The discovery of silver in 1879 in Galena Creek southwest of here created a transportation challenge for miners in the early 1880's, who needed to bring in mining supplies and haul ore out to distant railroads and markets. At first, freighters known as bull whackers used large teams of oxen, mules, or horses to haul supplies from nearby Ft. Benton, the uppermost reach of steamboats on the Missouri River, but this was slow and the sticky gumbo clay roads were terrible when wet. In 1890 the Montana Central Railroad was extended from Great Falls to Monarch, and a year later to Neihart to transport ore. A new silver smelter in Great Falls began receiving ore shipments from these mountains in 1897. During its 55 years of existence, the train and track carried not just supplies and ordinary passengers, but also campers, fishermen, fish, and partygoers.