Anyone know the name of this place and the history behind it? It was located off the highway heading north out of Forsyth towards Lewistown. The photo is from August 1999.



Also, there was another larger (or at least somewhat more intact) ghost town further towards Lewistown. It still kind of had the city blocks laid out, perhaps at least someone still lived there, and I recall it had perhaps an old bank or something??? I didn't take any photos of it though.

Looks like Vananda.

http://en.wikipedia.org/w...a,_Montana

this place is Vananda we pass it every time we go check on our horses. And I believe that the other place you are talking about is Ingomar and yes people still do live there and the bank looking thing is actually a restraunt and bar and they have very good food. It is an old bank and the inside is very cool I recommend that you stop there next time. They also have a store inside the restarunt kinda an antique store almost. Ingomar Has a rodeo every July that is actually a very nice rodeo. This is what I believe you are talking about. I hope this helps you!

[This message has been edited by Ashley H (10/7/2009)]

I think that is the building they moved to Forsyth from Vananda a few years ago. Sits on a corner downtown.

RS/SS is correct, I believe...

Yeah . . . the old Vananda bank was moved to Forsyth sometime around 2003-05. I think the townsite is listed on the National Register. A google search might turn up a copy of nomination - - it should provide a few details on the history of the place.



Cheney doesn't have much on Vananda:

Vananda (Roesbud) was once a station on the Milawukee, with a post office 1912-1915. Vena (Vevia?) Smith was the first postmaster.

Cheney, Roberta Carkeek, and Betty Hoag McGlynn. NAMES ON THE FACE OF MONTANA: THE STORY OF MONTANA'S PLACE NAMES (1971).



The library in Forsyth has the following (or at least it used to) - it's one of those community histories written for the Bicentennial. I browsed through it years ago, but don't remember anything about it.

THEY SAY "IT HAPPENED THAT WAY": SUMATRA, VANANDA, INGOMAR - TRI-CITY REUNION, JUNE 18, 19, 20, 1976 (1976).
Notes: Rosebud County (MT) -- History; Sumatra (MT) -- History; Vananda (MT) -- History; Ingomar (MT) -- History. Document Type: Book.

Cool. Thanks.

I was delighted to find the Jersey Lil has a website.
http://www.thejerseylilly.com/

Are there many interesting things like this in MC or the surrounding areas? I'm a photographer and really enjoy shooting architecture. No landscapes, unless it is a lone tree.

Wasn't a lady raped and murdered in one of those buildings? Her body was dumped in the Yellowstone outside of Forsyth?

Andie 13

Drive to Jordan - along the way there is a lone tree (at least there used to be; a big old, almost dead cotton tree). It's right off the highway. You couldn't miss it. . . it's the only one between MC and Jordan.

Andie13,
You mean you only photograph lone trees for landscapes? There is so much to capture in photos in Eastern Montana.

I believe that the lone, almost dead cottonwood tree 'tween Miles City and Jordan is the Rock Springs National Forest... I could be wrong.

I don't do landscapes at all (and me living in the Pacific Northwest). I like the lone trees because they are more about shapes and lines. I do more tabletop, macro, black and white, and architecture. I spent last summer doing rodeos and horse racing. I thought if I was going to check out Montana next year, I'd love to have some input as to where some interesting things are to shoot as long as I'm there.

"Wasn't a lady raped and murdered in one of those buildings? Her body was dumped in the Yellowstone outside of Forsyth?"

Stone: I think you are correct about that. If I remember correctly she was from Rosebud.

I don't know . . . probably the best way to find structures that catch your eye is just to travel around the state looking for them. But if you wanted to do some armchair scouting in advance to help plan your travels, you could look at things like National Register listings.

http://www.nationalregist...tml#pickem
http://www.his.state.mt.u.../NRmap.htm

But Montana is the same as most every other place - there's a lot of neat looking buildings, structures, and features that aren't on the register.

I suck at taking pictures myself, but there are thousands and thousands of places and things in Montana that make for great photo ops. The old Red Mill / BiMetallic Mill at Philipsburg comes to mind.





Back in the day 1890s), it was a state of the art, 50-stamp mill. It processed ore from the silver mines on Granite Mountain. The ore was conveyed to the mill by a two-mile long aerial tramway.





What's left of the Red Mill stands on Douglas Creek about a mile south of Philipsburg.




[This message has been edited by Hal Neumann (10/8/2009)]