Nevada City

In 1863, nine booming gold camps sprawled along remote Alder Gulch, with Nevada City and Virginia City the largest. In December 1863, Nevada City’s main street was the scene of the miner’s court and hanging of George Ives, an event that was the catalyst for the forming of the Vigilantes. Dozens of stores and cabins extended back six blocks, but by 1876 only a few residents remained at Nevada City. Gold dredges later came through, leaving piles of tailings as big as barns, and by 1920 the highway had cut the town in half. By 1955, Cora and Alfred Finney were the only residents. Charles and Sue Bovey began collecting buildings in the early 1940’s, and after acquiring Nevada City from Lester and Mary Stiles, they began to place buildings here in 1959. Nevada City became a haven for endangered structures, and today more than ninety buildings from across Montana line the streets. The State of Montana now maintains the historic resources at Nevada City.

Montana · United States