5 stars because it takes me back to the 18th century when the last new house was built if your…read moredriving past it's a must stop. So many really neat things to see make sure and drive to the top to see the Granite Mountain memorial. Also try a pork sandwich at one of the restaurants

Hunter Thompson once said, in describing his infamous lawyer, "There he goes. One of God's own…read moreprototypes. A high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die." The same can be easily said of Butte. It's a mutant monster of a place that is too weird to continue living, and yet it's too rare and tough to die. After all, we're talking about a city that turned both a brothel and a toxic superfund site into tourist attractions, and St. Patrick's Day is treated as a major holiday. Like many cities of the west, Butte's origination was that of a gold-rush era mining camp in the early 1870's. But its wealth and fame came not from gold or silver, but copper, for which demand skyrocketed with the advent of electricity (as well as bullet manufacturing during WW I and II later on). Life in Butte was definitely good. Unfortunately, just like so many mining towns of the West, the good times were destined to end. In this case, the falling cost of copper, making importation from South America cheaper than mining and processing it here in the US. As the mining operations shut down, businesses and individuals packed up and left, with arson becoming the leading business in the area. Almost overnight, the city that was considered the Paris of the West became a tarnished empty shell of its former glory days. Many now call Butte "The Detroit of The West". These days, the population is under a third of what it once was, and continues to dwindle. No doubt about it, life has dropped trousers, squatted over the area, and let fly with a fresh steaming load of lemons, over and over and over. But leave it to the lifelong residents to prove to the world exactly how tough they really are. The mining is gone? Let's build a giant statue to bring in the tourists! The statue isn't bringing in as many tourists as before? Let's build a speed skating arena to train people for the Olympics! Man-made lake so toxic that it almost instantaneously killed more than three hundred Canadian geese that landed in it? Turn it into a tourist attraction! Water so filled with toxic minerals that it can be mined? Mine it! You get the idea. As much as people outside the area love to dump on and make fun of the community, there's no getting around the fact that Butte has contributed greatly to Montana and world history. After all, would there be extreme sports if Butte-native Evel Knievel had chosen to become a miner instead of a world-class daredevil? Would Dashel Hammet's novels had been has hard-boiled as they were if he didn't spend time as a Pinkerton Detective on The Richest Hill on Earth? These days, with most of the mining gone, Butte plays host to various conventions and festivals. The most famous of which, outside of St. Patrick's Day, are Evel Knievel days, which is a celebration of Butte's most famous son. There are hundreds of reasons one should visit Butte, far too many to list here. Instead, I recommend you, again to quote Thompson, "Buy the ticket and take the ride." Marvel at the rich history. As you take all the attractions in, remember this: you are standing in what is quickly becoming one of the most modern and largest 20th century ghost towns. Enjoy!

Butte, Montana: The fastest and most colorful way to learn about Butte is a Trolley Tour. In about…read moretwo hours, you'll see where the characters, famous folk, miners and scoundrels lived and worked. Plus, you'll hear how they made Butte the lively, urban center it was. Drivers are especially chosen because of their knowledge of Butte history and folklore, which is presented in an entertaining manner. Sightseeing tour includes: National Historic District, Charles W. Clark Chateau, Victorian neighborhoods, Copper King Mansion, Dumas Brothel Museum, Piccaddily Museum of Transportation, World Museum of Mining, Mai Wah, and our Lady of the Rockies. The only stop is the Berkeley Pit viewing stand.

Folks in town are proud of the monument that was built to honor the men that died in a mining…read moreaccident back in 1917. This was apparent when my friend and I were looking for it and a passerby happily drove out of his way to lead us to the entrance. It sits atop a hill, overlooking the valley, and has a small parking lot. There are multiple plaques and even interactive audio elements that tell the story of that fateful day. It's very well done. On the ground, there are bricks with names of the individuals who died that day. It's a lovely memorial and tribute to the historic tragedy. If you find yourself traveling through Butte, take a short detour and spend a few minutes at the memorial honoring these people.

One of the most interesting things to see in Butte with a great view but a sad history lots of…read moreplaques that tell the story of the mine fire. It's on top of the hill in the city with lots of interesting surrounds. Worth stopping

Disappointed!! Well, it does have a great story behind them but it stops there. At $15.00 per…read moreperson, pretty pricey. While I agree that it's always best to keep an old historical building in its original condition, preservation. Is important. But, the new owners took control In 2018, and they still have so many rooms still being used for storage. Very disorganized. It smells horrible and the damp floors were soft and in some places, it felt like the floorboards were going to collapse from under me. I'm actually surprised, the City hasn't condemned it yet. Interestingly, it was the longest running Brothel in the US.... 1890-1982 !! The downstairs area, as told, has been kept original, including booze bottles, curtains & cigarette butts. Rugs, wet walls & I'm sure the bedding is what is smelling. But.....by being on the Historical Records, it should not allow the extensive condition of this place. I don't know.., but, there has to be Reconstruction Grants available. I wouldn't pay that price for this condition of a museum. Very sad.

One of my favorite museums to visit in Montana, the Dumas Brothel is currently the longest running…read morebrothel in the U.S., and it has a unique history that speaks to Butte's history and the history of women's labor. Our guide, who owns the building with her husband, was friendly and super knowledgeable about history, the women who worked at the brothel, the brothel's founders, and the building's architecture. We learned that the brothel is built in the Victorian style, and it was constructed specifically to be a brothel. Many of the rooms contain relics from the past that you can check out, including clothing, makeup, bedding, furniture, and more. I know the owners are still working on restoring the place and it's looking great. My favorite part was either the upstairs, where you could see red lights and the Madame's room, or the basement, which was a bit harrowing and slightly haunted, in my humble opinion. It was really interesting to think about the circumstances surrounding women's labor in Butte, and how this line of work could have both empowering and difficult elements. In terms of Butte museums, this was the one I enjoyed most.

These folks do a great job. Their response times are phenomenal! It's reassuring to know that if I…read moreneed help they will be here in a few minutes. We couldn't ask for a better department.

The fastest and most professional fire department I've ever interacted with (and I've lived all…read moreover the country). Anaconda is blessed to have such a an incredible team working to keep them safe. You guys rock!

I always stop here and walk around they have a lot of plaques with local information and I lik.e…read moreseeing the train car takes me back in time. If you have time stop and browse learn about the past of Anaconda it's interesting place stop at smoke stack park. Watch out for deer in town

Most chambers I've been into are just a small office with brochures but this one was different…read more While stopping through Anaconda I decided to swing by here where not only was I able to learn some history about the town but I was able to get some souvenirs also. Of course I found myself a copper bracelet to take home with me and some huckleberry items. She has great jewelry in here which is very reasonable priced. I was able to get some moose poop which is a bag of chocolate covered peanuts and although I didn't get any she has lots of huckleberry jam!

The bus ride was incredibly bumpy which was never disclosed. My head almost hit the ceiling…read moremultiple times and I am 5'4. I understand the road is washed out, but there was no disclaimer for the bus ride. This could be extremely dangerous for anyone, let alone elderly and disabled people. The tour guide was kind, but we couldn't hear him during the bus ride. They need a speaker. The statue is awesome and it's a great view. I guess my complaints are only because the tickets were a little steep in price.

Saw this years ago from a distance when I was driving through Butte. Finally had a chance to come…read moreback and check it out. Had a wonderful, whimsical trip here! The story behind it is so inspiring, the trip up is bumpy but fun, and the actual statue is incredible. This is one of the largest statues in the US. Totally worth a visit.

If you enjoy house museums, then you should definitely take time to visit this house. The house has…read morelimited furniture, but it has a unique history and floor plan. The entrance fee is only $7 for adults.

Butte, Montana: The Arts Chateau, formerly the home of Copper King William Andrews Clark's son,…read moreCharles, the home was designed in the image of a French Chateau. The home was built in 1898. This ornate mansion now serves as a community arts center and gallery.