Montgomery City, California, ghost town

While not far off the highway, few have visited the ghost town of Montgomery City, California. The town is one of the earliest settlements in Mono County, yet short-lived. Stone walls of structures remain. History reveals a few gems about life and death in the town at the base of the White Mountains, including hoaxes, 6-shooters at court proceedings and a donkey knapping with “murderous intentions.”
The rocky and washed-out road requires high clearance 4-wheel drive and lives in infamy, “only three miles” from the pavement.

Montgomery City

The short-lived mining camp of Montgomery City started in the early 1860s when prospectors found rich silver float along the western slope of the White Mountains. The discovery brought miners from the region. In June of 1864, prospectors Robinson and Stuart founded the Montgomery Consolidated Gold and Silver Mining Company.

A town grew alongside a steam. Several hundred called Montgomery City home. The town had lumber and stone buildings, including a store, saloon, blacksmith shop, recorder office, and homes. Pat Reddy was a mining recorder at Montgomery City. He later became a criminal lawyer in Bodie.

Montgomery City was home to the first newspaper in Mono County, The Mongomery Pioneer. The paper printed the first issue on November 26, 1864. Reportedly it was published in November and December. One issue survived until at least 1881, but what happened to the copy is unknown.

Wingate and Wingate auctioned off the Montgomery City mining company, Georgiana, in 1864.

Sitting at the mouth of the steep White Mountains, Montgomery City was subject to flash floods. Millions of gallons of water and rocks slid down the mountains in one case. Miraculously, the loss of life was “small.”

Montgomery City Cemetery

Montgomery City had a small cemetery, but vandals stole the headstones. The location is unknown.

Charles A. Lovering, who died on October 10, 1864, is the only documented burial at the cemetery. Lovering was previously a hotel keeper in Montgomery City but moved to Aurora. He was prospecting and looking for wood lots with Mr. Devoe and others. Lovering wandered away from the group. They could not find him and thought he returned to camp. The following day, when Lovering did not arrive, the party went in search. They found him lying on the side of the mountain. There was no trauma to his body, and it assumed he had a “fit of apoplexy,” a brain hemorrhage.

Lovering’s companions were “forced to bury him” in Montgomery City as they had no wagon to move him to the Aurora Cemetery. In a letter to Lovering’s cousin, S.P. Moffat wrote, “But you can rest assured his remains shall receive all possible attention.”

“Our Camp in 1864”

One reference to life in Montgomery City is “Our Camp in 1864.” The Mono Herald and Bridgeport Chronicle-Union published the story in 1976. The article was regarding ECV’s dedication of a memorial to Montgomery City. It included the tale authored by Robert Ferral, said to be written around 1878-1888. The paper does not mention the provenance of the story.

Legal proceedings Montgomery City

Montgomery City’s legal system included a single Justice of the Peace and two attorneys. They handled everything from assault to murder. Finding willing jurors was difficult as miners didn’t want to miss work. The Justice of the Peace, attorneys, and litigants would go to where the men worked and try to “coax” them into service.

It is said that it was not unusual for a witness to produce a six-shooter. But, that one attorney showed great restraint by refraining… at least until the court adjourned.

It was remarked, however, that one of the attorneys, a mild mannared little gentleman, entertained such a profound respect for judicial proceedings, that he never permitted himself to shoot anybody in court, although outside more than one boisterous litigant or obstreperous witness fell before the sharp crack of his unerring pistol.

Mono Herald and Bridgeport Chronicle-Union
September 16, 1976

Hoax of a German metallurgist

Miners decided it was too long to send ore to the smelter in Swansea, Wales. The town tried various furnaces with little luck. A German metallurgist appeared one day, saying he could process the ore. Everyone attended on the event day: men, women, and children. All were amazed when a “stream of clear, beautiful white metal ran out.” The town celebrated… until the next day when they realized the metal was lead, not silver. The German wisely absconded during the cover of darkness.

Christmas Donkey

The winter of 1864 was long and arduous. “Grub” ran short. Residents “risked their scalps” on the road to Aurora for supplies.

One Thompson owned a pack train business. His pride and joy was a sober-looking little donkey. Miners developed a plan: steal the donkey on Christmas Eve and BBQ it for a Christmas celebration. Word of the “Murderous Intentions” reached One, and he hid the young jack before the would-be kidnappers arrived. Men cried and swore vengeance against the traitor who spoiled their Christmas festivities.

Visiting Montgomery City

Montgomery City will be infamously known as “Only Three Miles.” I can’t believe I took a brand new Jeep Grand Cherokee on that road, it didn’t even have real plates yet. I did take advantage of the rock mode and the 10″ lift.

The road is not steep, narrow, curvy, or on a cliff. It is primarily a straight drive with little elevation gain. What it is is the damnedest rocky road I have ever driven with tons of wash-outs. We drove between 1 to 2 miles per hour, meaning it took hours to reach Montgomery City. A mile before town, we contemplated turning around, but I wasn’t giving up. Hiking in might have been smarter; then again, it is one of those ankle-breaking roads where you might have to be carried out.

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References

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References

• Desert USA: Montgomery City, California
• Find a Grave: Charles A. Lovering
• Mono Herald and Bridgeport Chronicle, September 16, 1976
• Mono Herald and Bridgeport Chronicle, May 31, 1979
• Mono Herald and Bridgeport Chronicle, December 10, 1981
• The Ventura Free Press, December 16, 1876

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