Rock Creek Station

The stage station at Rock Creek was constructed in 1860, and was destroyed, as noted in the discussion of the Deadwood Trail, by Indians. The town, itself, was founded in 1867. The railroad reached it in 1868, and the town became an important junction for freighters and stages heading north. It was the principle point of shipment for supplies for Fort Fetterman and Powder River Country.

Distant view of remains of Rock Creek, 1975.

With all of the freighters in town, Rock Creek could be rough. In 1882, a clerk in Charles Clay's store was hanged by some of the freighters. The clerk had been rude to a customer, he shot the customer dead. Although the 1880 census reflects a total population of 91, including one individual, Noel Comfield, age 17 whose occupation was shown as "tramp," the town at its height supported 5 saloons, but no churches. The stage trip to Custer City took three days. At one time, in addition to the saloons, the town had 2 hotels, the railroad depot, post office, the stage station, stockyards, and a school. There were also two merchantile establishments, the one operated by Charles Clay and another owned by William Taylor. Taylor also sold for cosmetic purposes a clay which was originally called "taylorite" but later renamed by Wilbur C. Knight "bentonite" after the location where it was first found. The clay was renamed by Knight because another substance in England bore the same name. Bentonite is an extemely sticky clay. When the clay is wet one might be easily trapped. The clay will adhere to one's boots with a incredible tenacity. The clay on the boots will then stick to the floor mats of one's truck, the upholstery, and anything else with which it comes in contact. It has the marvelous ability to expand 15-fold when wet. Its properties have been explored as a cure for diarrhea and as an intestinal detoxificant. Wilbur C. Knight was professor of geology at the University of Wyoming and the father of Dr. Samuel Knight after whom the hall at the University is named.

Remains of two stores and stable, Rock Creek, 1975.

The remains of Rock Creek are privately owned. Before visiting any ghost town, obtain permission from the owner.

John Thayer's hotel received mixed reviewed in contemporaneous guidebooks. The 1881 Pacific Tourist described the dining room:

The dining-room is beautifully decorated with flowers, vines and horns of game, a pretty Bay window with blooming flowers and walls covered with vines, and the display of hanging baskets, making the meal one of the most agreeable on the rood.

Remains of House, Rock Creek, 1975

The octagonal structure to the left of the house, is a water tank which served a central water system for the town.

Remains of House, Rock Creek, 1975

With the coming of railroads to Montana and interior Wyoming, stage and freight business northward was discontinued. The last stage was driven out of town by C. D. Griffin. By 1899, the town was essentially abandoned, and the Union Pacific purchased the town at a judicial sale.

Interior of stable, Rock Creek, 1975.

In 1902, the Railroad sold the town to William Taylor. In 1909, Jesse W. White and Reuben Stockwell discovered $4,177.50 buried in the cellar of the store previously operated by Taylor. The discovery of the treasure trove, mostly in gold coin, has given rise to various myths as to the money's source. Rumors have abounded that it may have come from a stage robbery or, considering that the Wilcox train robbery was only a short distance away, that the source of the money was from outlaws such as the Wild Bunch. The money was found buried in a glass jar in the cellar floor. White and Stockwell had been employed by Taylor to shore up a collapsing cellar wall in the former store building. In a subsequent lawsuit over entitlement to the treasure trove, Taylor claimed that he had buried the money in the 1890's when he was operating the store because the closest bank was some 47 miles away. The jury did not believe Taylor. The Supreme Court did, and Taylor received the funds. A question never answered was that if Taylor had buried the money in the cellar, why did he leave it there when the town was abandoned and sold to the Railroad? Taylor vacated Rock Creek's town plat in 1904.

Como Bluff dinosaur Museum, undated

The Dinosaur Museum is located 7 miles east of Medicine Bow and was constructed in 1933 by Thomas Boylan (1863-1947) of some 5,796 dinosaur fossils. which Boylan had collected over the preceeding 17 years. In 1953, it was featured in Ripley's Believe It of Not! as the world's oldest building. Bolan's widow, Grace (1894-1981) sold the museum in 1974. Nearby are the Como Bluff dinosuar pits (discussed and pictured with regard to the Bone Wars) and the "Bone Cabin Quarry," named after an early trapper's cabin which had been also constructed of dinosaur bones.

Next: Medicine Bow.