History of the City of Troy - The Miners

It all started with a few miners and their claims.

Herykaha Placer Claim, located on December 9, 1890 by George Potter

Spokane and Kootenai Placer: March 17, 1891 This claim was owned by 8 men.
James Freeman, William O’Brien, J.H.Shaw, J.D. MacLean, H.T. Fairlamb, K.J.L. Ross, James Rutherford and W.H. Carson.

At the time this was being recorded, the miners in the area were aware that the Great Northern Railway Company was planning a railroad down the Kootenai River.

March 23, 1891, H.T. Fairlamb bought out his partners and was now the only one who owned the Spokane and Kootenai Placer claim.

June 2: Lake City land transactions were recorded. June 2, 1891 and June 19, 1891.
This was located a mile west of Callahan Creek.

Spring of 1891 the Great Northern Railway began moving into the area and established a large camp near the mouth of Lake Creek, on the eastern part of the Spokane and Kootenai Placer claim.

August 21, 1891: James Stonechest located the Snowball Fraction Placer Claim.

December 4, 1891: Missoula Placer Claim (West Troy) located and filed on 12-31-1891. Located on the north side of Callahan Creek, and would later play an important part in the history of Troy.  E. L. Preston, one of the locators, was one of the chief civil engineers for the Great Northern in charge of the survey party through the Kootenai River Valley and was later credited with the naming of Troy.

September 9, 1892: Pine Tree Placer Claim was filed. Locators included D. M McLeod, Jay H. Adams, D.W. Henley, Henry Lunn, A.M. Scott, John Wetzel, John Langman, and H. Preston. Located northwest and adjacent to the Missoula Placer Claim.