Sailed down the road from Billings to Missoula, Montana today listening to a mystery of tape and watching the prairie turn into mountains. The only major stop we made was in Butte at the Little Orphan Girl Mine. Interesting walk around the little town they've recreated, circa late 1800's, but even more interesting were the skeletons of gigantic, old mining equipment that are strewn all about the grounds. As you might imagine, Norm was in seventh heaven!
The little Orphan Girl Mine (I can't believe they actually named a mine that) began in 1856 and was worked until 1956. with typical dark, humor miners often called had frames 'gallus'. or gallows, because they looked like places to hang a man and because the threat of death was ever present in the mines.
The mining museum was well worth the stop so if you're ever in Butte check it out! I had to buy the ice cream again today since the car is sucking gas down like crazy going up the mountain and Norm won the bet. We've agree to skip ice cream for the rest of the week :-)
We're in Missoula tonight and will arrive at Lake Pend Oreille tomorrow before noon. Life is good....and the beat goes on.....
~Nancy
"As the warning bell sounded, the cage dropped into the dark shaft. The only light came from the lanterns affixed to the cage itself. Likened by some of the miners to being buried alive, the fall produced only muted sounds...then from the pit of the stomach came the sinking feeling that accompanied the rapid fall." ~ Ronald C. Brown - Hardrock Mines
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