Nestled between the towns of Basin and Boulder, MT off I-15 sits what is left of Comet, MT, a small fairly intact mining town named after the Comet Mine it was built around. The first mining began in 1869 by a man named John W. Russell then later by the Alta Montana company in 1874. Progress came slowly to the town as Alta-Montana poured money into the development of the site through the 1880s-90s. Early efforts by the company failed to turn a profit until 1883 when after a restructuring of management and construction of a new smelter (the largest in MT at the time).
Comet, MTs prime was in the 1890s when the town boasted 300 residences, and nearly twenty saloons. However by 1914, the mines ownership had changed several times and was abandoned. The ghost mine was bought by the Basin Montana Tunnel Company in 1927 which again invested in new, modern machinery in order to be competitive with the other mines in the area. The Comet Mine produced over $20 million worth of zinc, iron, copper, and silver over its career and the second largest venture in the state. For comparison, the nearby Grey Eagle Mine only produced $2 million.
The mine closed in 1941 and has since been abandoned. Today, what is left is on public land with around twenty buildings still standing.