Old West

You’ve got to love the place. It has character; it has history; it has local heroes – and it had bad guys.

Nevada City, Mont., offers noncommercialized, preserved Old West history at its best.

At first, it’s a little confusing. This Nevada City is not in the state of Nevada.

It was a town of several hundred people whose homes and businesses were leveled in the quest for gold. Yet, there are more than 100 mostly preserved and some restored buildings on the town site.

Nevada City was one of a series of towns built along Alder Gulch in what was then Montana Territory. The rush for gold in the 1860s created a demand for mining supplies and services, so a string of towns was mostly thrown together.

Other towns along the gulch were Junction City, Adobetown, Central City, Union City, Summit and Virginia City, housing a total population of around 7,000. There was gold – and lots of it.

That is where the bad guys come in. These guys were really bad. It is estimated they were responsible for 102 murders and stole $250,000 in gold. They called themselves “The Innocents.”

One of the bad-guy leaders, Henry Plummer, was elected sheriff. Nevada City was a stronghold for Plummer and his gang.

Enter the good guys. In 1863, the townsfolk had had enough and put together a vigilante group called “The Stranglers,” who took their name seriously. During 1863, they hanged 23 of the robbers and murderers and ran the rest out of town.

Even today, that reputation of watching out for one another allows residents to leave their doors unlocked. Crime is practically nonexistent in the area.

The vigilantes may have saved the town from the bad guys, but they couldn’t save it from the miners. In the quest for gold by dredging Alder Creek, most of the buildings in Nevada City were destroyed.

But the story of Nevada City was not over. Enter modern-day heroes Charles and Sue Bovey, who visited the Alder Gulch area in the 1940s and fell in love with the buildings and the history.

Charlie Bovey was a successful rancher in Montana and had some extra money. Local folks in Virginia City thought he was rich and crazy.

He would offer $100 to the owner of one of the mining town’s original buildings that wasn’t worth that much in materials for demolition. Most owners quickly agreed to sell, and Bovey’s reputation grew.

From the 1940s to the 1960s, Bovey would be offered historic buildings in remote Montana towns. He generally would dismantle the buildings log by log, transport them to Nevada City and rebuild them.

Over time, a fire station, barbershop, two schools, cabins, general store, saddlery and others joined the town’s 13 remaining original buildings. Many of the buildings date prior to 1900.

The jail is from Sun River, one of the homes is from Junction City, a school is from Twin Bridges and a blacksmith shop is from Augusta. The music hall came from the old Canyon Village in Yellowstone National Park.

Inside the hall are several antique coin-operated music machines that still work – and more that don’t. According to the state curator, John Ellingsen, the collection is one of the best in the country. He also maintains and services the collection.

It’s hard not to speak about Virginia City in the same breath as Nevada City. If you visit one town, you certainly will go to the other, too. They are only one mile apart by highway and are connected in the summer by a small passenger train.

Limited – but interesting – accommodations can be found in both towns.

Nevada City has two possibilities for overnight sleeping.

The Nevada City Hotel is the first choice. The building was used as a stage stop in the town of Twin Bridges during the 1860s. It was moved to Nevada City and rebuilt on the site of the town’s original hotel. Next to the hotel are rustic log cabins that can be rented during the tourist season.

Virginia City has another hotel, several B&Bs and a campground as well as several places to eat and shop.

Walking the main streets of Nevada City is a historical kick in the pants. If you own cowboy boots, wear them. Heroes come in all flavors.

If you like history, you’ve got to love the Boveys and the town they preserved with buildings from another time and place.

Nevada City is a five-star ghost town.