"About 1 1/2 miles downstream from this point a creek flows into the Clark Fork River from the southwest. In 1852, a French half-breed, Francois Finlay, commonly known as "Benetsee," prospected the creek for placer gold. Finlay had had some experience in the California gold fields but was inadequately equipped with tools. However, he found colors, and in 1858 James and Granville Stuart, Reece Anderson and Thomas Adams, having heard of Benetsee's discovery, prospected the creek. The showing obtained convinced them that there were rich placer mines in Montana. The creek was first called "Benetsee Creek" and afterwards became known as Gold Creek.
The rumors of the strike reached disappointed "Pikes Peakers" as well as the backwash of prospectors from California and resulted in an era of prospecting that uncovered the famous placer deposits of Montana."
(Placer is Spanish meaning shoal or alluvial/sand deposit. This gold can be found in the gravel and sand deposits from glacial ice flows that created and filled streams and rivers.)
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