Lincoln County

Troy Place Names

Taken from "Troy, Montana Yesterdays" no. 3

by Marjorie Pomeroy

Copyright 1982

Alvord Lake- -

Named for Frank E. Alvord, settler of the 1890's and beyond.


Baker Lake- -

Reportedly early name for Milnor Lake.


Chase Cutoff- -

Named for John and Maud Chase who came to the area in 1907.


Helmer Lake- -

Named for Simon Kenton Helmer, buried on his Yaak homestead. Later named Vinal Lake


Heryakaha River- -

Early and presumably Indian name for Lake Creek.


Lake City- -

Name of Troy's first settlement up Lake Creek from juncture with Kootenai River; Old Town area.


Keeler Creek and Keeler Mountain- -

Named for Bill Keeler, early prospector. "known as a 'man who had killed more than one man in his time, ' but he did not live up to his reputation in Troy." (Wood) Reported by Libby newspapers of Nov. 1898 to have found the remains of Rev. Alexis Berk, lost in the mountains two years earlier.- - -See Preacher Mountain.


Milnor Lake- -

Named for William Milnor, settler of the 1890's and early 20th century.


Preacher Mountain- -

Named for Reverend Alexis Berk, described as a quiet, earnest young man, who went hunting late the afternoon of November 6, 1896, in the mountains near Troy and did not return.

Because he had not returned for evening prayer meeting, a search party of five set out the next day but returned without finding him, not having adequate supplies for an extended search. Two who had seen his tracks were too exhausted to follow.

Another party starting at once found the tracks that ten inches of snow during the night obliterated. No trace was found in repeated searches the following spring, the last of which was made in June by five men led by Rev. G. C. Stull.

The Libby Montanian of Nov. 5, 1898, reported the remains of Rev. Berk found by prospector William Keeler in the mountains six miles southwest of Troy, identified by clothes, shoes and papers. Judge D. L. Boyle had gone to Troy to hold an inquest, over the remains. The Libby News of Nov. 10, 1898, reported Keeler's refusal to disclose the place until paid a $200 reward, where upon the judge fined him $50 and jailed him 25 days for contempt in refusing an order to accompany the jury. The remains thus were left in the mountains.

(Above newspaper accounts in Muriell Sibell Wolle's Montana Pay Dirt, Sage, c1963


Rausch Mountain- -

Named for Yaak settler, Charlie Rausch.


Savage Lake- -

Named for William D. Savage who settled there with his family in 1895.


Slee Lake- -

Named for Richard Slee who came to the area in 1903.


Stanley Creek and Stanley Mountain- -

Named for Foster Stanley, 1890's settler and beyond.


Throop's Lake- -

Named for L. E. Throop, businessman who was advertising in 1922 issues of TroyTribune.


VanDyke Lake- -

Early name for Savage Lake, named for John VanDyke who homesteaded there, sold rights to William Savage.

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