DescriptionW. E. “Limestone” Wilson discovered gold in the vicinity of Giltedge about 1883. He named his mine the Gilt Edge because the ore was contained in a rim encircling a ridge. The Gilt Edge produced little ore until the Giltedge Mining Company built a cyanide mill in 1893. The mill, the first of its type in the nation, produced profitably for about a year, but by January 1894 the company was in deep debt. To avoid the confiscation of processed ore to pay on this debt, company manager Robert A. Ammon directed an employee to escape with $25,000 in bullion, ahead of the sheriff. The mine and mill later reopened, and Giltedge reached its zenith about 1906; it had a large miners’ boardinghouse, a 2-story school, and numerous business establishments. The mines shut down about 1912, and the town declined.Personal NamesWilson, W. E. "Limestone"Ammon, Robert A.Other Name(s)Gilt EdgeContributing InstitutionMontana Historical Society Library and ArchivesGeolocation[1] Elevation4496 ft.CountyFegus County
