huckleberry bushes, but almost all the berries had been picked. We were able to get about two cups. We have found summer!
Tuesday, August 9 we headed south into new country passing many pretty lodges including
Legendary Lodge south of Sealy Lake. The only way to get to this lodge was by boat as the road ended on the left bank. We hit the Blackfoot river then turned west on Hwy 200 for a few miles then turn east on Interstate 90. At Drummond we turned south on MT 1 or the Pintler Scenic Highway through Phillipsburg to Phillipsburg Bay Forest Camp on Georgetown Lake. It was a nice three loop campground with lots of paved sites. We paid for two nights to explore this area.
Wednesday, August 10 we drove back to
to Phillipsburg, an old mining town, turned into the cutest tourist trap we have been to. We parked at the upper end and walked the three blocks stopping in several of the stores.
The sapphire mining interested both of us as Fred enjoyed asking questions. At the Mining Room of the Sapphire Gallery
a bag of ore may be purchased and they furnish the supplies to wash it. They showed us what was possible to find. All the gems on the left are raw sapphires, with the ones on the right having been fired.
As usual, at most stores Fred stayed outside while Olivia went in to shop, but after peeking in at the Sweet Palace, Olivia insisted on Fred coming in also. Besides the sweets Olivia noticed the
pink reflections on the white metal ceiling. All of the light fixtures had pink glass shades. We looked at all the 1000 sweet selections. All the jars, bens, counter candies were $7.95 a pound. You could fill many sacks. There was taffy, fresh caramels, chocolate creams, jelly beans, soft & hard candies, giant lollipops, and all flavors of fudge. We felt like a kid in a candy store. We came out with Huckleberry taffy and fudge.
The Sweet Palace is a charm. “How Sweet It Is!”
At the Doe Brother’s Restaurant, Olivia found tourist enjoying
ice cream on the benches in front, inside she also found the internet before indulging in a double dip of Huckleberry ice cream.
In 1997 and again in 2000 Phillipsburg was awarded finalist status over all entries in the northwestern states as “America’s Prettiest Painted Places,” sponsored by Rohm and Haas Paint Quality Institute of Philadelphia. We agree, the detail work and multiple colors on the buildings deserves the award.
They also don’t want their
On the way back to the trailer we stopped for a photo shot of the 
water coming out and down from the nearby dam on Georgetown Lake. The road climbed to the lake about 2000’.
Clouds were
gathering above the lake as we drove to the campground. Soon after arriving we did have a shower. The ground cover in the campground
sparkled in the setting sun. God continues to bless us with his beautiful wonders.
Thursday, August 11, we headed in to the Rocky Mt RV in Butte to check out a water leak at the water heater and the water pump was making too much noise. After a short stay we came away with both fixed.
Think back to Alaska, the Double Musky Restaurant, and the AAA critic we met there. She had invited us to come have salmon she cooks. We talked to Sharon and drove to her house where we met her husband, Ron. We enjoyed their company all afternoon, with them giving us tips on places to see in Butte. We took the trailer to Wal-Mart to park it for the night. Back at Sharon’s they fixed a wonderful supper of fried halibut,
fried halibut,
grilled salmon, corn on cob, tomatoes, and homemade rolls. Wonderful hospitality and delicious dinner. We both learned their tips on preparing the fish.
She had invited us to stay in her driveway. Their hospitality was over the top. We always have reservations about staying at someone’s home until we see the situation. This time the entrance to her nice driveway was way too narrow for Fred to thread the needle backing. It was nice we had learned to stay on parking lots.
Friday, August 12 we spent a lazy morning, then shopped the Dollar Tree and Wal-Mart. We went to the visitor center for information and Wi-Fi before going to CVS for a prescription.
We decided it was time to have fun and find out more about Butte. Were we surprised. We had seen the huge hole on the side of the mountain and heard about all the towns of the city, China, Ireland, Finland, and all the other countries of origin. When this big copper mine was working, the immigrants came in droves. This area is the location of the legendary Anaconda Copper mine.
We took the Underground City tour and learned about all the vice, corruption, bootlegging, drunks, prostitutes, indulgences, pleasures, that occurred in this largest city north of San Francisco and west of the Mississippi. All of the city officials were corrupt including the police and fire departments. We walked past an unusual
fire escape and were told of all the fires in the immediate area of the fire department.
In the old city hall, active until 1970 we visited the City Jail, in the basement, known as the “Butte Bastille.” 
the ladies cell, painted pink and blue was the first stop, then the drunk tank.
We had not been aware that Butte was Evel Knievel’s home town, but they showed us his
record, where in 1956, he had been arrested and held in jail for, “Reckless Driving!”
In the interrogation room we saw convincing tactics and the sign to
“be a snitch.”
In another basement we visited a barber shop in mint condition, that operated from the 20”s to 50’s. Through the “safe” door, we entered a speak easy for the barber’s customers.
We walked to the old Rookwood Hotel where we were taken downstairs to the Rookwood Speakeasy that lies beneath the sidewalks. The
terrazzo-tiled flours and sculpted columns were actually a part of the original hotel lobby, converted into the hidden room.
the ladies cell, painted pink and blue was the first stop, then the drunk tank.
We had not been aware that Butte was Evel Knievel’s home town, but they showed us his
record, where in 1956, he had been arrested and held in jail for, “Reckless Driving!”
In the interrogation room we saw convincing tactics and the sign to
“be a snitch.”
In another basement we visited a barber shop in mint condition, that operated from the 20”s to 50’s. Through the “safe” door, we entered a speak easy for the barber’s customers.
We walked to the old Rookwood Hotel where we were taken downstairs to the Rookwood Speakeasy that lies beneath the sidewalks. The
terrazzo-tiled flours and sculpted columns were actually a part of the original hotel lobby, converted into the hidden room.
This room had been closed for many years and artifacts found here in 2004 date to the 1920’s.
The History Chanel has been here and filmed and stated “The most complete speakeasy West of Chicago.”
The History Chanel has been here and filmed and stated “The most complete speakeasy West of Chicago.”
tally board and the phone underneath where the scores were posted every thirty minutes. The rest of the time, everyone was talking, and a jazz band played.
There were other tours, but we pooped out. We did drive around the hill and saw many fancy houses fixed up or needing to be. The
Clark Chateau which is now an Arts Chateau caught our eye. Of the two original copper mines Mr Clark was a prominent citizen and built this castle to block the view of the other mine owners home.
Saturday August 13, We were up and at-um and went to the farmer’s market in the middle of main street, downtown or rather they call it uptown because you have to go up hill to get to it. At the very top end we found TOMATOES! Good home grown ones. Yum! There is just nothing as good as a good tomato. We also found tiny new potatoes and little cucumbers.
We also found a car wash where three men sprayed, soaped, and washed the car. Then we drove through the automatic car wash. Best deal we have found. Too bad the trailer didn’t fit.
During the 1930s mining was very big in Montana. How big? 85% of the state’s jobs were mining related! Butte was the epicenter of the mining activities. It was a boomtown. Its population swelled to over 100,000. Today Butte is about the size of Waxahachie, 30,000 people. Many of the old houses from the boom era remain, but with a smaller population, there aren’t enough residences to occupy all the old houses. How sad. Grand old houses sit empty crying for a new owner to loving care for them and restore them to past glory. Maybe some readers will feel the call and take the challenge of restoring an old house in Butte.
We headed south on Hwy 2 over Pipestone pass and the Continental divide. Pipestone is obsidian allegedly found along this ridge. We only saw white rocks instead of black ones. This is called pipestone because obsidian is used to make the black pipe bowl. It was a favorite of the local Indians.
On the other side of the pass we passed the Tobacco Route mountains to the east as we drove down the fertile Jefferson River Valley to the town of Two Bridges where the Ruby and Beaverhead rivers flow together to make the Jefferson River.
Up the Ruby river we drove into the town of Alder and the start of the Alder Gulch where gold found here financed Harvard in the early 20th century. The dredges turned Alder gulch
The first ghost town we came to was Nevada City where a couple had brought in old buildings and Nevada City became a haven for endangered structures: today more than ninety buildings from across Montana 
line the streets. We wandered the street and found their old hotel was full with cabins in the back for rent also.
The museum had lots of calliope’s like we saw in the House on the Rock in Wisconsin.
Nine booming gold camps sprawled along Alder Gulch in 1863. Nevada and Virginia Cities were the largest. In December 1863, Nevada City’s main street was the scene of the miners’ court trial and hanging of
George Ives. This event was the catalyst for the forming of the Vigilantes.
Now Garnets may be found among the gravel in the area.
Sunday, August 14, we moved from this campsite at
We headed east and drove through
Madison canyon. On through Bozeman to Big Timber to see Renee Helmsteadt again. We had seen her in Mesa and her summer job has been here at the Spring Creek Campground.
This campground had Wi-Fi and Olivia took full advantage of it all afternoon. One thing she had to do was to find how to make a new distribution list in the 2010 Outlook. Yuck! Why do they change the names of things when updating a program? But Angie came to the rescue and figured it out and walking Olivia through it. THANK YOU, ANGIE!
While catching up with all the Facebook messages Olivia also found a message from Wanda Taylor Coleman, one of her classmates. Wanda lost her husband of 50 years about a week ago. This message has a special meaning to Texans.
“I want to thank all of my FB. friends and family for all of the kind thoughts and prayers. They were very much needed and appreciated. He has gone to be with the angels and promised to whisper in God's ear that we need rain.”
From all our messages and phone calls, there have been many tragedies and deaths among our friend’s families and acquaintances. Our prayers are full.
Monday, August 15 we cleaned, washed and posted this blog! Enough said!
We plan to be with Renee for two days, then move on to Idaho Falls to visit Chad Landon. We met he and Jenny 3 years ago. Then we plan to meet the Rainwaters in the Tetons next Sunday. We met them on the way to Alaska and traveled with them for about 10 days. We plan to catch up on each others travels this summer.
We love to hear from you so email us at
Olivia@bobheck.com or FredHarrington@yahoo.com
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