History Unveiled: A Journey Through Time
Butte began in 1864 as a gold mining camp and grew into one of the largest copper producers in the world. Mining wealth built the brick and stone Uptown district that still defines the city today.
That history shapes daily life in Butte. Headframes from the old mines stand over neighborhoods, historic buildings house shops and restaurants, and the city's immigrant roots show up in its festivals and traditions.
From Gold Camp to Copper Capital
Prospectors found gold in 1864 and silver in the 1870s, but copper made Butte famous. In the 1880s, Marcus Daly developed the Anaconda mine, and Butte became known as the Richest Hill on Earth.
Three men, known as the Copper Kings, competed for control of the mines: William A. Clark, Marcus Daly, and F. Augustus Heinze. The Anaconda Copper Mining Company eventually consolidated their holdings and dominated Montana's economy for decades.
Key Milestones
| Year |
Milestone |
| 1864 |
Gold discovered; mining camp established |
| 1881 |
Marcus Daly buys the Anaconda mine |
| 1881 |
St. James Hospital founded by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth |
| 1917 |
Speculator Mine disaster, the deadliest hard rock mining disaster in history |
| 1955 |
Berkeley Pit opens as mining shifts from underground to open pit |
| 1961 |
Uptown Butte designated a National Historic Landmark District |
| 1977 |
City of Butte and Silver Bow County consolidate into one government |
| 1982 |
Mining in the Berkeley Pit ends |
| 1985 |
Montana Resources forms and copper mining resumes in the Continental Pit |
Immigrant Heritage
The mines drew workers from around the world, including Ireland, China, and much of Europe. Butte's Irish heritage remains especially strong, and the Mai Wah Museum preserves the history of the city's Chinese community.
Historic Landmarks
- Uptown Butte, part of one of the largest National Historic Landmark Districts in the country, with nearly 6,000 contributing properties
- Copper King Mansion, the former home of William A. Clark
- Mining headframes across the hillside above Uptown
- Berkeley Pit Viewing Stand
- World Museum of Mining
- Mai Wah Museum
- Hennessy Building, former headquarters of the Anaconda Company
