Alright so we are going into a sad and brutal part of our history, Chernobyl. I know, I know we try our best to cover this topic and be upbeat while remaining respectful. And please forgive Lanie in advance for her mispronunciation of many words, she means well.

Sources:

Chernobyl disaster | Causes, Effects, Deaths, Videos, Location, & Facts | Britannica

The spectral shroud of Chernobyl: A haunting journey through the paranormal Exclusion Zone - Horror Facts

The ghost theme park left abandoned for 39 years | World | News | Express.co.uk

Chernobyl's Ghosts - Paranormal Hauntings

Step back in time to gold rush Montana in this immersive episode exploring the turbulent, haunted history of Virginia City! Meet legendary prospectors Bill Fairweather and Henry Edgar, whose lucky escape from Crow Indians led to one of America’s biggest gold strikes. Experience the rise and fall of outlaws and vigilantes, including Sheriff Henry Plummer (remember from our Bannack episode) and the infamous Jack Slade, whose fate and fiery wife Virginia still echo through local legend. Learn how the town’s historic buildings, lively businesses, and ghost stories blend the Old West with modern life. Perfect for history buffs, curious travelers, and seekers of true stories from America’s frontier days.

Sources for This Episode

• Virginia City, Montana – Legends of America (legendsofamerica.com), accessed July 2025
• Montana Vigilantes – Legends of America (legendsofamerica.com), accessed July 2025
• Henry Plummer – Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org), accessed July 2025
• Gold, and a Crow War Party – Montana Pioneer (montanapioneer.com), accessed July 2025
• The Hanging of Jack Slade, A Rowdy Drunk – Points (pointshistory.org), published August 2023
• Joseph Slade – Hanged By Vigilantes – Legends of America (legendsofamerica.com), accessed July 2025
• Virginia Slade – Ghost Stories – Southwest Montana (southwestmt.com), accessed July 2025
• A Distinct Lack of Robbers at Robbers Roost – Southwest Montana (southwestmt.com), accessed July 2025
• The Strike in Alder Gulch – Montana Gold Claims (wildlil.com), published March 2009
• Virginia City: Montana's First Incorporated Town – University of Montana (umt.edu), accessed July 2025
• Historic Preservation – Virginia City MT (virginiacitymt.com), accessed July 2025
• Bill Fairweather – Montana Moments (ellenbaumler.blogspot.com), published August 2012

Step back in time with us to Bannack, Montana—once a booming gold rush town and now one of the best-preserved—and most haunted—ghost towns in the West. In this chilling episode, we explore Bannack’s turbulent past: from its founding on sacred Native American lands, through lawless gold camps and vigilante justice, to the spirits that linger in the historic Hotel Meade. Listen to the frontier history and hauntings of Bannack!

Sources:

General History of Bannack & Grasshopper Creek

• Montana Office of Tourism official pages on Bannack State Park.

• Montana Historical Society, “Bannack Historic Resources.”

• “Ghost Towns of Montana” by Donald C. Miller (book).

• National Park Service documentation for Bannack National Historic Landmark.

• Lewis and Clark Expedition records, U.S. National Archives (re: original naming of Willard Creek).

• Bannack page, Legends of America (overview of gold strike, early town life).

Native American History & Presence

• Shoshone-Bannock Tribes official website and public cultural statements.

• “Native American Tribes of Montana: A Guide to Their History” by Federal Writers’ Project.

• University of Montana, Indigenous Studies research on Bannock and Shoshone traditional territories.

• Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks interpretive materials on prehistoric and tribal use of the region.

Hotel Meade History

• Bannack State Park visitor guide (facility and renovation history).

• “Bannack: The First Territorial Capital,” Montana Historical Society Press.

• Montana History Foundation: preservation of Hotel Meade and structure biographies.

• On-the-ground interpretation panels at Bannack site.

Dorothy Dunn Story & Hauntings

• Interviews and testimonials from Bannack State Park rangers and visitors.

• “Haunted Montana” by Karen Stevens (book – ghost encounters, especially Dorothy Dunn).

• Ghost Adventures: Bannack episode and summary.

• Dillon Tribune historic newspaper (coverage of the 1916 drowning and locals’ reactions).

• Personal memoirs and stories collected by the Beaverhead County Museum Association.

Sheriff Plummer & Vigilantes

• Montana Historical Society: “The Life and Death of Henry Plummer.”

• “Vigilante Days and Ways” by Nathaniel P. Langford (primary source account).

• “Montana: A History of Two Centuries” by Malone, Roeder, and Lang.

• Reports and oral histories from Bannack interpretive material.

• Bannack State Park map and guidebook—location and function.

• “Haunted Places: The National Directory” by Dennis William Hauck (accounts of haunted general store).

• Testimonies from park staff, visitor blogs, and photo records.

Bannack Today: Preservation & Current Status

• Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks official announcements (Bannack’s status, restoration after 2013 flood).

• “Preserving Bannack Ghost Town,” Montana History Foundation press releases.

• Bannack Association nonprofit, stewardship and event programming.