Comet Montana

[Gypsy Heart]

The town is named for the Comet Mine, which was developed in 1883 by the Helena and Livingston Smelting and Reduction Company, based on a discovery made in 1874. Ore was transported to another mine in Wickes for processing. This operation shut down in 1897. Operations were revived in 1900 under the Montana Consolidated Copper Company; in 1927 the Basin Montana Tunnel Company took over the property and built a processing plant on the site for both this mine and the nearby Gray Eagle mine. These operations continued until 1941 when the mine was exhausted and operations were permanently halted.

The Comet mine produced some $20 million in ore and was the richest mine in the district; the Gray Eagle mine produced over $2 million on top of this. Ores produced included lead, zinc, copper, silver, and gold.
Comet, Montana is a ghost town located about twenty miles SSW of Helena. It is reached by following High Ore Road north from Interstate 15. The remains of the town cover about thirty-five acres and consist of an ore hopper, a large ore processing building, several other company buildings, and numerous houses and other private structures. High Ore Creek runs through the center of the property and separates the mine buildings from the town proper. The town is abandoned except for a single active residence; although it sits on private grazing land, it is open to public access.

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[MR----B]

I have an old book on ghost towns of Montana and plan on hitting as many of them as possible this spring and summer, Thanks for the info and pics. Have you hunted there yet?

[Montana Jim]

Gyspy - Great pics This is a few hours from me... I've driven a lot further to detect!

Anyway - here is the google earth view (with coords), it's a very accessible area, I circled what is prolly the remaining ghost buildings with what looks like a modern dwelling. Should be an easy trip for someone...

misterbeee... where do you live? Ahhh... I see you are up in Trego... kewl.

[MR----B]

Thanks for the arial view and coordinates, I will be there this summer!

[PBK]

Whew! Just for a second there, I thought...

[Montana Jim]

PBK... LOL

Thanks for the arial view and coordinates, I will be there this summer!

Misterbee... I don't know if those coords came out too small, but you can find Comet in the DeLorme Montana Atlas 4 miles north of Bolder off I-15.

[MR----B]

The coordinates were fine, thanks for the extra directions.

[wildman-1374]

I GOT TO TELL YOU THAT MYSELF AND A THOUSAND OTHER PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN MONTANA HAVE BEEN THERE METAL DETECTING, DIGGING OUTHOUSES AND YOU NAME IT, IF I WAS GOING TO METAL DETECTED IN MONTANA THAT WOULD BE THE LAST PLACE I WOULD RECOMEND. I CAN GUARANTEE YOU ALMOST 100% THAT YOU WILL NOT FIND ONE THING. ANYBODY CAN OPEN UP A GHOST TOWN BOOK AND SAY GO HERE AND GO THERE. THE PROBLEM IS EVERYBODY AND THERE DOG HAVE SEEN THAT BOOK. TRY A TOWN THAT'S NOT IN A GHOST TOWN BOOK AND YOU MIGHT FINED SOMETHING. GOOD HUNTING, MEL, AKA WILDMAN.

[Cynangyl]

Welcome Wildman! Might try taking off your caps lock so folks don't think you are yelling. Glad to see you here and hope you enjoy it! As for not finding anything I have yet to find misterbeee going anywhere no matter how hunted out it was that he did not find anything. He is a goody magnet! lol Good luck Brian! Hope you find lots and have a good time as well, always a good day when you get to go out and hunt and especially with such great scenery!

[Gypsy Heart]

I GOT TO TELL YOU THAT MYSELF AND A THOUSAND OTHER PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN MONTANA HAVE BEEN THERE METAL DETECTING, DIGGING OUTHOUSES AND YOU NAME IT, IF I WAS GOING TO METAL DETECTED IN MONTANA THAT WOULD BE THE LAST PLACE I WOULD RECOMEND. I CAN GUARANTEE YOU ALMOST 100% THAT YOU WILL NOT FIND ONE THING. ANYBODY CAN OPEN UP A GHOST TOWN BOOK AND SAY GO HERE AND GO THERE. THE PROBLEM IS EVERYBODY AND THERE DOG HAVE SEEN THAT BOOK. TRY A TOWN THAT'S NOT IN A GHOST TOWN BOOK AND YOU MIGHT FINED SOMETHING. GOOD HUNTING, MEL, AKA WILDMAN.

Thanks Wildman for your comments. These stories on ghost town locations are not just placed here for detecting purposes.
The fact is,there are many people here who do not look at old ghost towns as just places to detect. Many of us are there for the history, the photograph opportunities or because one of our ancestors lived there......I have hunted many ghost towns and found a few of my own,that are not in books.
As far as a place ever being hunted out...I have been told that many times....and proved them wrong.