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Place Name
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Butte
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Pronunciation
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BYOOT
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Place Status (Type)
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city
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Capital Of
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Silver Bow County
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Population
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33,336 (1990)
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Location
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Silver Bow County, Montana (MT), United States, North America
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Latitude
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unknown
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Longitude
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unknown
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Butte
(BYOOT), city (1990 pop. 33,336),  Silver Bow co.,
SW Mont., 45 mi/72 km SSW of Helena.
Continental Divide to E and S, Deerlodge Natl. Forest surrounds area.
Trade, distribution, and industrial center. The mining industry has
dominated the city's economy since its establishment in 1862, with
copper the major product. Berkeley pit copper mine closed 1983 and the
city's economy has declined since then; limited copper mining resumed
late 1980s, and zinc, silver, manganese, gold, lead, and arsenic are
also extracted from the numerous mines in the region. First a
gold-mining camp, then a silver center, Butte gained importance when
copper was discovered (c.1880), and Marcus Daly with his Anaconda
Copper Mining Co. began to exploit the “richest hill on earth.” The
expansion of the open-pit copper mine within the city limits has forced
sects. of the city to relocate. Butte's reputation as a
“wide-open” town peaked during the “War of the Copper Kings.”
Seat of Mont. Tech of the Univ. of Mont. Local attractions include
Anselmo Mine, Berkeley Pit, World Mus. of Mining, Mineral Mus., Art
Chateau, Our Lady of The Rockies; and Copper King Mansion, 32-room
former home of “copper king“ and politician William A. Clark
(1880s). Hq. of Deerlodge Natl. Forest. Butte and Silver Bow cos.
merged in 1977 (except for village of Walkerville). Inc. 1879.
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