Butte: local rooms, events and more

Photo: James St. John · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Town and around · Montana · 36k people

Butte

“Mining City”, “Richest Hill on Earth”, “Copper City”

Where the mountains are steep and the pasties are hot

copper

Welcome to Butte, the Copper City! Come for the steep hills and deep history, and stay for the friendly folks and mountain views. Don't leave without trying a pasty and a pork chop sandwich.

Clubs for Butte

No clubs for Butte yet.

The room

Butte Quiet now Where the mountains are steep and the pasties are hot

One room for everyone around Butte. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.

Ask the neighbours

All

A good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.

Coming up

No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.

Marketplace

Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Butte. Sign in to sell something.

Things to do

Berkeley Pit A former open-pit copper mine, now a toxic lake and iconic overlook.
World Museum of Mining Historic mining museum with a recreated mine yard and underground tour.
Montana Tech Historic university campus overlooking the city.
Copper King Mansion Gilded-age mansion of copper baron W.A. Clark.
Butte Civic Center Home to concerts, rodeos, and local events.
Old Works Golf Course Jack Nicklaus-designed course on a former copper smelter site in Anaconda.

Outdoors Hiking the Continental Divide Trail
Outdoors Fishing in the Big Hole River
With kids Visiting the World Museum of Mining
With kids Exploring the Copper King Mansion
Evenings Historic saloon hopping on Montana Street
Evenings Concerts at the Butte Civic Center
Locals love mining museums
Locals love historic districts

Through the year

Montana Folk Festival July Held in July, this free multi-stage festival brings national and regional roots music to Uptown Butte.
Butte-Silver Bow County Fair August A classic county fair with livestock, carnival rides, and local food in August.
Anaconda Pint Fest September A September beer and food festival in Anaconda celebrating local brews and cuisine.
Evel Knievel Days August A summer stunt and motorcycle festival honoring Butte's famous daredevil, with demos and street fair.
Copper City Classic Summer A summer classic car show and cruise through Uptown Butte.

Butte sits at high elevation with cold, snowy winters and mild, sunny summers. The best time to be out is June through August. Best: June through August

Talk like a local

“Uptown”: The historic downtown district on the hill.
“The Pit”: Berkeley Pit.
“Copper City”: Nickname for Butte.
“Byoot”: Local pronunciation of Butte.

Getaways

Philipsburg A charming mountain town with sapphire mining and a historic opera house.
Helena Montana's capital with the Capitol building and the Gates of the Mountains.
Bozeman A lively college town with the Museum of the Rockies and Bridger Bowl.
Missoula A river city with the University of Montana and great breweries.

Local flavour

Rooting for Montana Grizzlies (NCAA FCS), Montana State Bobcats (NCAA FCS)

Eat and drink

pasty Cornish meat pie, a miner's staple
pork chop sandwich Butte classic, often served at local bars
huckleberry Montana berry used in pies and jams

Where people go

mining museums World Museum of Mining and other historic sites
historic districts Uptown Butte with preserved architecture
pit overlooks Views of the Berkeley Pit, a massive open-pit mine

Heritage and traditions

Butte is proud of its gritty mining heritage and the 'Richest Hill on Earth' nickname, along with its strong Irish and immigrant roots that shaped a tight-knit, hard-working community.

This time of year in Butte

Harvest festivals Fall Fall festivals in surrounding towns featuring local produce and crafts.

Say it like a local: “Miners' lunch” — A pasty (miner's lunch)

Festivals

St. Patrick's Day Parade March One of the largest St. Patrick's Day parades in the West, celebrating Butte's Irish heritage.
Anaconda Winterfest January A winter celebration with ice sculptures, sleigh rides, and family activities.
Philipsburg Sapphire Festival August Celebrates the town's sapphire mining heritage with gem shows and public digging.
Butte Arts in the Park July An arts and crafts fair in a local park with live music and food vendors.
Dillon's Beaverhead County Fair August Traditional county fair with livestock exhibits, carnival rides, and a rodeo.
Butte Christmas Stroll December A downtown holiday event with lights, carolers, and Santa visits.

Landmarks with a story

Anaconda Smelter Stack The tallest free-standing brick structure in the world, a symbol of the smelting era.
Washoe Theater A beautifully restored 1930s movie palace in Anaconda.
Mai Wah Museum Preserves the history of Butte's Chinese community and their contributions.
Butte-Silver Bow Courthouse A grand 1912 courthouse with a copper dome, reflecting the city's mining wealth.
Dillon's Beaverhead County Museum Showcases the region's pioneer and mining history.
Philipsburg's Sapphire Gallery A place to see and dig for Montana sapphires, with a museum-like display.

Food traditions

St. Patrick's Day corned beef and cabbage A Butte tradition on St. Patrick's Day, reflecting the city's Irish roots.
Cabbage rolls from Eastern European communities Brought by Croatian and Serbian immigrants who worked in the mines, often served at family gatherings.

Music and arts

Butte's Irish music scene Traditional Irish sessions in local pubs, especially around St. Patrick's Day.
Butte Symphony Orchestra Performs classical and pops concerts in the Butte Civic Center.
Mother Lode Theatre A historic venue hosting plays, musicals, and concerts.
Anaconda's Washoe Theater Shows classic films and hosts live performances.

A little history

1880s Copper boom
1917 Speculator Mine disaster
1955 Berkeley Pit opens
1982 Berkeley Pit closes
1998 Superfund designation

Rivalries

Montana Grizzlies vs Montana State Bobcats The biggest college football rivalry in the state, splitting fans across Butte.
Butte vs Anaconda A historic rivalry over mining and high school sports.
Butte High vs Anaconda High Fierce high school football and basketball games draw big crowds.

Game day Butte High vs. Anaconda High football rivalry
Game day Montana Tech Orediggers football
Outdoors Digging for sapphires at Philipsburg
Outdoors Soaking in the hot springs at Fairmont Hot Springs
With kids Washoe Theater
With kids Sapphire Gallery

Locals pronounce 'Butte' as 'Byoot' and often refer to downtown as 'Uptown'. The speech carries a mix of Irish and mining slang, reflecting the city's immigrant and industrial heritage.

Only here

The Anaconda Smelter Stack is the tallest free-standing brick structure in the world.
Butte's St. Patrick's Day parade is one of the largest in the West.
You can dig for sapphires in Philipsburg and keep what you find.
The Berkeley Pit is a toxic lake that's a Superfund site, but you can view it from an overlook.

New here? A few tips

Pronounce 'Butte' as 'Byoot' – you'll sound like a local.
When locals say 'Uptown', they mean the downtown area.
Winters are cold and snowy; invest in a good coat and boots.
The Berkeley Pit is safe to view from the overlook, but don't touch the water.
Locals are proud of the mining heritage – ask about it and you'll hear great stories.

Make this page better

Know a place, a festival, a word locals use, or something here that's wrong? Suggest it; someone at Popchat checks every one.

Nearby

Every area

Anaconda–Deer LodgeMontanaWhere copper history meets sapphire skies HelenaMontanaWhere the Rockies meet the Missouri Dillon–EnnisMontanaWhere the rivers run clear and the mountains meet the sky.BozemanMontanaBig skies, bigger mountains.Bitterroot ValleyMontanaMontana's garden, under the Bitterroot peaks.Salmon–ChallisIdahoWhere the river runs wild and the mountains are home.MissoulaMontanaRiver, mountains, and a whole lot of huckleberry.Great FallsMontanaWhere the prairie meets the river

Butte-Silver Bow, MT. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.