A much overlooked and forgotten historical landmark

Dear Editor:

Deer Lodge Valley. The original name is credited to the poetic imagery of the Native Americans. It is derived from a large sugarloaf mound, with a thermal spring on its summit. It stands in the midst of a perfectly level valley, and the hot spring on its summit during the greater portion of the year sent up a heavy, conspicuous object for from 20 to 25 miles in every direction.

It bears in the distance a striking resemblance to an Indian lodge with the smoke ascending from it. Through all the traditions of the Native Americans the valley has been famous for the plentitude and fatness of the white-tailed deer that graze upon its ever-nutritious and almost ever-green grasses. By 1831, the name Deer Lodge began to appear in the trappers’ journals.

A Warren Ferris map of 1836 shows the mound, and the Belgian Jesuit, Pierre Jean De Smit, visit of 1840 is recorded: “By far the most remarkable spring we have seen in the mountains is called the Deer Lodge – The water bubbles up and escapes through a number of openings at its base – and are of different temperatures: Hot, cold, and lukewarm though but a few steps distant from each other.”

The Deer Lodge Valley and the Deer Lodge river were well established names when the Montana Territory was formed in 1864 and the county came into existence with the same name. The town of Cotton Wood on the Deer Lodge river became Deer Lodge in 1861.

Geologically speaking nowadays, we consider the 40 foot high mound issuing hot health giving and renewing waters a Tufa Cone, and possibly related to the Yellowstone Park geyser system. The historic spring that gave Deer Lodge its name is still there. It is located in Deer Lodge County behind the buildings associated with the Warm Springs State Hospital. 

All of us Montana History Buffs have been kind of wishful and pleasantly hopeful that at this late date in Montana’s history the general public could visit and be welcome to see and experience a major part of Montana’s unique past.

(Excerpts from “Under the Shadow of Mt. Haggin.”)

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to the Great Citizens of Montana.

Montana History Buffs

Editor’s note: Normally, the Anaconda Leader does not publish letters to the editor that do not have a name and location identifying the writer, however in this case as this is an excerpt from an Anaconda history book we are making an exception. Also, as a note not only to the Montana History Buffs but to all our readers, the Leader will soon have an announcement that’s connected with the history of the Warm Springs Mound. As author and “Anaconda Archive” contributor J. Ray Haffey says, “Stay tuned.”