Cable Mine – Anaconda, Montana

Cable Mine – Anaconda, Montana

The Old Atlantic Cable Mine and Cable mine are in the same location where the world’s largest nugget was found.  It sold for $19,000 in the late 1800’s.  The ground was so rich that a cigar box of samples assayed at $1,000!

Cable has three cabins, a big barn with log sides and topped with a weather vane.  There is a boarding house up the hill that is still complete with furniture in the upstairs bedrooms, a kitchen with a range, sink, and a couple of chairs along with old, worn wallpaper.  The mill stands higher on the hill with firebricks, timbers, and an iron boiler inside.  There was an old big settling pond,, tool sheds, and iron balls from a ball mill outside.

The mine had quite a difficult time getting going since it was first found in 1867 by three prospectors first made camp there.  They found a large quartz pillar loaded with gold and named the mine the Atlantic Cable Lode which eventually became shortened to Cable.  Disagreements between the miners caused the operations to cease a decade later and the property was sold.

The new owners began operations in 1883, but that didn’t last long either and the mine was closed again in 1881.  Then in 1898, the Gold Coin Load was discovered producing over $200,000 in gold over the next decade.  It was in 1906 that the Gold Coin Mill was built.  The mine and mill operated sporadically until 1940 when it was closed and the town became a "ghost town."

Because of vandalism the mill and several area buildings, which are located on private property, is closed to visitors.  You can, however, see it from the highway along Montana Highway 1 between Drummond and Anaconda.

Location: 306 East Park Street
Anaconda, MT 59711

Phone: 406-563-2400
 

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