Butte Montana
At the very heart of Southwest Montana, Butte was once the throbbing heart of the American West. The largest city west of the Mississippi at the end of the 19th century, and often called the "Richest Hill on Earth," Butte's complex history passes through all the stages of a mining town.
Today, Butte boasts one of the nation's largest National Historic Landmark Districts with over four thousand structures around the city. The history hungry can take a ride on the Old Trolley No. 1 for tours of historic sites, or visit one of Butte's many museums: the Copper King Mansion, the Mai Wah in the heart of Butte's old Chinatown, the Dumas Victorian Brothel Museum in the once notorious Venus Alley, the Mineral Museum, and the World Museum of Mining with its twenty two acres of outdoor and indoor displays.
For unsurpassed views, visit the Granite Mountain Mine Memorial for a panoramic view of Butte and the nearby mountains; the viewing stand at the Berkley Pit, Butte's massive open-pit mine; or take a bus for a close-up view of the towering Our Lady of the Rockies, a 90-foot statue of the Virgin Mary that looks down on Butte from the Continental Divide.
Outdoor enthusiasts can visit the nearby Sheepshead Recreation Area, Maney Lake, and Elkhorn State Park for hiking, boating, river floats, and fishing opportunities.
