One Of The Most Unique Towns In America, Butte Is Perfect For A Day Trip In Montana
Butte is less than two hours from Missoula, an hour from Helena, and about 90 minutes from Bozeman. And while most locals might not consider this old mining town the top day trip destination, it’s actually a fantastic place to spend an afternoon. After all, Butte was once known as the “Richest Hill on Earth.” And while it’s copper and gold mining days are largely behind it, evidence of its history remains… and it’s everywhere.
Back then, the mines attracted people from all over the country, as well as immigrants from Ireland, Wales, Lebanon, Canada, Finland, Austria, Serbia, Italy, China, Syria, Croatia. Immigrants played a huge role in Butte's history and culture, the evidence of which you'll still see today.
There are quite a few historic buildings still standing -- in fact, you'd have a hard time finding a Montana city with more historic buildings.
The Wah Chong Tai Mercantile moved into the building in 1899, now standing as the country’s only original Chinese store from the early 20th century. Butte is also home to America's oldest Chinese restaurant, Pekin Noodle Parlor.
Explore a replica of an 1890s mining town, pay your respects at the large memorial, or take a guided tour of the mine itself.
The pit is 7,000 feet long, 5,600 feet wide, and 1,600 feet deep. The water in the pit is extremely toxic, but from a distance, it's quite beautiful.
The pasty is a Cornish meat pie, once popularized by mine workers who needed something easy to eat in the mines.
Still, we think it's a pretty great place to visit, even on an average day.
When was the last time you spent a day in Butte? Share your experience with us in the comments!
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Address: Butte, MT, USA
