and new treasures. The town is a place that can be explored by all, and all leave with a different adventure.
Sources:
Gussiaas, Mike. "Finding Black Hills Ghost Towns – Spokane, SD." Black Hills & Badlands of South Dakota. Black Hills Travel Blog, 10 Sept. 2015. Web. 1 Mar. 2017.
Coppess, Chad. "Spokane Ghost Town." Dakotagraph. N.p., 16 Nov. 2009. Web. 25 Feb. 2017.
"Spokane, SD - Black Hills Ghost Town Now Home to Geocaches." Exploring Off the Beaten Path. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2017.
The Black Hills is known for its rich history in mining for gold and other precious minerals. Spokane was once a town hopeful in the search for these gold and riches, but withered into the ghost town that remains today.
History
Between 1873-1930, more than four-hundred ghost towns popped up and disappeared in the Black Hills. Spokane was one of these towns, founded in 1890 in hopes of prospering from the gold in its location. Unfortunately, pioneers of the Black Hills Gold Rush did not find much gold here, but instead discovered silver, copper, zinc, mica, and graphite. Mining these materials brought people to the area to form the small community of Spokane. Spokane saw its most prosperous year in 1927, when the town brought in $114,742. This money went to a new schoolhouse and updates on some town buildings. After this year, however, the small community could not bring in enough money to keep the town going, and by 1940, the town was mostly abandoned. The only person that remained was a watchman, who stayed there until 1980, when the town officially became a ghost town.
Today
To get to the town today, a person must take Highway 16A to Iron Mountain Rd., and then follow it to Forest Service Road 330. Many of the town’s buildings have been burned down by the Forest Service because of structural hazards, but there are a few buildings that still remain, as well as many foundations of previous buildings. The location of the once hopeful town is a popular spot for ghost town hunters, who search for the abandoned towns that once held so many treasures. The area is also a photographer’s playground, as the various structures and vehicles left behind make for fantastic backgrounds and props. Historical buildings and various rusting items are not the only thing to be explored on these grounds. Two geocaches are located in the ghost town, which make for a good combination of old and new treasures. The town is a place that can be explored by all, and all leave with a different adventure.
Sources:
Gussiaas, Mike. "Finding Black Hills Ghost Towns – Spokane, SD." Black Hills & Badlands of South Dakota. Black Hills Travel Blog, 10 Sept. 2015. Web. 1 Mar. 2017.
Coppess, Chad. "Spokane Ghost Town." Dakotagraph. N.p., 16 Nov. 2009. Web. 25 Feb. 2017.
"Spokane, SD - Black Hills Ghost Town Now Home to Geocaches." Exploring Off the Beaten Path. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2017.