The Republican Central Committee of Madison County will hold its next meeting on Thursday May 1, 2008 
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Greater Ruby Valley Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture meets the first Tuesday of every month at 12 noon. Call for location 684-5849.

Twin Bridges School Board meetings are held each month on the third Tuesday. Call 684-5656 for location and time.

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Sheridan, Montana

Alder Gulch Remembered - History Book Now Available
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Lowell Gilman has preserved memories, stories and photos of the Alder Gulch mining era.

Lowell Gilman, 87, is a local historian and native of the Alder Gulch and the Ruby Valley. Lowell began writing a history book of the gold dredges and booming dredge town of Ruby at the age of 84 with the help of Rose Keller who enhanced the pictures on her computer and edited the context of the book. 

Lowell wrote Alder Gulch Remembered to share his father's collection of dredge boat pictures and the area history. The book is like a photo album, including 365 historic pictures with history of the gold rush days, that Lowell remembers his grandfather telling him. There are many historic pictures and artifacts of mining and ranching from that era included in the book.

The first printing of this book was completed in September 2002. Lowell decided to print two hundred copies, which sold out during a book signing at the Sheridan Library. Lowell decided to have a second printing of the book to help meet the demands of interested people. Lowell never imaged his book would sell so well. He wrote the book to "preserve history that would otherwise be lost". "I think the most unique story is about the coin collection. The dredges recovered coins that were lost by early day explorers, trappers and prospectors who had lost coins during the early days. These coins were recovered with the gold as well as 'ruby' garnets that the valley was named after".

Alder Gulch Remembered is now available at Serendipity Gifts and Coffeehouse in Sheridan as well as other local bookstores. Serendipity currently has signed copies in stock and can be reached at 406-842-5008.

1908 mining dredge at Alder Gulch, one of the many photos in Alder Gulch Remembered, now available in a second printing. 

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