The Spirited Town of Butte, Montana Does Not Disappoint

By Donnie Sexton
Senior Writer

Hands down, the feisty, spirited town of Butte is one of my favorite cities in Montana. I find endless reasons to visit, from the food to the festivals, constantly uncovering new tidbits of fascination. Butte does not disappoint if you’re willing to peel back the layers of this southwest Montana city.

The city’s moniker, “the richest hill on earth,” refers to the Berkeley Pit. In 1862, when news broke of gold and silver discoveries in Montana, miners from around the globe flocked to the state, hoping to strike it rich.

The silver lodes near present-day Butte were yielding more and more copper at a time when the age of electricity and the need for copper was booming. Butte stood to prosper. From the 1880s to the 1920s, Butte became the single largest producer of copper, not just in the U.S. but in the world.

Populating Butte

By 1917, the town swelled to a population near 100,000.  It wasn’t just miners filling the streets of Butte but an influx of saloon keepers, copper kings, entrepreneurs, and ladies of the evening. The likes of Mark Twain, Charlie Chaplin, and Clark Cable entertained the crowds.  Some 33 worldwide ethnic groups found their way to Butte, and today, remnants of their heritage affect this city.

After a hard day’s work in the mines, miners typically capped off the day with a trip to the bar. By 1965, there were 97 bars in Butte. That number has dwindled significantly, but finding a place for a cold one and a chance to mingle with the locals is still easy.

Butte’s Red Light District

Prostitution was a big business in the early mining days. From high-class parlor houses to one-room basement cribs where the services were quick and cheap, as many as 1,000 women worked the red-light district in Butte.

The most renowned brothel was the Dumas, which holds the distinction of being the longest-operating brothel in the US when it closed in 1982. Touring the Dumas by appointment is possible, but be on the outlook for paranormal activity inside.The Dumas was previously featured on Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures.

From Underground to Open Pit Mining

Butte’s rough and tumble miners created over 10,000 miles of underground passages, pulling copper from the earth.  Both miners and mules were lowered into the ground by way of 70 – 200 ft. tall headframes, which dot Butte’s skyline today.  Underground mining eventually gave way to open pit mining, which was deemed much safer. The Berkeley Pit was created and operated from 1955 to 1982.   

When the Pit shut down, the pumps that kept underground water at bay were shut off, and the Pit began to fill with acidic water, over 40 billion gallons.   Today, the Pit is one of the world’s largest contaminated bodies of water, managed by the Environmental Protection Agency as a Superfund site. Leave it to the resilient locals to turn this eyesore into a tourist attraction with a viewing stand and interpretative materials.

Tour Butte with a Local

Butte, along with nearby Anaconda, where much of the smelting took place, is the nation’s largest National Historic Landmark District with more than 6,000 properties. Unpacking a wee bit of Butte’s intriguing history is easily done with a local tour. Butte Trolley Tours offers a 2-ride with a colorful narrative as you drive by Butte landmarks, including the Copper King Mansion, World Museum of Mining, Mai Wah Museum, and Clark Chateau.

Speaking of the Copper King Mansion, this historic home of William Clark, one of the wealthiest copper kings, offers guided tours by day, then transitions to a bed and breakfast at night, where you can sleep in Clark’s bedroom. Old Butte Historical Walking Tours leads visitors to the steamy underground world beneath Butte’s streets. Butte Mule Tours showcases Butte’s red light district, along with tours of the headframes and historic neighborhoods.

Celebrations!

Time your Butte visit to coincide with one of their vibrant events. With a quarter of Butte’s population boasting Irish descent, Butte ramps up their festivities starting with the boisterous St. Paddy’s Day celebration March 17. Uptown streets are shut down to traffic to allow for parades, street music, and a continual flow of green beer!

Come summer, it’s the Montana Folk Festival in July (free to the public), showcasing over 200 of our nation’s finest musicians, dancers and craftspeople performing over the course of three days.   

August sees another Irish celebration, the An Ri Ra Festival, promoting Irish culture with both traditional and contemporary Irish music and dance. Once again, the event is free.

Tasty Eats

Dining in Butte reflects the ethnicity of those who first settled in the area. The Pekin Noodle Parlor is the oldest continuously operating Chinese restaurant in the US. Diners head up a flight of stairs, and into a hallway lined with eating rooms and booths, all painted orange. Tucked into a side street is the mustard colored eatery of Mr. Hot Dogs. Buck Loomis is the spirited, energetic 82-year-old owner and  one-man show offering up creations such as the Beaner Dog, Dog Father, Mexican Dog, Hound Dog, Aloha Dog, and Deputy Dog.

The elegant La Casa Toscana celebrates Butte’s Italian heritage in a setting reminiscence of Tuscany. The interior of Casagranda’s Steakhouse functions a bit like a museum with all sorts of mining paraphernalia, along with some of the best steaks and seafood in town.

Butte Pasties

Don’t leave Butte without trying the Butte pasty (not to be confused with nipple tassels). Half-moon-shaped pockets of goodness are filled with chopped meat, potatoes, and onions, then baked.

The Cornish and Irish miners get credit for introducing these pies, which were easy to transport and provided much needed substance in Butte’s underground tunnels.

Pasties are best served covered in brown gravy.  Look for them at Joe’s Pasty Shop or The Pasty Place.

Not to be Missed                                                                                                                                                             During the summer, check out the Silver Bow Drive-In, Montana’s last permanent drive-in, operating since 1977 with room for 500 cars. The World Museum of Mining is home to Hell Roarin’ Gulch, a re-creation of a mining camp. Not to be missed is their unique underground mining tour (seasonal hours). 

Front Street Market is a must-stop for any foodie. The store is crammed floor to ceiling with every imaginable food product you can dream of, along with cases of homemade frozen entrees, such as ravioli and lasagna, and a robust selection of wines.

Kids Play

Fairmont Hot Springs Resort is a 15 minute drive from Butte. Offering two oversized Olympic swimming pools, two mineral soaking pools, and a water slide, the resort is ideal for families.

Stodden Park is home to Butte’s Ridge Waters Water Park, tennis courts, a golf course, and the Spirit of Columbia Gardens Carousel with 32 hand-carved horses. Kids will love the mining themed playground.

Don’t judge Butte by its cover, which is well worn around the edges. But turn the pages into the heart of this robust city, and you’ll be treated to an educational and entertaining view of this dynamic city.

Along the way, you’ll no doubt rub elbows with some energetic locals who are more than happy to spin a tale or two.