Bannack ghost town lies half an hour west of Dillon, Montana and was briefly the state's first capital back in the 1860s. The town still has sixty structures and was last inhabited during the 1950s.
The above picture shows light streaming into the Roe Graves house, which was owned by the town's wealthiest businessman. It was the town's first frame house and has higher ceilings and bigger rooms than the other homes.
A cow skull adorns the wall of Bannack's Skinner Saloon. The drinking establishment saw multiple shoot-outs and was owned by an outlaw. He and the town's sheriff were allegedly part of a criminal gang and were later hanged by a group of vigilantes.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Bannack lost many residents to Dillon, which was founded nearby as a railroad town. It was also susceptible to flash floods. In 2013, a severe flood washed out most of the town's main street.
Bannack is now part of Montana's state park system. It's unique in that most of its sixty remaining structures can be entered and explored. Many government-run ghost towns prohibit this due to liability reasons. This worn staircase led to a second floor bedroom that contained rusty bed springs.
