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Free Traveling Guides » States » Montana » DestinationsButte
Butte is a small city snuggled in the Silver Bow County, Montana and is also its county seat. In the year 1977, the city and county governments merged to form a single entity of The City and County of Butte-Silver Bow.
In the middle of the 19th century Butte gained reputation as one of the largest copper boom regions in the Western part of America. Once called "the richest hill on earth,” in 1864 Butte had gold mining activity at its peak and in the 1870’s the silver camp flourished. All this led to an influx of people and bought its population to 100,000 in its glory days.
Recreational activities include hiking, skiing and mountaineering.
Butte is synonymous with mining and the city’s history is related either directly or indirectly to the mining days. Downtown is characterized by office structures and shops that stand next to lean metal head frames which were once mine entrances. The city’s ethnic heritage and is brought alive by the interpretive tours and museums, the most popular one being the World Museum of Mining that has put up several artifacts from the city’s mining past. Another site of interest is the Berkeley Pit which offers a complete view of the open pit excavation site from the viewer stands. Another place of interest is the Towe Ford Museum which has in its display over 100 Ford motor cars. Younger visitors have a gala time at the Fairmont Hot Springs and Gem Mountain Sapphire that has a gem hunting activity.
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