Friend of the Christenot Mill – Bill Neal
Geologist Bill Neal was hired by company to conduct core sampling in the upper Alder Gulch in the late 1990s. Nick Shrauger and his wife, Betty, were camping near Summit City and met Bill. They discovered a shared interest of the history and geology of the area, as Nick explained his personal connection to the Christenot Mill.
Map – Gold in Historic Alder Gulch, Virginia City, Montana
As part of his work, Bill had researched locations of hard rock mines in Upper Alder Gulch and as a result was able to complete an accurate map of the area’s mines, mills, and settlements. He placed the locations of mining claims over the image of the topography and produced the most accurate map known of the area. His research determined that Highland City is north of Pine Grove. (Other area maps often show them reversed.)
