Montana Ghost Town Saved: Last-Minute Rescue Halts Foreclosure

Montana has a rich history. During the state's early years, people from all over the world came to Montana to stake claim to land and even gold mines. Towns sprung up all over the state. Booming and busting with the years. Some of those towns were abandoned and soon became ghost towns. Places you can visit today and feel like you took a step into the past.

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Now, imagine if you took buildings from a variety of ghost towns and placed them all in one location. That is what Gunslinger Gulch has made a reality just outside Anaconda, Montana.

Karen Broussard purchased the property in 2019 with a 5-year contract for deed. She aimed to make the pieced-together ghost town a popular destination for travelers looking to spend the night in the Old West. As well as making it a popular spot to film old-west movies, murder mystery events, and music festivals. Several movies and even the show 1923 have been filmed on the property. Shortly after moving her family to Montana, COVID-19 struck and guest reservations dived.

Karen invited a television crew to film a paranormal research series for the Travel Channel. The series "Ghost Town Terror" was an effort to drum up business for people interested in staying at potentially haunted places. Unfortunately, that backfired as well. The show focused on the possibility of demonic hauntings on the property. Apparently, demons are not as appealing as regular ghosts.

Time passed and the 5-year contract Karen signed was now due. A large balloon payment was needed or the property would be seized. Karen, in desperate need of any help she could get, reached out for help to keep her family home and business from disappearing.

A GoFundMe account was created for anyone looking to donate and help Karen keep the dream of Gunslinger Gulch alive. Unfortunately, the funds were not enough to cover the $375,000 payment.

According to NBC Montana

Broussard says in mid-May, she received interest from a business development group out of Helenawho stepped up to help them secure an 11th hour loan.

Several western period pieces are set to film at the gulch later this year, and the site will continue to serve as a bed and breakfast and event venue.

Broussard declined to name the investor or the terms of the arrangement but says the future of Gunslinger Gulch is now secure, and they have projects planned in the years to come to improve the site.

The Broussard family intends to get right back to where they left off. With plans to restore the church, build RV sites, and build a horse arena on the property.