Meade Hotel - Bannack, Montana

The Meade Hotel in Bannack, Montana was originally built in 1875 and served as the county courthouse until 1881. It was then purchased by Dr. Meade and turned into a hotel, which it remained until the 1940s. In one of its more interesting historical tales, the Meade served as a refuge for the women and children of Bannack after a nearby battle with the Nez Perce Indians during their flight to the Canadian border with Chief Joseph.

I took these photos this summer during an afternoon visit to Bannack. With few fellow visitors and a stormy afternoon, the emptiness of the Meade hotel definitely raised the hair on my neck while composing and shooting in silence.

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Filed under  //   American West   Bannack   Ghost Towns   Meade Hotel   Montana   Photography  
Posted October 14, 2008
 

Wagon and shed in Bannack, a Montana ghost town

I took this shot on my first trip to Bannack, Montana, one of the best-preserved ghost towns in the US. We visited at the end of the day in late summer; a storm had just blown through, and there were few people visiting while we were there. Consequently, the place was quiet and real. I think I preferred Bannack to Virginia City because it has that sense of realness - there's no touristy stuff going on here.

Bannack_montana

Filed under  //   American West   Bannack   Ghost Towns   Montana   Photography   Wagon  
Posted September 22, 2008