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.

I did not have high expectations of this place as I've never heard of it before this trip, though…read morewanted to visit since it is a NPS site. It exceeded my expectations and I kind of loved it even though he did not get to do everything that it had to offer. We had a self tour of the ranch and learned about different part of it (stables, bunkhouses, saw old vehicles, blacksmith shop, etc. Got to pet some horses, help put the chickens away, and we got to practice lassoing. We were there for just about 2 1/2 hours and I would have stayed longer. I would have wanted to tour the house (we didn't think our kids would be patient in there) and see the rest of the grounds. The ranger working was great too. As there were no interpreters there, she told us about some of the things and as I mentioned, she let my kids help with the chickens. A great, interesting place to stop just about at the midpoint from Bozeman to Missoula.

Absolutely worth the stop. This ranch was acquired by the NPS with all the original documents,…read morefurnishings, out buildings and conveyances. This is a working ranch. In summer staff grow, cut and store hay in the way thenoriginal ranchers did. A chuck wagon is set up by the barns where staff cook over an open fire and tell stories of cattle ranching. And yes, they do still have cattle on the ranch. Besides a tour of the home and many barns, bunkhouse and sheds, there are multiple trails to enjoy. This area gets quite hot in the summer so be sure to have water and sun protection. In winter it's windy and cold, so dress warm. A good amount of both car and RV parking is available. Public restrooms near the visitor center and the house. If in the area, this is definitely worth a visit for an hour or a day. Picnic tables are availble for guests use.

A friend and I stopped in here today. Had we had more time, it would have been interesting to take…read morethe tour, but we did a quick walk through alone. This place is kept up very nicely and there is plenty to see. The curator was very friendly and knowledgeable. Worth a stop by when doing a historical tour around Butte!

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.

Montana was added as a state in 1860 or so. Back in the day Montana couldnt afford to make dirt…read moreroads so individuals can make em and charge a toll. Thats what some frenchy did back in 1860s. The road was popular cause it connected parts of Idaho and the Montana lakes to Helena. If you look at the map this road was statregic. The sign will state the grim story of what transpired as the frenchwomen was murdered and robbed. Her husband booked it too so he might have whacked her. Legend has it the locals liked the frenchwomen. Her name is unknown and she collected the toll in a nearby kiosk/cabin where weary travelers could sleep on the floor. The frenchwomen had a reputation for being a bomb chef so travelers were able to eat, possibly the best meals in their lives. The surroundings are beautiful!!! Good place to stretch and bask in the sun and breath the fresh air. Helena is appx 30 min.

6 of us took a private tour during the day as 2 of the ladies in our group were afraid to go at…read morenight. The place is kinda creepy but thats the point. My sister got unknown scratches on her back. A few of us felt like we were being watched. My brothers hearing aids failed the whole tour but came on as we left the building. To appreciate this you need to know and understand the old west. I'd like to see more of the old houses in the town saved.

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.

There's a lot of history behind this copper smelter station. No point in me telling you what Google…read morecan. I recommend checking it out on Google.

What a sight to behold! You can't miss this if you're in town or driving by. It's on a hill and…read morestands at 585 feet tall. It's the tallest surviving masonry structure in the world, and 30 feet taller than the Washington Monument. Unlike the Washington Monument, you can't walk up to the stack's base, as the soil around it is still hazardous due to metal and elemental contamination from its use. You can only photograph it in its entirety from a distance. Do note that there are taller chimneys that still exist are made of reinforced concrete, but this stack is made from bricks and terra cotta coating.

Great librarians; kind and patient. There are not as many…read morebooks and DVDs as I would like, but it's still a good experience. There is a small museum on the second floor.

A great small-town library in a big, beautiful, historical building. Has a very good selection of…read morebooks considering the size of the town, and the most helpful librarians/staff I've had the pleasure of meeting at a library. Very long borrowing periods (which is making it easier for me to get through the collected works of Stephen Crane), plenty of computers with a fairly speedy internet connection. Also, it's nice and warm inside when it's cold out!

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