This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
First sapphires found as Beaverhead mills rise in Montana
The story traces Montana mining origins from early stamp mills built from wagon parts to crude Argenta smelters, then details the 1860s sapphire discovery on the West Gallatin river. It notes the lost sapphire mine legends, the Beaverhead rush, and the fate of Jimmy Doyle and his blue stones near Musselshell Roundup.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Beaverhead Country
Montana
West Gallatin
Bannack
Beaverhead
Hudson’s Bay
Granville Stuart
James
Reece Anderson
Jake Meek
California
Utah
Granville
Brigham Young
United States
Howver
Halfbreed
Pole
Big Hole
Red River
Benetsee
Allen
Murphy
Denver
Argenta
Mex
Bitter Root
Beaverhead County
Carter
Cascade County
Merrill Carter
Chimney Butte
Musselshell
Cinnebar Mountain
Park County
Crazy Mountain
Meagher
Horse Canyon
Yellowstone County
Dead Man’s Basin
Golden Valley
Wheatland
Rader
Dead Man’s Creek
Lewis and Clark County
Dead Man’s Butte
Fallon
Dead Man’s Gulch
Sweetgrass County
John Brady
Dearborn River
Henry Dearborn
Jefferson
Lewis and Clark
Devil’s Hole
Elephant Rock
Gold Creek
Hellgate Canyon
Missoula County
Porte de lYenfer
Gate of Hell
Hide Creek
Texas
Heetah
Fergus County
Little Belt
Lump Gulch
Jefferson County
Marias River
Meriwether
Maria
Carter Counties
Missouri
Marduets
Guette
Rayalli
Anthony Chaffin
Overturf
Feanpey
Clark
Yellowstone River
Pompey
Pomp
Sacajawea
Baptiste
Por
Tin Cup Lake
Ravalli County
Triple Divide Mountain
Glacier Park
Roche Jaune
Omaha
Corinne
Rattlesnake Creek
Glendale
Lion Mountain
Corrinne
Tenderfoot
Butte
Dillon
Melrose
Hecla Mining & Milling Co
Wakeman Bradley
Montan
Detroit
West Gallatin River
Musselshell Country
Chicago, Milwaukee
Flatwillow Creek
Doyle
State