Whenever travel plans allow, I enjoy spending a day exploring Butte, Montana, known in the past as the “Richest Hill on Earth”.
Butte was once one of the wealthiest cities in America, its copper mines contributing significant monies to the community in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This is reflected in the splurge of building that occurred during the mining boom period. While the city fell on hard times when that boom ended, it has been left with an architectural legacy. Butte boasts one of the largest Historic Landmark Districts in the country (bestowed in 1961), with splendid old buildings and Victorian mansions. When combined with nearby Anaconda, there are thousands of properties included in this Historic Landmark District designation.
I tend to drive to a portion of the historic Uptown area, park my car, and then explore on foot. This is some of what my wife and I saw during our visit this past June:
Below are a few of Butte’s historic homes. Many have plaques explaining their history, of which I’ve included a few examples:
It wouldn’t be Butte if I didn’t include at least one photo of one (of its many) headframe(s):
If your travel plans take you through Montana (e.g. visits to Glacier National Park or Yellowstone National Park), then I’d highly recommend you spend a day or two exploring what Butte has to offer. I think you’ll enjoy the experience.
