The ghost town of Bannack. Bannack was founded in 1862 when John White discovered gold on Grasshopper Creek. As news of the gold strike spread many prospectors and businessmen rushed to Bannack hoping to strike it rich. In 1864, Bannack was named as the first Territorial Capital of Montana. For years it was hopping, but the populationstarted dwindling in the 30s and 40s and then completely disappeared in the 50s. What remains is a row of some sixty buildings, and you can step inside most of them. courtesy Best Western Travel