This theatre has been around since 1896.  The present owner shared with us that the accoustics are excellent & when it gets too warm inside, they open the doors to the basement which cools the theatre. It originally seated 500 people & was always packed.  With the balcony no longer in use, the theatre seat about 200 & the owner alternates a vaudeville show with 2 plays during their season, late June-Sept.

Gary speaks with the busy owner as he gets our tickets for the vaudeville show at the original ticket window inside the theatre.

Rehearsal time in this grand ol’ room.

This carpet is the original 1896 wool carpet installed in the theatre before it opened for performances. And I have to replace carpet in my house every 10 years or so. What’s wrong here?

The old soda fountain, now serving beer & wine, malts & milkshakes, ice cream cones, lunch & dinner menu. Just about anything you could want.  They make a pretty good hamburger. For a town with 930 residents and some tourists, a business has to be very versatile to survive.

Approaching town, this nice, well-cared for, historic home is up for sale. Thought we’d buy it for a summer place.  Note the satellite dish on the top left of the porch. The cable provider for Philipsburg went belly-up, so now all the old, historic homes have dishes adorning their roofs, wall, whatever.  Looks rather strange to see this modern stuff hanging off a 150 year-old building.

The Philipsburg Grade School opened in 1896 and is the oldest school building in continuous use in Montana. The building underwent a $2 million dollar renovation in 2005.

This town, founded on mining, is built on hillsides.  The Granite County Courthouse can be seen on the center right. The main business district is the perpendicular street where the car is at the bottom of the hill.

Ah, we do enjoy the idea of justice-Montana style. At the Granite County Jail, built in 1896 & still in use today, the hanging noose is seen through this second story window as a reminder that crime has punishment.  We understand the white Christmas light strands surrounding the window are lighted during the Holiday season.

Until 2000 this jail (left) had a residence for the sheriff (right). Needing more space, they pitched out the sheriff & made the house into office space. Some of the cells are the dark (barred) windows on the left.

The next 4 pictures are of three historical churches, a biker B&B & a pretty house. But there are only 4 pics you say.  One church was sold to a couple that opened a B&B just for bikers.  The Presbyterians must have gone nuts with that one.  I think it was the Presbyterians, although it might have been the Methodists.  Jeesh, it gets sooo confusing!

Here is the Unique Inn, a biker haven. Used to be a protestant church. I just cannot remember the denomination.  I could look it up in my tourist guide. I’m feeling lazy.

Looking down at the edge of town and all that grazing land.  The mountains still catch the eye with their snow still clinging to them.  Do NOT ask me what direction we’re looking. I still don’t know.  Gary just laughs.

Kirkville, about a mile outside Philipsburg, is a mining ghost town with an active mine of some sort still operating. We stumbled on it when Gary said, ‘Wanna go down this dirt road?’  We did.  And there it was.

One of a couple of vintage mine dwellings now occupied by renters in Kirkville. The sidewalk is the edge of the road.