Page 20 - Vacation Country Travel Guide

Known for warm hospitality and enchanting
historical character, Butte grew to be the largest and
richest urban center between Minneapolis and Seattle
in the early 1900s, after its humble beginnings as a
muddy gold mining camp and eventual 30-year run as
the world’s leading producer of copper. In the early
1880s, 2,000 miners toiled in 300 underground mines;
by WWI there were nearly 15,000 working in shifts
around the clock. More than 4,000 historic structures
comprise the nation’s largest National Historic
Landmark District, including vintage Victorian homes
and elegant mansions, some of the first tall buildings
in the nation, brothels, boarding houses, hotels and
miner’s shacks housing an estimated 100,000 people.
A fun, easy way to learn all about Butte’s unique
melting-pot ethnicity, the city’s historical reputation as
one of the rowdiest in the country (martial law was
Jackson, Montana
photo by: declared here in 1914 and lasted for 7 years), and the
VC TRAVEL GUIDE daunting Copper Kings and their war, is a two-hour
trolley tour available from the Visitor Information
chamber@powellcountymontana.com; miles southeast of the Big Hole National Battlefield, Center on George Street. The tours run all summer
through preserved Victorian neighborhoods, past the
Website: www.powellcountymontana.com where an 1877 battle between the US Army and
the Nez Perce took place. It lies 35 miles north of Copper King Mansion, Charles W Clark Chateau, Mai
Montana’s second oldest city, Deer Lodge Bannack State Park, the first territorial capital and Wah Museum and old Chinatown, Dumas Brothel
developed after the first gold strike in the state was site of Montana’s first major gold discovery in 1862. Museum, World Museum of Mining and Berkeley Pit.
One of the most complete Chinese stores from the
made nearby on Gold Creek in 1852. The former Jackson Hot Springs Lodge offers comfortable early 1900s in the US and the only one occupying
state prison located right on Main Street is now open cabins, a popular full service restaurant, large
to the public as the Old Prison Museum, featuring Western style bar and dance hall, all centered its original building, the Wah Chong Tai Mercantile
displays more than 2,500 artifacts. Exhibits in Mai
a cellblock building, an automobile museum ranked around a spectacular natural hot springs mineral Wah Hall chronicle the immigration of thousands of
one of the top 10 in the US, and a frontier museum pool. Jackson hosts the Montana Snowkite Rodeo
featuring one of the West’s largest collections of guns in February, a freestyle and racing event attracting Chinese to Montana between 1850 and 1940. Learn
about Chinese tong (family associations) and how
and memorabilia. powerkiting competitors from around the world.
Deer Lodge is also the location of Grant-Kohrs their disagreements erupted into the infamous 1922
Ranch National Historic Site, interpreting the frontier Butte Tong wars. The game of keno was devised in Butte,
evolving from Chinese lotteries held in the gambling
cattle ranching era on land held by cattle king Conrad Location: On I-15 and I-90, 80 miles west
Kohrs, whose holdings once covered a million acres. of Bozeman, 120 miles east of Missoula; dens of a sprawling, six square block Chinatown.
America’s longest running house of prostitution,
Population: 33,700. Visitor Information: Butte the Dumas on east Mercury Street was built as a three-
Anaconda Convention & Visitors Bureau, 1000 George level brothel in 1890 with alley and underground cribs
Location: In southwest Montana on Interstate Street, Butte, MT 59701; Phone: (406) 723- and escape tunnels. Remaining active until 1982, the
15; approximately 25 miles west of Butte; 90 3177, (800) 735-6814; Email: info@buttecvb. building is now an extensive bordello museum. The
miles east of Missoula. Population: 9,000. com; Website: www.buttecvb.com World Museum of Mining on the west edge of Butte
Visitor Information: Anaconda Chamber of offers an underground tour of the Orphan Girl silver
Commerce: Phone: (406) 563-4448. mine, an authentic 1890s mining camp of more than
35 buildings and extensive photo archives of Butte’s
A former industrial mining center with a rich heyday. Montana Tech’s Mineral Museum displays
history and heritage, Anaconda has achieved renown 1400 specimens from around the world, including a
as a top four-season recreation community. 27-ounce gold nugget. The museum also houses an
The Continental Divide passes within a few miles earthquake simulator and a UV light room revealing
of the city limits with the nearby Pintler Mountain the stunning florescent glow of minerals. In summer
peaks reaching over 10,000 feet. A few miles from and early fall, take a bus tour up to the top of the
the city, Lost Creek State Park is home to a herd of Continental Divide overlooking the city to the 90-
mountain goats and bighorn sheep. Warm Springs foot, nondenominational statue of “Our Lady of
Pond offers superb bird watching opportunities. the Rockies.” Butte’s shopping district is home to
A short drive south of town, the spectacular high fascinating specialty and antique stores, acclaimed art
mountain valley of the Mount Haggin Wildlife galleries and museums and several of Montana’s best
Management Area is home to a large elk herd, restaurants.
camping and hiking opportunities and excellent
cross country skiing.
Discovery Basin Ski Area, located 14 miles west Our Lady of the Rockies
of Anaconda at Georgetown Lake, features expert
runs and plentiful trails for cross country skiers. The
area offers prime hunting, with many experienced
guides and outfitters available.
Jackson
Location: Montana Secondary Highway 278
south of Wisdom and 43 miles west of Dillon,
in the scenic Big Hole Valley.

Surrounded by mountain ranges, Jackson lies
near the headwaters of the Big Hole River in an area
considered the finest outdoor recreation area in the
state, offering exceptional fishing, hunting, hiking,
skiing and snowmobiling. The town is located 30
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