Southwest, Montana - Butte, Anaconda, Deer Lodge & Missoula

Butte

Often called the “richest hill on earth,” Butte produced fabulous fortunes for nearly 120 years on copper, silver and gold mining and became home to some of the world’s wealthiest men. Butte was a booming city in the early days, attracting thousands of immigrants and other workers from around the world. Today, the town has a more diversified economy and retains a unique character. Its residents have immense pride in their heritage and are proud to call Butte “home.”

The Original Mine headframe overlooks city of Butte.

The Mountain Con Mine boasts that it is “A Mile High and a Mile Deep.”

Not sure of the story behind this.  It sits on top of the hill next to the remains of the foreman's house.

The Copper King Mansion is a 34-room Victorian mansion completed in 1884 as the Butte residence of William Andrews Clark, one of Montana's famous "Copper Kings". Through his many mining and banking ventures, Clark became one of the wealthiest men in the world. By 1900, Clark had amassed a personal fortune estimated at $50,000,000.


Dumas Brothel
The brothel was founded in 1890. It grew considerably through the years, with the miners employed by the copper mines often patronizing the establishment. After several changes of the madams and continuing pressure from authorities, the brothel closed in 1982. At the time of its closure, it was the longest operating brothel in the United States, having operated years after prostitution was made illegal.

Farmer's Market

Second Edition book store

While Dave looked for something to read I found this handy book

 Our Lady of the Rockies is a 90-foot statue sitting atop the Continental Divide

The World Museum of Mining is one of the few museums in the world located on an actual mine yard – the Orphan Girl Mine. The "Girl" is the centerpiece of the Museum and is marked by a 100 foot high steel headframe. Once mined to a depth of 3200 feet, she produced silver, lead and zinc from 1875 until 1956. You are able to see, feel and taste life in this mining camp by touring the massive steel headframe and venturing into the depths of the Orphan Girl Mine on an Underground Mine Tour. 

The Original Snowmobile.
1929 Fordson Tractor converted into a screw-propelled vehicle with a single pair of cylinders.

They don't look so modern

Underground tour

In 1910, a thousand mules lived underground in the Butte Mines where they pulled ore cars from the slopes to the shafts.  Mules soon went blind from working and living in the dark.  Nevertheless, miners often complained that the company treated its mules better than its men.  

 Men in front of an elevator cage where the mule is loaded in a sling, sitting on its tail, with a hood over its head, waiting to be lowered into the mine.

Preparing a mule to descend

 Metals Sports Bar & Grill

Located on the first floor of The Historic Metals Bank Building in Uptown Butte.  Still featuring the original Bank Vault and Teller Line, our main dinning room is in the original bank lobby.  

In September of 1907, all of Butte showed up to watch the 32-ton steel door be installed.  Transporting the 64,000 pounds in one piece which is 8x10 feet across the front and is more than a foot thick, was a monumental task.  A custom designed wagon with twelve front wheels from Ore wagons were connected by 12x12 timbers. Twenty-four horses were set to pull the custom wagon - then another twelve joined in and finally with thirty-six horses, the wagon slowly began to move.  The trip from the Northern Pacific Rail Yard up Butte's dirt road hill to Park Street took two days and taxed the brawn, strength, and the will of horses and men. 

 

Butte is home to Montana's most spectacular fireworks display on July 3rd. It is launched from the base of Butte's famous "Big M". The celebration continues on July 4th with Montana's best attended 4th of July parade.  Montanans love being Americans, and they love their fireworks. Fireworks went off for days throughout the town.

Philipsburg Area

Combination Mine

Granite Ghost Town

South of Philipsburg, this abandoned silver mine was known as the "Silver Queen," the richest silver-producing area in the country in the 1890s. Stroll through the Granite Ghost Walk. 

Hector Horton first discovered silver in the general area in 1865. In the autumn of 1872 the Granite mine was discovered by a prospector named Holland. The mine was relocated in 1875. This is one of the best of all ghost camps. This was the richest silver mine on the earth, and it might never have been discovered if a telegram from the east hadn't been delayed. The miner's backers thought the venture was hopeless and ordered an end to its operation, but the last blast on the last shift uncovered a bonanza, which yielded $40,000,000.

In the silver panic of 1893, word came to shut the mine down. The mine was deserted for three years, never again would it reach the population it once had of 3,000 miners. 

 Mae's cabin

 The shell of the Miners' Union Hall still stands. The roof supports have caved to the bottom floor, the third-floor dance hall, second-floor union offices, and ground-floor saloon/cafe are about to collapse together.

Even the "Visitors Center" is a ghost town

 

Bank building

Superintendent's house

Mining Company Office

The Bi-Metallic Aerial Tramway was 9,750 feet long with a vertical drop of 1,225 feet and was the longest aerial tramway in the United States at that time.

Deer Lodge

Deer Lodge is the second oldest town in Montana.

 The "Old Prison" served as the Montana Territorial Prison from 1871 until Montana achieved statehood in 1889, then continued as the primary penal institution for the State of Montana until 1979.  Tours take you beyond the gray stone wall and towers through the now unused prison with its four-tiered cell block, gothic facade and huge prison yard. 

Grouse

Racetrack Creek

 Lunch at Alpine Lake


Albicaulis Lake

Checking out the road widening job

Now I see why the call it a corduroy road

Another hail storm during our scenic drive

Forest Service cabin available for nightly rental

Grant-Kohrs Ranch
The original ranch was established in 1862 by a Canadian fur trader, Johnny Grant,  along the banks of the Clark Fork river. The ranch was later expanded by a cattle baron, Conrad Kohrs (1866–1920). The 1,618 acres historic site is maintained today as a working ranch by the National Park Service

Missoula
Jim and Mary's RV Park has flower gardens scattered throughout the park.

Met up with Lynda, a friend of Dave's all the way back from Cuyamaca College days.

Step into Elk Country at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation's Elk Country Visitor Center.  The Visitor Center is more than just a museum; it’s an experience that reveals the beauty, diversity and importance of elk country across North America.

I found it interesting that the majority of Elk left today live on the West coast.

Howdy

Lynda had us to her house for an awesome dinner

It was kinda like visiting your Mom or Grandma's house.  We left with lotion, fresh rhubarb, homemade canned pickles, cherries, huckleberries and cherry chipotle bbq sauce.  Plus since she was flying out of town in the morning she sent us home with all the leftovers and everything that wouldn't keep in her refrigerator.

Missoula has 3 Farmers Markets all on Saturday morning

Our goodies from the Farmers Market

America's best kept surfing secret?  The Clark Fork River, Missoula, Montana. While the town's surf shop doesn't have any beachfront access, the store has cultivated a loyal following of dedicated wave junkies.

Lynda mentioned how she hadn't gotten a chance to mow her lawn before leaving town so we snuck back and mowed her lawn.  Shhhh don't tell her it's a surprise.

Treated ourselves to an ice cream for lunch at the Big Dipper.