Not much info on this place. Paher doesn't even mention it except in passing when he talks about Fay. Some minor mining and prospecting began here in the 1890's, the exact point unknown to us, but there was some activity in 1896, because it burned down and made the papers:
DEER LODGE IN ASHES
Deer Lodge has followed in the wake of other mining towns, and has received its baptism of fire, and it now lie in ashes. Deer Lodge is in the new mining district of Eagle Valley, and preparations had been made to do a great deal of work there which will now have to be suspended for the time being. The fire broke out on Wednesday the 15th inst. [an abbreviation for "instant" formerly used by old-time newspapers meaning "this month"] and is a severe blow to the mine promoters. We have received the following particulars:
On Wednesday the 15th inst., a fire broke out in the office of the Gold Bug Mining Company, owned by Messrs Lytles, Hammonds, and Moody, which rapidly spread to the assay office to the east, the blacksmith shop on the west, and to W. S. Bennett's residence, which stood near by, and in spite of the efforts of Mr. Bennett, he being the only one there, the whole was soon reduced to ashes.
-Pioche Record, July 23, 1896
On May 9th, 1897, Deer Lodge was officially born!
In response to a call to meet at Messrs. Troutman and Clark's at 2 o'clock May 9, 1897, thirty-one miners, prospectors, and citizens showed up.
The purpose for which the meeting was called was to get the road between State Line and Eagle Valley repaired, to name the town, the site of which is at Troutman and Clark's and knight's cabins, to petition for a post master, and other business.
By almost unanimous vote the town was named Deer Lodge. The townsite selected is covered by the log cabin claims of Troutman and Clark and the Rollins claim owned by Knight and Ryson. The owners generously gave each member of the meeting a lot 30x100 feet, with the proviso that they build within ninety days.
The townsite selected has many things in its favor. It is in the heart of the mineral belt, has water running beneath the surface the year round so that a twelve foot well gives plenty of good, cool water.
A petition was made out and signed by those present, and upon a vote, Wm. E. Barney was the choice for postmaster. The assembly recommended Chas. Lytle for justice of the peace and James Knight for constable.
H.H. Cooper, with the assistance of Harry Deathrage, is putting up a building in town to be used as a store. The six Homestake boys are putting up a 12x24 building preparatory to beginning work on the Homestake group of claims.
-Pioche Record, May 20, 1897
The transfer of population and business from Deer Lodge to Fay started around 1900.
Deerlodge and Fay
The camp is steadily increasing in population
Chas. Craw and family are among the late arrivals
Mrs. Rose was an out going passenger on the stage to join her husband in Tuscarora.
Since the starting of the Horseshoe G. M. Co's mill it has been running successfully and satisfactorily and will soon be numbered among the gold producers of Nevada.
Mr. A. W. McCune and other gentlemen connected with the working and management of the property also A. Menard, of the Fay Merct. company, arrived Wednesday from Salt Lake City.
The Justice Court has been occupied the past week with a case of assault and battery from Deerlodge in which a nominal fine was imposed, the defendant paying the fine and quit the camp.
The Fay Mercantile Co. are doing a steadily increasing business and have a stock of merchandise replete for family trade, and the increasing number of wood haulers and others at work in and around the camp, and we notice with Joe DeFries on their working staff.
Deerlodge is getting more quiet every day, the butcher business of Cook, Norris, and Lyte being mostly transferred and traasnacted at Fay. Some good promising mining claims are however being opened up by Geo Moody, Lee Rouzong and others, which will help to revive the camp at some future time.
-Pioche Record, September 14, 1900
A little insight as to what was there, from an interview with former resident Helen Hackett.
RM: So in Deerlodge they had a store and boardinghouse and so
on for the few years that the mines were going.
HH: And a butcher shop and a little place where the stagecoach
stopped. There was a stagecoach and the mail came through
there from Milford, Utah, until they got the railroad into
Modena. Then they had to bring supplies in there from
Milford.
RM: I wonder how many people were living in Deerlodge at this
time.
HH: Oh, I wouldn't know, but they had a pretty good crew of men
working there and there were some other people working -
some of the other mines that were around close. It was a
pretty well-established community, but, as I say, it didn't
last very long.
RM: And what was going on at Fay during the mine boom?
HH: The Horseshoe Mine was operating at Fay, and when Deerlodge
started to go downhill - when they saw it wasn't going to
make it -they moved everything from Deerlodge to Fay. The
man who had charge of the mine at Deerlodge moved his
operation to Fay. And they moved the water over - they
took water from Water Canyon at the foot of Mahogany
Mountain and piped it first into Deerlodge and then they
took it on over to Fay.
-Interview with Helen Hackett conducted by Robert D. McCracken, 1991
An idyllic little spot up in the hills, lots of water and wild horses roaming around. All that's left is basically the Hackett Ranch and cemetary.