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Anaconda Mine

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Anaconda Mine - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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The Rich History of the Anaconda Copper Mine

The Anaconda Copper Mine was the true epitome of an Irish immigrant’s American dream coming to life. Its creator, Marcus Daly, not only built a copper industry that was incomparable to others at the time, but he also provided the opportunity for thousands of Irish immigrants to come to the West with the promise of a stable job and a strong community. His success created the potential for many American dreams to follow.

Within months of its creation, the Anaconda Copper Mine, located near Butte, Montana, was a leading producer of copper across the entire North American continent. And it all began with one Irishman, Marcus Daly. Having advanced in the mining business for over two decades, Daly bought the Anaconda Silver Mine in 1881, with the help of the Haggin-Hearst-Tevin organization. When his workers discovered a rich vein of copper several months later, the other owners weren’t thrilled—there weren’t the resources to easily treat the copper, and no one knew if this discovery could grow to compete with the copper plants in the Midwest. Even so, Daly kept hope. He bought the properties from his partners and switched the mine to focus only on copper; the company quickly became very prosperous. Daly continued to buy mines in the surrounding area of Butte and to incorporate them into the Anaconda Copper Mining Company throughout the 1890s. By 1895, the prosperity had spread; in a report to British investors, mining expert Hamilton Smith stated that the mine could produce more copper than any other company, at a fraction of the cost.

Much of the surrounding landscape and population of Butte, Montana was shaped by the incredible success of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company in the late 1800s and into the early 1900s. Timber proved critical to the success of the mining business, and Daly bought and utilized the Montana forests in order to run his mine. Furthermore, Daly’s Irish heritage and promise of a stable mining company drew thousands of Irishmen to Butte to work in his mines. Historian David M. Emmons has said, “By 1900, there were approximately 12,000 immigrant and second-generation Irish in a total Silver Bow County (Butte) population of 47,365. Thus, 25 percent of the residents . . . were either Irish-born or the children of Irish-born.” Irishmen came to the Anaconda Copper Mining Company because of the relationships Daly built with his workers there. These relationships started the moment applicants applied directly to him, and they continued as he met workers’ families and would even personally train young men in the work. The mines were incredibly prosperous for both owner and workers, and with the promise of employers who respected their people, the Irish had clear incentives to flood to Butte.

Although not much remains of the Anaconda Copper Mine beyond abandoned mine shafts and railroad tracks, it is worth the trip through Butte to see the residue of a true American dream that played such a heavy role in shaping Montana economy, environment, and population in the late 1800s.

Related Resources

• Emmons, David M. “Irish Miners: From the Emerald Isle to Copper Butte.” European Immigrants in the American West: Community Histories, edited by Frederick Luebke. Albuquerque, New Mexico: University of New Mexico Press (1998): 49-64.
• Hoover, William Harold. Marcus Daly (1841-1900)—and his Contributions to Anaconda: An Address in Montana. Butte, Montana: Newcomen Society, 1950.
• Van West, Carroll. "Marcus Daly and Montana: One Man's Imprint on the Land." Montana: The Magazine of Western History 37, no. 1 (1987): 60-62, http://www.jstor.org.erl.lib.byu.edu/stable/4519032 .

Citation Info

Filed under.

• Labor, Industry, and Economics
• Anaconda Montana
• Butte Montana
• Environment
• Immigration

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22 Things To Do in Anaconda, Montana

By Jason Gass

Anaconda, Montana is one of the most historically significant towns in Central Montana , being once home to the state’s largest copper smelter. Besides its historical significance, the town offers up plenty of outdoor activities.

Whether you are coming to take in one of the many great tours or the amazing scenic views, you will find plenty of things to do in Anaconda, Montana .

Table of Contents

Awesome Things To Do in Anaconda, Montana

1. horseback riding.

If you are looking for a way to live a little of the Old West, then you’ll want to add a horseback riding tour to your Montana vacation plans.

Iron Wheel Guest Ranch offers a variety of trail ride options that range from short two-hour rides for folks that just want a little taste of riding.

If you want to spend more time in the saddle, Iron Wheel Guest Ranch offers longer rides, including four-hour and all-day options. Tours travel around the Anaconda area and along the Continental Divide.

You don’t have to be an experienced rider either. Each tour begins with some basic riding skills and safety information.

2. Granite Ghost Town

Ghost towns are spots that you shouldn’t miss when visiting Montana. The Anaconda area has a number of ghost town sites, but the Granite Ghost Town State Park located near Anaconda is one of the best.

The Granite Ghost town is the remnants of the Granite Mine and the small town that grew up around the mine.

The town was established around 1875 and was once a thriving community. The Granite Mine was once the richest silver mine in the world, but that didn’t stop it from closing down and the town deserted in 1893.

Today the ghost town has the remnants of a few of the town buildings and a good portion of the mine is still intact.

3. Historic Bus Tours

Anaconda is one of the many towns in Montana that offer guided tours of their historical sites.

In Anaconda you’ll enjoy their Historic Bus Tour that travels around town and highlights some of the town’s most interesting bits of history.

Stops and sites along the tour include the Washoe Theater , the Stack Interpretive Center, Old Works Golf Course , Discovery Ski Area , and the State Fish Hatchery.

4. Zip Line Adventure

If you want to experience Montana in a completely different way, try a zip line Tour.

Montana Zipline Adventures , located just outside of Anaconda along the Pintler Scenic Highway is one of the best places to experience zip lining in Montana.

You’ll get a completely different perspective of Montan’s natural beauty, and scenic vistas while flying about the ground. Montana Zipline Adventures is the longest zipline course in Montana, with over 9,300 feet of lines to explore.

5. Backwoods ATV

Pintler Adventures is the best place to rent backcountry travel equipment in Southwest Montana .

Whether you’re visiting in the summer and want to explore the area in an ATV or UTV or if you’re looking for a great snowmobile adventure in the winter, Pintler Adventures has the best equipment and the most experienced guides in the area.

If you want to explore on your own, Pintler Adventures experienced staff can also provide great trail recommendations where you’ll see some of the best views in all of Montana.

6. Anaconda Smelter Stack Tour

Once this was the central part of the Anaconda Smelter, one of the largest copper smelters in the world.

Today, the only remnant of the mining history in Anaconda is the Smelter Stack. The Anaconda Smelter Stack Tour is the best way to see the stack and learn about Anaconda and the Smelter.

Tickets for the tour can be purchased in advance online.

If horseback riding isn’t your thing, Iron Wheel Guest Ranch also offers some of the best fishing excursions in the Anaconda area.

Their experienced staff will show you the ins and outs of river fishing in Anaconda, as well as float fishing on some of the local lakes. Fishing tours with Iron Wheel Guest Ranch are open to all experience levels.

They can even show you basic fishing techniques.

8. Aerial Tours

Seeing Montana by air is a really popular option for many visitors. Horizon Travel Yeti Aviation is one of the best companies in the Anaconda area for helicopter tours.

From Anaconda you’ll travel around southwest Montana and even into Yellowstone National Park . From the comfort of their state-of-the-art helicopters, you’ll enjoy seeing the beautiful Rocky Mountains from a completely different perspective.

Horizon Travel Yeti Aviation can also provide picnic lunches and stops at some of the most popular sites in Southwest Montana.

Discovery Ski Area offers a number of different lessons and guided skiing adventures for all levels of skiers and riders.

Most lessons at Discovery are half and full-day, though they do have some short 1.5-hour options in the mornings and afternoons.

If you aren’t bringing your own equipment, lesson and tour packages that include rental equipment and lift tickets are available as well.

10. Visit the Local Brewery

Anaconda, like many other towns in Montana, offers visitors a taste of the craft beer scene. Not all craft breweries are great, but Smelter City Brewing in Anaconda is one craft brewery you cannot miss.

Housed in an old bank building, the owners of Smelter City have taken a great deal of time and effort in restoring the historic building.

Smelter City offers a variety of rotating brews and flagship beers for you to enjoy. The brewery is kid and dog friendly. Oh, and our favorite feature is the merchandise store located in the old bank vault.

11. Discover Anaconda Visitor Center

If you are looking for plenty of information on Anaconda and the surrounding area, you’ll want to visit the Anaconda Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center .

Located in a replica of the town’s original railroad station, you’ll enjoy not only a wealth of information but also a beautiful train display. The Visitor’s center is located conveniently in downtown Anaconda, a perfect starting point for all of your local adventures.

Staff in the Visitor’s Center can provide helpful information on the best things to see and do in Anaconda, and they even have a very interesting video of the history of the area.

In the summer, check out the Anaconda Historic Bus tour, which provides a guided tour around Anaconda.

12. Take a Family Day Trip to Fairmont Hot Springs Resort

Fairmont Hot Springs Resort is a great place for the whole family to enjoy a little bit of fun and relaxation.

This resort is open year-round and offers a variety of great activities including a waterslide, four hot spring pools, golf, and tennis just to name a few.

Many people like to stay at the Fairmont Hot Springs Resort, but you don’t have to be staying there to enjoy all that the resort has to offer.

The Fairmont is known for its pool. They have two Olympic-sized lap pools and two mineral-soaking pools. The warm water in the soaking pools is purported to provide health benefits for a range of ailments.

The other amenity that the resort is known for is its 18-hole golf course. The “ Mile High, Mile Long ” 5 th hole on this course is particularly famous and is known to be one of the most challenging in the state of Montana.

The resort also offers a variety of dining and lodging options, making it a wonderful place to stay or visit when in the Anaconda area.

13. Timothy’s Memorial Chapel

Constructed on the hillside, 600 feet above Georgetown Lake is St. Timothy’s Chapel . This beautiful place of worship was built in 1965 by the Bowman Family in honor of their son who died in 1956 at the age of 18.

The chapel sits on the site of the Southern Cross ghost town near Anaconda. It was constructed of natural stone from the area, and plenty of clear and stained glass, making the chapel a perfect place to take in the glory of Montana’s natural beauty.

The Church at St. Timothy’s Chapel is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, however, it is open to all visitors that wish to experience the beauty of the chapel and the views that it provides of the Rocky Mountains , the Continental Divide, Pintler Wilderness Area, and many of the surrounding 11,000 foot high peaks.

Sunday worship services are available mid-June through October at 11 AM.

14. Anaconda Country Club

If your visit to Anaconda needs to include some time on the links, then you’ll want to pay a visit to the Anaconda Country Club .

Located just outside of the town of Anaconda, this great golf course offers both 9-hole and 18-hole play, with a par 72 for 18-holes. It is important to point out that this course is only a 9-hole course, but you’ll play different tee-box sets for the ‘front’ and ‘back’ nine, giving the course a different challenge for each hole.

Mill Creek wanders through the course providing some additional challenges to play, along with 3 man-made ponds and a variety of challenging bunkers.

Anaconda Country Club also offers a driving range, putting and chipping greens, a well-stocked pro shop, and a great restaurant and bar for your 19 th hole adventures.

15. Visit Georgetown Lake

One of the most popular places in the Anaconda area for both locals and visitors is Georgetown Lake.

This beautiful lake is a popular spot for boating, fishing, camping, and even windsurfing. This 3,000-acre lake sits at 6,000 feet of elevation and is one of the most spectacular mountain lakes in Montana.

The lake is surrounded by amazing mountain ranges including the Flint Creek Range and the Pintler Range. If you’re into fishing, Georgetown Lake is not to be missed. The lake boasts some of the best Kokanee salmon and rainbow trout fisheries in Montana.

The lake is boat accessible, with four boat ramps. The lake is also open in the winter for ice fishing and snowmobiling.

16. Splurge on Dinner

While you’re in Anaconda, you’ll want to check out some of the local restaurants. The Barclay II Supper Club is one of the best in town and offers a more elegant dining option than many of the other restaurants in town.

The Barclay II Supper Club has been family-owned and operated for over 20 years. They offer a full 7-course meal with options such as steak, pasta, and seafood. The lounge offers a full bar and one of the most knowledgeable and friendly bartenders in town.

The Barclay II Supper Club is a local favorite and a stopping point for many of the visitors that return to Anaconda year after year. The atmosphere here is relaxed yet elegant, and the food is by far some of the best in Montana.

17. Seek Out Adventure

Pintler Adventures is the best place in Anaconda for folks that want to have an amazing adventure. Pintler Adventures is a rental provider that offers ATVs, UTVs, RVs, snowmobiles, and even watercraft like paddleboards, canoes, and kayaks.

Their experienced and knowledgeable staff can provide you with some of the best trails and sites to see in the Anaconda area. They even offer a limited number of guided tours.

18. Scrapbook House

Well, maybe you’re not into outdoor adventures, or maybe you need something to do while the rest of your crew is out playing golf or snowmobiling.

A great option in Anaconda is the Scrapbook Retreat House. This great spot provides a different type of getaway in Anaconda. Located west of historic downtown Anaconda, the Scrapbook House provides a wonderful spot for learning the art of scrapbooking, crafts, and art.

The Scrapbook House is a non-hosted retreat available for weekday or weekend stays and provides all of the scrapbooking supplies you might need.

19. Road Trip to the Pintler Veteran’s Memorial Scenic Highway

If you enjoy seeing the sights and want to have a great, relaxed drive, with amazing views, you’ll want to spend a day driving the Pintler Veteran’s Memorial Scenic Highway.

The drive takes you from Anaconda, 64-miles past Georgetown Lake, Philipsburg, and concludes in Drummond. Along the route, you’ll enjoy views of mountains and prairie, as you follow Flint Creek.

Many people choose this route when traveling to Butte and Missoula instead of driving I-90.

Free Things to Do in Anaconda, Montana

20. Copper Village Museum and Art Center

Free museums are a great adventure in many Montana communities. The Copper Village Museum and Art Center in Anaconda is a great free museum to check out.

Located in Anaconda City Hall Cultural Center, the museum features exhibits of heritage arts, history and traditions of the area, and Montana contemporary artists. In the City Hall Cultural Center, you can also visit the Marcus Daly Historical Society Museum and gift shop.

The exhibits in the Museum aren’t the only thing worth seeing at the Anaconda City Hall Cultural Center. The building itself was saved from demolition and carefully restored.

Today the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

21. Anaconda Smoke Stack State Park

Constructed in 1919 and standing 585 feet tall, the smelter stack from Anaconda Copper Company is one of the tallest brick structures in the world.

The smelter stack is the last remnant of the Anaconda Copper Company that was once the center of life in Anaconda. When the smelter closed in 1980, most of the buildings were removed and the site became a superfund cleanup area, due to the contamination from heavy metals.

The stack is the only remaining structure from the smelter and is now listed on the National Register of Historic places.

Visitors to the State Park can view the stack from a distance at the viewing platforms located in Goodman Park. The Park also has plenty of interpretive signs that detail the mining history of the area, and the environmental clean-up challenges.

22. Washoe Park

Filled with beautiful gardens, mature shade trees, and plenty of places to relax and play, Washoe Park is a great spot to visit while in Anaconda.

The park has many typical features like a playground, tennis courts, a swimming pool, and even a duck pond. But it’s the features of this park that are unique that you really must see.

The Begonia House at Washoe Park was carefully restored by the Anaconda Garden Club and features many beautiful gardens.

There is also the Montana State Fish Hatchery, which is the oldest in Montana and is dedicated to developing populations of the cutthroat trout, the state fish of Montana.

Washoe Park also plays host to the annual Art in Washoe Park Festival. Considered to be one of the best art, culture, and food festivals in the state. You’ll enjoy juried art and craft booths from around the U.S. along with food and live entertainment.

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About The Author

Jason Gass is a Colorado based freelance writer and blogger whose goal is to share a good cup of coffee and great stories around a campfire with close friends. When he’s not working, he spends most of his time traveling, searching for the best breweries, and road-tripping in his teardrop trailer with his wife, daughter, and two dogs.

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Mining Industry

Mining significantly impacted Montana’s history and shaped the built environment. The first Montana Gold Rush in the early 1860s set the stage for massive change. Upon the discovery of gold, boom towns soon dotted the territory and drew many people of various ethnic groups to the area to work claims and supply the miners. While early mining camps grew organically in conjunction with topography and resources, later town leaders platted market towns with orderly business districts and residential areas.

Mining impacted more than settlement patterns. A few lucky individuals made fortunes from silver, copper, and gold. Well-connected men such as William A. Clark and Marcus Daly shaped the social, economic, and political environment of the state. Their wealth affected the built environment, too, as they supported the construction of lavish mansions, churches, hospitals, educational facilities, and company homes. The mining industry itself became such a great economic asset to the region that the state used Enabling Act funds to establish the Montana State School of Mines in Butte in the late 1880s.

Railroads played a major role in the growth of Montana’s mining industry. Gold, silver, and copper mining towns served railroads such as the Union Pacific and Northern Pacific with destinations to which they could expand their service, and the ample supply of coal in Montana provided a steady source of fuel and product. Railroads knit the towns of the state together and provided Montanans with unprecedented mobility and access to products and information.

Few industries proved as important to Montana’s growth as mining, and in a few key areas this importance is written on the land.

Virginia City Historic District

National Historic Landmark

The spectacular gold deposit discovered in Alder Gulch on May 26, 1863, led to the rapid growth of this colorful and legendary gold camp town. Thousands of fortune‑seekers rushed to the area, and by 1864 the Virginia City area boasted 30,000 residents. Rough characters attracted by the gold rush… View Place | Show on Map

Kramer Building (Dress Shop)

Virginia City National Historic Landmark District

The hasty construction of this remarkably preserved early dwelling reflects the excitement of the gold rush to Alder Gulch during the summer of 1863. Its original dirt-covered pole roof predates the first saw mills; the roof was later covered over with sawn boards. The interior illustrates the… View Place | Show on Map

Philipsburg Historic District

Philipsburg’s early-day fortunes ebbed and flowed with mining. Today, its historic district is one of Montana’s best preserved late-nineteenth-century mining towns, with commercial, public, and private buildings dating from the boom period of silver mining. Silver was discovered south of here in… View Place | Show on Map

Helena Historic District

The crooked path of Last Chance Gulch, weaving between original mining claims, memorializes Helena’s chaotic beginning as a gold camp in 1864. Within a year of the placer gold discovery, a boomtown flourished, with homes and businesses in tents and log cabins. Fire was both constant threat and… View Place | Show on Map

F.R. Merk Block

Gold dust was the common currency when George Higgins built this sturdy “fire-proof stone” business block circa 1866. F. R. Merk leased the new building for his mercantile, advertising fancy and staple groceries, liquors, household implements, and a tin shop with “prices to suit the times.” Merk… View Place | Show on Map

Christenot Mill at Union City

Prospectors discovered gold in Alder Gulch, Idaho Territory, on May 26, 1863. Within weeks, the countryside was teeming with thousands of prospectors, but the easily extracted placer gold soon played out. B. F. Christenot, acting independently or perhaps as agent to Philadelphia backers, began… View Place | Show on Map

Helena South-Central Historic District

This first permanent settlement of the gold camp at Last Chance Gulch offers a glimpse of early Helena from the late 1860s to the 1890s. By the 1870s, a Catholic cathedral, St. John's Hospital, two schools, and dormitories presided over the district atop Catholic Hill. In curious juxtaposition,… View Place | Show on Map

Helena West Main Street Historic District

The physical link between the earliest settlement of Helena and the ceaseless efforts to fully exploit the area’s mineral potential is nowhere more clearly apparent than in this narrow district, settled on mining claims. After the first local gold strike in June of 1864, choice claims were quickly… View Place | Show on Map

Orphan Girl Mine

Butte-anaconda historic district.

From the time it was located in 1875 until it was purchased by Marcus Daly and associates in 1879, ownership of fractional shares in the Orphan Girl Mine changed hands faster than the ante in a poker game. The Orphan Girl eventually operated to a depth of over 3,000 feet. While not a huge producer… View Place | Show on Map

Walkerville, Butte

Butte National Historic Landmark District

Miners north of Missoula Gulch struck silver in 1872, and three years later Rollo Butcher located the Alice, one of the richest silver mines on the Hill. Butcher is credited with building the first permanent residence in Walkerville, and the Butchertown neighborhood bears his name. Word of… View Place | Show on Map

It took millions of miles of copper to build the telegraph, telephone, and electrical lines that transformed the United States from a collection of small, isolated communities to a cohesive, industrialized nation. Looming gallows frames and the towering Anaconda Company smokestack recall the… View Place | Show on Map

Pony Historic District

About 1866, a prospector of very small stature, Tecumseh "Pony" Smith, left his nickname attached to the creek where he found gold. In 1875, a settlement bearing his name grew to serve local miners. Pony's early population reflected the whims of gold miners, growing larger when a miner struck pay… View Place | Show on Map

Great Falls Northside Residential Historic District

Great Falls founder Paris Gibson was drawn to the power of the falls of the Missouri where he vowed to found an industrial center of unsurpassed beauty. Backed by railroad magnate James J. Hill, Gibson hired H. P. Rolfe to plat the townsite in 1883. Industry harnessed the rivers power and the… View Place | Show on Map

Anaconda Commercial Historic District

Backed by the powerful San Francisco syndicate of Hearst, Haggin and Tevis, Marcus Daly built the world’s largest smelter (combined upper and lower works) on Warm Springs Creek between 1883 and 1889. Along with the smelters, Daly envisioned a substantial city and filed the original townsite plat… View Place | Show on Map

South Butte Neighborhood

John Noyes arrived from California in 1866 and purchased several mining claims just north of today’s Front Street. After he and his partners, including David Upton, “put in a ground sluice,” they cleared “about two ounces [of gold] to the man” the first night. The placer mines had played out by the… View Place | Show on Map

Central Business District, Butte

A catastrophic fire consumed much of Main Street in 1879, removing traces of Butte’s mining camp past and ushering in a new era of masonry and stone construction. In the 1880s, single miners remained the primary customers of the district’s gambling halls, saloons, and brothels. However, the city… View Place | Show on Map

South Central Butte Neighborhood

Discovery of rich silver deposits at the Travona, whose head frame still stands at the district’s west end, sparked Butte’s 1870s hard-rock mining boom. Most South Central buildings date from the 1880s and 1890s, after copper had supplanted silver as Butte’s economic engine. The Travona and nearby… View Place | Show on Map

Hamilton Southside Residential Historic District

The architectural character of this pleasant district was initially shaped by copper king Marcus Daly. Between 1890 and 1905, Daly's Anaconda Copper Mining Company constructed substantial high style residences for its managers and modest houses in various vernacular forms for its workers.… View Place | Show on Map

Red Lodge Commercial Historic District

Rapid growth of the young town of Red Lodge coincided with the arrival of the Northern Pacific Railroad’s branch line in 1889. The area became Montana’s leading coal mining region. Town lots were platted by the secretary of the Rocky Fork Town and Electric Company, a subsidiary of the mining… View Place | Show on Map

Garnet Historic District

The 1865 gold strike on Bear Creek in the Garnet Range drew prospectors from far and wide. The gold that washed down with spring runoff promised rich quartz veins, but without a road and little water for placer mining, the “mother lode” proved elusive. For thirty years, prospectors eked out a… View Place | Show on Map

Montana Tech Campus

The Enabling Act of 1889 laid the foundation for the Montana School of Mines, providing for the first federal land grants for the establishment of mining schools. This landmark provision thus recognized the significance of mining industries to the newly admitted western states of Montana, North… View Place | Show on Map

Centerville Neighborhood, Butte

Tightly clustered wooden houses built into the steep slopes of the Butte Hill characterize Centerville. Mostly constructed before 1900, the small Queen Anne cottages, hipped-roof workers’ houses, and vernacular gable-roof homes primarily sheltered immigrant miners and their families. Head frames… View Place | Show on Map

Belt Commercial Historic District

Pennsylvania native John Castner discovered rich coal deposits along Belt Creek in 1870. Within just a few years, he and Fort Benton trader T. C. Power opened a commercial coal mine near here. The partners sold coal for use by the Great Northern Railway, the Boston & Montana Refinery in Great… View Place | Show on Map

Ravalli County Courthouse

Copper king Marcus Daly established local logging operations and platted the town of Hamilton in 1890 to fuel his Anaconda copper mining ventures. When Ravalli County was carved from Missoula County in 1893, Stevensville won designation as county seat. But Daly’s interests soon brought Hamilton a… View Place | Show on Map

St. Mary's Neighborhood, Butte

This historically Catholic neighborhood appropriately takes its name from St. Mary’s parish, which included the Irish communities of Dublin Gulch (since leveled) and Corktown. Known as the “miner’s church,” St. Mary’s scheduled services around shift changes, and early Sunday mornings miners’ lunch… View Place | Show on Map

Smith Mine Historic District

Thirty-nine corrugated metal structures mark the site of the Smith Mine, a ghostly reminder of a once vibrant mining district. The Montana Coal and Iron Company (MCI) began developing the Smith Mine in earnest after the arrival of the Montana, Wyoming and Southern Railroad, producing 8,000 tons of… View Place | Show on Map

Red Lodge Labor Temple

Red Lodge Miner’s Local No. 1771 had grown to more than a thousand members when this labor temple was built in 1909. The United Mine Workers of America organized nationally in 1896 and by 1898, Local No. 1771 had 200 members. The building is a testament to the labor struggles of Red Lodge coal… View Place | Show on Map

Riverside (Daly Mansion)

Riverside served as the summer residence of Margaret Daly, widow of copper magnate Marcus Daly, from its completion in 1910 until her death here in 1941. Daly himself had begun buying Bitterroot Valley land in 1887, eventually owning 28,000 acres. After Daly’s death in 1900, Mrs. Daly had Riverside… View Place | Show on Map

Gildersleeve Mine

Rough-sawn lumber and the use of recycled materials testify to the ingenuity, resourcefulness, and industry of the Gildersleeve family, whose members mined gold and barite here beginning in 1924. The Gildersleeves built these board-and-batten (vertical board) structures—including a cookhouse/main… View Place | Show on Map

Bannack Historic District

Bannack epitomizes the tough, primitive towns that sprang up with gold discoveries. Its story also illustrates a century of survival, through boom and bust periods associated with resource extraction and technological advances. On July 28, 1862, prospectors John White and company made a lucky… View Place | Show on Map

• Most popular
• General Admission Included
• Reservations Highly Recommended

Underground Mine Tour

Quick Details

• Hour Glass Duration: 1.5 hours
• Users Ages: Ages 5+

General Admission is included in the admission price of the underground tour during the regular season.

All guests must sign a waiver in order to participate.

Service animals are welcome.

See the original shaft station, touch the rock, and hear the stories of miners!

Staff highly encourages guests to purchase your underground tour tickets in advance.

Guests under the age of 5 are not permitted on the tour.

Venture 100 feet underground to see the original shaft station and the Orphan Girl vein, one of the few exposed veins in North America that can be seen by the public. The tour guides lead you through the drift, sharing stories as you venture 100 feet into the 2700-foot-deep Orphan Girl Mine. Many other surprises wait for you at the 100-foot level. Be sure to allow extra time to explore the rest of the Museum, 22+ acres, as it is included in the price of your underground tour ticket. Must be at least 5 years of age to take tour.

• The Orphan Girl 100-foot level tour takes you to the original workings of the mine. Mud is likely.
• The mine is a constant 45 to 50 degrees year-round.
• This tour is an all-walking tour. Close toed shoes are preferred.
• Visitors are fitted with miners’ hard hats and cap lamp s. The cap lamps are the only lights underground except for two, which are used to highlight the shaft to the water. All equipment is sanitized between tours.
• The mine workings are not ADA compliant and walking 180 feet of entrance ramp is required; those with limited mobility may be accommodated for a portion of the tour.. There is a 17% slope that guests must walk to get into and out of the mine although there are no stairs.
• ANY participant has the option to turn around at any time.
• GENERAL ADMISSION IS INCLUDED WITH THE PURCHASE OF AN UNDERGROUND TOUR TICKET. Guests may tour the 22+ acres of Museum prior to or after their guided tour as time permits. If you are on the last tour of the day, please arrive early to explore the Museum as the Museum will be closed at the conclusion of your tour.
• All tours are weather dependent. Full refunds will be issued if tours are cancelled due to weather.
• Members must provide proof of membership at check-in.
• Animals are not permitted on Museum grounds. Service animals are welcome.
• Tour space is limited due to required equipment and space limitations.

What to Bring:

• Closed-toed walking shoes and light jackets are recommended.
• Food and drink are not permitted on the underground portion of the tour. Water is permitted.

After purchasing tickets online, a link to our waiver system will be sent to the guest providing the reservation information. All guests must sign a waiver in order to participate. Parents or guardians must sign for all those under the age of 18.

Tickets are non-refundable . Tours can be rescheduled or a gift card can be issued for cancelled tours up to 48 hours prior to scheduled tour time. Please see link in your confirmation e-mail.

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World Museum of Mining General Admission

With 50 exhibit buildings, countless artifacts, and 66 primary exhibits in the mine yard, you can spend from a couple of hours to an entire day lost in the unfolding story.

• great value!
• Hour Glass 1 year

Mining Museum Membership

With your membership, you receive free unlimited admission to the museum for one year, a 10% discount on purchases from the gift shop and photo archives, and reduced underground tour prices!

ASARCO MINERAL DISCOVERY CENTER & MINE TOURS

Copper is at the source of our modern society. It’s a primary metal used in the hospitals where we were born, the electricity in our homes, the tools that farm our food, and the transportation that powers our next adventure.

Fun fact: Copper is also naturally found in us and helps make red blood cells and keeps immune systems healthy.

We invite you to take our free self-guided tour of the center’s indoor and outdoor exhibits, which walks through the copper transformation process. Then join the mine tour for a firsthand look! Afterward, peruse the Company Store for unique and educational gifts.

Our Vision Since 1997

Since we opened our doors in 1997, the ASARCO Mineral Discovery Center & Mine Tours’ vision has been to educate communities on the vital importance of the copper mining industry to our civilization, to educate students and teachers in earth sciences, and to preserve Arizona’s mining history.

In addition to our offerings to the public, we proudly support Arizona schools by providing free transportation to the ASARCO Mineral Discovery Center and free mine tours to students.

Free Self-Guided Center Tour

Summer hours (may through september).

FREE self-guided center tour and gift shop Wednesday – Sunday, from 9 am – 3 pm Closed major holidays

WINTER HOURS (OCTOBER THROUGH APRIL)

FREE self-guided center tour and gift shop Wednesday – Sunday, from 9 am – 5 pm Closed major holidays s

TICKETED MINE TOUR* (Length of tour is approximately 65 minutes.)

SAFETY FIRST: Closed-toed shoes (tennis shoes, boots, etc.) are required for the mine tour. NO Crocs, flip-flops or sandals are allowed.

Thursday – Sunday – See winter hours Ticketed mine tour at 9:30 am, 11:15 am, 1:15 pm, 3:00 pm (Reservation are highly recommended. Please call to book.) Closed major holidays

Wednesday – Sunday Ticketed mine tour at 9:30 am, 11:15 am, 1:15 pm, 3:00 pm (Reservation are highly recommended. Please call to book.) Closed major holidays

*Disclaimer: MINES ARE INHERENTLY RISKY PLACES. BY OBTAINING A MINE TOUR TICKET (INCLUDING FREE ONES), YOU ARE ASSUMING THE RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH.  ASARCO LLC DISCLAIMS ALL LIABILITY.  PLEASE EXERCISE CAUTION AT ALL TIMES.

MINE TOUR PRICES

Seniors (62° years) and active military, children (5-12 years), children (0-4 years), green valley and sahuarita residents $1 off the tour with proof of residency., special instructions for the mine tour.

• Closed-toed shoes are required to take the tour. No Crocs, sandals, or flip-flops will be allowed.
• We suggest bringing a water bottle (filtered water station is available in the Center).
• Please dress comfortably.

PHONE NUMBER & ADDRESS

+1 (520) 625-8233 1421 West Pima Mine Road Sahuarita, Arizona 85629

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We are open for public mine tours. Book yours today!

Please call-in advance to reserve. phone: +1 (520) 625-8233, friendly reminder: closed-toed shoes (tennis shoes, boots, etc.) are required for the mine tour. no crocs, flip-flops or sandals will be allowed. the center will be closed easter sunday, march 31, 2024..

Find Your Own Sapphires

Montana’s Largest, Oldest, & Best Sapphire Mine

VISIT OUR STORE IN

SAPPHIRES DELIVERED

A beautiful Montana  hands on experience .

We provide everything you need to find your own Montana Treasure. Our friendly staff will do the heavy lifting and guide you in your search.

Heat treat, facet and build custom jewelry with your own Montana Sapphire to create a lasting memory of your Gem Mountain Montana Adventure.

Gem Mountain

Visit us in historic downtown philipsburg., open 7 days a week 9am-5pm at 201 w. broadway, beautiful jewelry.

Gem Mountain Montana Sapphire gemstones and jewelry including rings, pendants, earrings, bracelets, and gents rings.

100% Natural Sapphire Gemstones

With an extensive selection of carat weight, size and cut you’ll find both loose faceted stones and sapphire jewelry in blue, yellow, orange, pink and more.

Unique Setting

Our showroom boasts an impressive collection of home décor including: an amazing variety of teak wood furniture, wood carvings, amethyst cathedrals, clothing, and even framed butterflies.   We strive to regularly introduce unique items throughout the year.

Gravel & Mine     Heat Treating & Faceting     FAQ     About     Visit

Mine Location

21 Sapphire Gulch Lane at mile marker 38.4 of Montana Highway 38, Skalkaho Pass Road, between Hamilton and Philipsburg.

[email protected]

Year-Round Phone: (406) 859-GEMS (4367)

Mine Phone: (406) 859-MINE  (6463)

Anaconda Mine

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Moscow Metro

The Moscow Metro Tour is included in most guided tours’ itineraries. Opened in 1935, under Stalin’s regime, the metro was not only meant to solve transport problems, but also was hailed as “a people’s palace”. Every station you will see during your Moscow metro tour looks like a palace room. There are bright paintings, mosaics, stained glass, bronze statues… Our Moscow metro tour includes the most impressive stations best architects and designers worked at - Ploshchad Revolutsii, Mayakovskaya, Komsomolskaya, Kievskaya, Novoslobodskaya and some others.

What is the kremlin in russia?

The guide will not only help you navigate the metro, but will also provide you with fascinating background tales for the images you see and a history of each station.

And there some stories to be told during the Moscow metro tour! The deepest station - Park Pobedy - is 84 metres under the ground with the world longest escalator of 140 meters. Parts of the so-called Metro-2, a secret strategic system of underground tunnels, was used for its construction.

During the Second World War the metro itself became a strategic asset: it was turned into the city's biggest bomb-shelter and one of the stations even became a library. 217 children were born here in 1941-1942! The metro is the most effective means of transport in the capital.

There are almost 200 stations 196 at the moment and trains run every 90 seconds! The guide of your Moscow metro tour can explain to you how to buy tickets and find your way if you plan to get around by yourself.