This is a series of micro-caches commemorating the lost historical towns in the Flathead Valley. In most cases nothing is left of the original town site, however using anecdotal evidence and a late 1990s U.S. Geological Survey project that pinned down the approximate area where these towns' post offices were located, we have placed these caches in the general vicinity. In cases where the land is privately owned, the cache will be at least within eye-shot.
In order to distinguish between an actual town (like Salish or Demersville) and a general area (like Half Moon or Deer Park) we have taken our definition verbatim from the most valuable resource we found while researching these lost places, the book "Muscle, Grit And Big Dreams Earliest Towns of the Upper Flathead 1872-1891" by Carle F. O'Neil, O'Neil Printers, 1996. A town is, "A collection of houses and other buildings wherein at least minimal human services are formally provided and exchanged, and where a public post office has been established."
The cache is an easy park and grab close to where the town of Egan was probably located. We had originally thought about putting this cache closer to the Flathead River as research suggests that there was a ferry at Egan, however, further anecdotal evidence suggests that it was actually a bit of a drive from the Egan ferry to the town. Early flooding from the undammed river would tend to support that the town would have been located up on the rise.
Some interesting facts about Egan Montana:
- The town was named for its founder William J. Egan.
- Egan was home to the valley's first operating ferry across the Flathead River. Previously, river crossings were serviced with makeshift barges.
- The community of Egan was firmly in place prior to the opening of its post office in 1888. Jesse Yenne was Egan's first postmaster.
- In 1890 both a shingle mill and a licensed brewery were built by Knute Teidman.
- During its heyday Egan boasted several saloons, a hotel, a boarding house, a blacksmith, a livery stable, and several general mercantiles.
- Many Egan business owners also ran businesses in the nearby rival town of Sheldon.
- Some of the prominent Egan businessmen were: Albert Wilkie, butcher and liquor; Wise and Herrick, mercantile; Bert Kennedy and Burt Sheldon, liquor; Rupert Jordan, liquor; Sylvester Jordan, liquor; Rupert Johnson, liquor; and Reilly and Sullivan, who sold, you guessed it... liquor.
- In all, the town of Egan lasted about seventeen years from 1888-1905.