Butte, MT Summary

photo by gusto

One hundred years ago, Butte sat on mines which produced unprecedented quantities of copper and silver. Today it remains one of the richest historic cities in Montana, where handsome Victorian edifices dominate the downtown district.

Though Butte’s prosperity has diminished with the downturn in mining, its colorful legacy of copper kings who controlled the region has made it an interesting place to explore. It is also a city fueled by its once-vibrant migrant labor force comprising people of Irish, Chinese, and Mediterranean extraction. Their cultures are reflected in the many types of bars and cafès downtown.

The Butte Historic District includes several mining museums and a curious statue of Our Lady of the Rockies, which became a symbolic shrine to unemployed miners. At night, the 90-foot statue, perched on a hill east of town, can be seen illuminated by a blaze of lights.

The Bert Mooney Airport is in Butte and the other nearest airport is in Helena, about 40 miles northeast by I-15. There are also airports in Missoula and Bozeman.

Buses service the area.