Marysville is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

and

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...

(CDP) in

Lewis and Clark County Lewis and Clark County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 70,973. Its county seat is Helena, Montana, Helena, the state capital. The nume ...

Montana Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbi ...

, United States. Elevation is 5,413 ft (1,650 m).

Demographics

History

Marysville was a bustling mining town of 3,000 residents in the 1880s and 1890s and was the center of

gold mining Gold mining is the extraction of gold resources by mining. Historically, mining gold from alluvial deposits used manual separation processes, such as gold panning. However, with the expansion of gold mining to ores that are not on the surface ...

in Montana. The town was named by Thomas Cruse, mine owner, to honor Mary Ralston the wife of a miner. A few buildings remain, including a baseball field with bleachers and the historic

Methodist-Episcopal Church of Marysville Methodist-Episcopal Church of Marysville (also known as the ME Church of Marysville) is a historic Methodist church at 3rd Street in Marysville, Montana. The Methodist church was built in 1887 during the local gold rush, and the church was aba ...

. The population as of the 2010 census was 80.

Geography and Location

Marysville is in southwestern Lewis and Clark County, by road northwest of Helena, the state capital. It is in the valley of Silver Creek, which flows east into the Helena Valley and joins the Missouri River. West of the town is the

Great Divide Ski Area Great Divide is a ski area located northwest of Helena in Southwestern Montana near the Continental Divide. Great Divide is a locally owned ski area that is often the first ski area in Montana to open for the season each year. History Mt. Belm ...

on the eastern and northern slopes of Mount Belmont, while down the road to the east is the Silver City Saloon on Highway 279. According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the Marysville CDP has an area of , all land.

Mining revival

View of the mines at Marysville Montana by Carleton E Watkins

In 2010, there were news reports stating that recent exploration of the richest gold mine in the area, the Drumlummon Mine, had led to possible new discoveries. Its lower levels were allowed to flood when the mine was closed in 1904 during litigation. Sentiment in the town is mixed regarding possible resumption of extensive mining operations."As a Near Ghost Town in Montana Watches, a Gold Mine Is Reborn"
article by Kirk Johnson in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' April 30, 2010

Lore

Much of the lore in Marysville was centered on one Irishman, "Irish Tommy" Cruse. He came to the area to look for gold but would return with an empty poke and a smile. He didn't have much money and often slept in a bar counter in Helena. One day, in a site near present-day Marysville, he hit it rich. He named the site Drumlummon, after his birthplace in Ireland, and founded Marysville. Some believe it was named so because the first person there was a Mary Ralston. Others believed it was for the first three Marys there. Another said it was after one of Tommy's associates. Tommy got $150,000 before selling it for $1,500,000.

Notes

External links

Marysville
at former Hometown Locator website (archived)

Unincorporated communities in Montana Unincorporated communities in Lewis and Clark County, Montana Ghost towns in Montana Populated places established in 1876 1876 establishments in Montana Territory {{LewisandClarkCountyMT-geo-stub