Hecla was a town in Beaverhead County, Montana, United States. It has been designated as a ghost town, with only a few ruined buildings remaining. It was notable at one time as the home of Blanche Lamont, who taught at Hecla's one-room schoolhouse. [1] Lamont would become the first of two murder victims of Theodore Durrant. Margaret Brown also lived there for a time. [2]
The Hecla Mining District was "on the side of Lion Mountain, and was also referred to as the Glendale and/or Bryant Mining District, which was strung out along ten miles of gulches, the four towns included Trapper City, Lion City, Glendale, and Hecla." [3]
In 1881, the Hecla Company reorganized and came under the direction of Henry Knippenberg. Shortly after he assumed control, Knippenberg had the town of Hecla built a mile away from Lion City ... Transportation from the mine was improved with the construction of a four mile-long, narrow-gauge tramway from Hecla to the mill.
The town of Hecla grew to some 1,500 to 1,800 persons, with a water works system, fire protection, a church, a school for 200 pupils, and other businesses typical of a small mining camp. [4]
The General Merchandise operations in Hecla, run by H.W. Kappes, were "absorbed by the Hecla Mercantile & Banking Company in 1886. The Hecla Mercantile was a subsidiary of the Hecla Consolidated Mining Company based out of Glendale, Montana." [5] The only remaining structure in Hecla is Hecla House. The log building built in 1881 was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. [6]
The Canyon Creek Charcoal Kilns are still standing, though in various states of decay. They were built in 1881 and used continuously until the Glendale smelter closed in 1900. [7] The kilns produced charcoal to fuel the silver smelter. [8] The conical structures are 22 feet high and have a 24 foot exterior diameter. [7]
The area "was hard hit when the Sherman Silver Purchase Act was repealed in 1893." [3] [9]
"The district can be reached from I-15 near Melrose at Exit 93 on Trapper Creek Road. Glendale is about five miles and Lion City and Hecla, another 7 miles or so. A four wheel drive or ATV is recommended." [3]
