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History · Elkhorn

Elkhorn dates to 1872, and 1 of its places is on the National Register

Its Register listing is the Fraternity Hall. Below: maps from 1892 on.

1872founded
1on the National Register
0.0%homes built before 1940
1famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Elkhorn began

When was Elkhorn founded?

1872

Elkhorn dates its founding to 1872 (Wikidata). Its post office opened in 1884.

2020 census: 12154 years
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1884.The full story ↓

What stands out about Elkhorn’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Elkhorn are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Elkhorn’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Elkhorn’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
The story

How Elkhorn came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Elkhorn.

Read it all →

Lodes of silver, described by geologists as supergene enrichments, were initially discovered in the Elkhorn Mountains by Peter Wys, a Swiss immigrant. Six years later, Anton Holter, a pioneer capitalist from Helena, began developing the mine. Over $14 million in silver was carried from the mine. In 1890, the Sherman Silver Purchase Act passed, creating a high demand for Elkhorn's silver.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Elkhorn, 1872 to 1950

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1872
    FoundingElkhorn is established
  3. 1884Post officeThe Elkhorn post office opens
  4. 1894Born hereSpruille Braden is born here
  5. 20th century
  6. 1924Post officeThe Elkhorn post office closes
  7. 1950On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
By decade

Elkhorn, decade by decade

Today18 recent
Elkhorn ghost town 312015Elkhorn ghost town 31Elkhorn ghost town 302015Elkhorn ghost town 30Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 sign2015Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 signElkhorn Ghost town 2015 262015Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 26Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 252015Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 25Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 242015Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 24Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 132015Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 13Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 112015Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 11Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 102015Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 10Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 092015Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 09Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 082015Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 08Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 072015Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 07Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 062015Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 06Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 052015Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 05Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 042015Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 04Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 032015Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 03Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 022015Elkhorn Ghost town 2015 02Elkhorn Ghost town 11-9-082008Elkhorn Ghost town 11-9-08
On the map

Elkhorn on the map, 1950 to 2001

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Elkhorn. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Elkhorn on the 1950 USGS mapElkhorn on the 1985 USGS mapElkhorn on the 2001 USGS map1950Clancy sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Elkhorn.

Every building

Elkhorn, building by building, 1892–1897

Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.

Elkhorn fire insurance map, 1892, sheet 11892Sheet 1 of 1
Edition
Sheets
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

On the National Register

1 historic place in Elkhorn

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
1
each building in a district counts
first listed
1975
Fraternity Hall
Fraternity Hall
Buildings

Architectural styles listings

Greek Revival1
Fraternity HallGreek Revival

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Places that used to be

Lost post offices and places now gone

Elkhorn had its own post office from 1884 to 1924.

Elkhorn
1884–1924
18801950today
Gone or out of use
C and D MinemineC and D MinemineCarmody MinemineCarmody MinemineDunstone/Klondyke MinemineEast Butte MinemineElkhornlocaleElkhorn Post Officepost officeGolden Moss MinemineGolden Moss MinemineHardcash MinemineHeggen MinemineIron MinemineJames R Keene MinemineKing of Sweden MinemineLouise MinemineLuxanburgh MinemineMoreau Minemine

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Questions about Elkhorn’s history

What year was Elkhorn founded?

In 1872, according to Wikidata. Elkhorn’s post office opened in 1884.

What is on the National Register in Elkhorn?

One place: the Fraternity Hall (listed 1975).

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (18), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.