Around 1866, William Roe, who had made his fortune in
Bannack, not in the gold fields, but, rather, in freighting, merchandising, and banking, built the first frame house in the city. Later, when the
Montana Vigilantes were formed to rid the area of the rampant crime, he was involved and was one of the men that apprehended Sheriff
Henry Plummer and his two deputies, who were hanged on January 10, 1864. Later, the home became home to Fielding L. Graves, who implemented the first successful gold dredging operation in the United States in 1895. The electric dredge successfully operated along Grasshopper Creek until 1902. The house was owned and occupied by the Graves family up until it was acquired by the State Park. Photo by
Kathy Weiser-Alexander.