Deposits of silver, manganese, sapphires and gold in the hills surrounding Phillipsburg brought many people to the area in the late 18th century and early 19th century to seek employment and wealth from investments in the local mines. This is long gone and all that remains of these local mines is a series of ghost towns such as Granite, Kirkville, Garnet and Southern Cross. You can still mine for sapphires at one of the specialty shops in town. The Granite County museum and cultural center is located in the the former Courtney Hotel and is of special interest if you want to know about the history of mining in the area. On display there are historical exhibits including photos, clothing and other belongings of former Granite County residents. On a lower floor there is a mural depicting a mining community, complete with an assay office, a bank with a miner’s coin collection, and a reconstructed miner’s cabin. A replica of an underground silver mine has a simulated mine shaft and drift, a compressor, a hoist house, several ore cars and various other pieces of mining equipment. Located in a restored old schoolhouse building, the 1912 School House museum has on display thousands of antiques, art, rare and unusual western and mining artifacts arranged in theme rooms each with a theme from a past period of time. Most items in the rooms are fully functional and in original working order. The items are arranged to remind you that you are in an old schoolhouse.