Sec. B Pg 33 Missoulian Centennial Quigley Excitement Runs High in 1896
Quigley Excitement Runs High in 1896
Missoula in January of 1896 was excited over the prospects of what was considered a great discovery on Rock Creek at the mining camp of Quigley.
A road from Bonita to the mining camp was constructed at a cost of $21,000 a distance of 18 miles. The road was built by Levi C. Johnson, Granite County sheriff, for the Golden Sceptre Mining Co., managed by George H. Babcock.
It was about 11 miles from Bonita to Golden, at that time a small camp consisting of several log houses, and another seven miles to Quigley. The mines of the Golden Sceptre Mining Co., the Alps Co., and Hidden Treasure mines were located at Quigley. The camp was named Quigley after one of the biggest stockholders in the Golden Sceptre firm.
By late April of 1896 there were 40 houses, 30 tents and about 500 persons residing at the mining town. There were five restaurants, one tin shop, one blacksmith shop, two barber shops, three general stores, two lodging houses and 12 saloons. Moore and O’Shaughnessy ran a stage line from Bonita to Quigley and that was the way the mail was delivered.
It was a bustling community with stumps being blasted to make way for streets, which had been laid out for considerable expansion. They were named with signposts showing their designations. There was an Emmons street and a Higgins Avenue.
The promoter, Babcock, was the hero of the boom days. In Missoula, he was carried on men’s shoulders. But the bubble burst. Gold was not there. Quigley was abandoned with dramatic suddenness.
By 1920 only five residents remained. A little later Joe Daigle, who with his family, were the only inhabitants, plowed up Broadway, the main street, to raise potatoes.
In 1921 the last touch of glory disappeared. The palatial home erected by Babcock burned to the ground. The place became once again a great lure for trout fishermen.