Benjamin Franklin Christenot built the mill in 1866 at Union City, high up in Alder Gulch, southwestern Montana. The mill processed gold ore from Frank's nearby mine, the Oro Cache. Furnished with the most modern machinery at great expense, the mill included four huge Chilian rollers manufactured in Pennsylvania, shipped by paddlewheeler to Nebraska City, NE, and hauled by ox train to Virginia City along the Bozeman Trail. The Chilian rollers were an unwieldy load, and the wagons tipped over from time to time. Thus three yoke of oxen were drowned while fording the Yellowstone River. To reach Union City, the wagons had to be hauled to an elevation over 7,000 feet along a trail that is still hazardous.
   Frederick & Charles Christenot lived in Union City then and worked at the mill. Frederick, Frank's father, was 59 in 1866. Charles had served in the Civil War and was not in the best of health. Both men had recently married their second wives.
   The job there was short. In a matter of weeks, debts caused Frank to sell both the mine and the mill. So while the mine was rich and the mill efficient, Frank Christenot did not profit by them.

Under a challenge cost share agreement between the Christenot Mill Preservation Association and the BLM, Christenot family members have donated labor and money to protect and restore the historic mill's structure.
    In 1997, a family work party built a fence to keep the cattle out.  The BLM cut down trees and brush from inside the walls.  Family members started capping the stone walls.  They also built and installed door and window headers and sashes.  Preservative was applied to all of the wood window and door frames as well as machinery support timbers.
    In August 1999, family members, local historians & BLM employees continued the restoration.  Crumbling walls were remortared. A window and a doorway were replaced.

Crew participants have been:
    Ellen Baumler,  Gale & Aline Christenot,  David Christenot,  Ken Christenot,  John Ellingsen,  Erma Jordan Evans,  Franky Lee Fergus,  Pete & Gwen (Christenot) Henderson,  Mark Henderson,  Lisa Capehart Hulse,  Bill McDonald,  Matt McDonald,  Bill Neal,  Ann & Richard Olsen,  Al & Cande (Christenot) Recke,  Nick & Betty Shrauger,  Jason & Kerry Shrauger,  Hollie Shrauger,  Kyle Shrauger,  Jack & Georgie Thurber.  Play time provided by Tip, Windsor & Katie, the Dogs.

Below: Nick Shrauger receives Montana Historical Society's certificate of registration from Governor Judy Martz, 16 Jan 2001.

From the Christenot Chronicle:
    "Thanks to the exhaustive research and diligent groundwork of Cousin Nick, and the cooperation and assistance of the BLM's Dillon resource area, Christenot Mill and Union City were listed in the National Register of Historic Places on Feb. 26, 1999."

More information?
Nick Shrauger, nicksh@theglobal.net

BLM's Christenot Mill site

Maps of the Montana Gold Rush by Bill Neal

Montana Ghost Town Preservation Society

New book: Dreams Across the Divide
Stories of the Montana Pioneers

Sons & Daughters of Montana Pioneers