Disheveled in appearance, this mansion has long stood

Waiting silently in a long forgotten town’s neighborhood

The spreading sagebrush peeks out and feels alone

Lacking any proper care, the yard appears overgrown

Years ago, sophistication resides here with its appeal

Bringing people to dinner parties, glamorous and real

The walls still remember, offering all guests a seat

Listening to stories of wonder that continue to speak

The family appreciates their glittering life of pleasure

Living with opulence from a wealth of gifted treasure

Then the Great Depression delivers hard, uncertain times

Drying up bank accounts, from thousands to a few dimes

A life of splendor and privilege, now forever gone

Sending lives into financial ruin, no longer strong

A great town collapses into isolation and despair

Causing the grand home to fade without repairs

The once-proud family packs up and departs

Moving on to an uncertain future, falling apart

Now the mansion of grandeur stands alone and tattered

Allowing Father Time to leave her final years battered

The town remains deserted, quiet, and dark

Surviving as a ghost town without any spark

Sometimes the wind blows, bringing past voices to hear

Remembering better times without any shattered tears

The photograph is of an abandoned mansion found in Nevada City, Montana.  This townsite is located a short drive outside of Virginia City in Madison County of the Big Sky state.  Both of these communities are worth a visit when you travel to southwestern Montana.  In 1863, Montana’s second major gold strike centered along Alder Gulch, which runs through the area.  For additional information about this gold strike, visit Alder Gulch.