Butte , city (1990 pop. 33,336), seat of Silver Bow co., SW Mont.; inc. 1879. It is a trade, ranching, and industrial center. Mining dominated the city's life and economy from its establishment in 1862. Copper, as well as zinc, silver, manganese, gold, lead, molybdenum, and arsenic have been extracted from mines in the region; copper is still mined.

First an 1860s gold-hunters' camp, then an 1870s silver center, Butte gained importance when copper was discovered (c.1880) and Marcus Daly with his Anaconda Copper Mining Company began to exploit the "richest hill on earth." A huge open-pit mine, the Berkeley, opened in 1955; its expansion forced the relocation of one fifth of Butte's population.

"The Pit" was abandoned in 1982 and has filled with contaminated water draining from surrounding mines. The city, now the largest Superfund site in the nation, has become, in effect, a laboratory for environmental resuscitation efforts, and a number of pollution-remediation companies are based there. Montana Tech of the Univ. of the Montana is also in the city, and Butte is the headquarters of Deerlodge National Forest. Local attractions include museums of mining and minerals, Our Lady of the Rockies, and the Copper King Mansion, once the home of William A. Clark .

Butte: Introduction

Once dependent almost solely on the mining industry—in the early 1900s it was called "the richest hill on earth" because of the valuable ores that lay beneath it—Butte, like many older American cities, is in the midst of a transition toward a more diversified economy. With easy access to western and midwestern markets, Butte is one of the west's major transportation hubs; the city is also moving into enterprises related to energy research and high-altitude sports training. Despite the changes underway, Butte retains its multiethnic heritage and its connection to the breathtaking natural beauty of the surrounding Rocky Mountains. For statistical and other purposes, Butte is traditionally linked with Silver Bow County.

Butte

The City in Brief

Founded: 1864 (incorporated, 1879)

Head Official: Chief Executive Paul Babb (since 2005)

City Population (Butte/Silver-Bow balance)

1980: 37,205

1990: 33,336

2000: 33,892

2003 estimate: 32,519

Percent change, 1990–2000: 1.6%

U.S. rank in 1980: 605th

U.S. rank in 1990: 806th

U.S. rank in 2000: 887th

Metropolitan Area Population (Silver Bow County)

1980: 38,092

1990: 33,941

2000: 34,606

Percent change, 1990–2000: 1.9%

U.S. rank in 2000: 1,262

Area: 716.2 square miles (2000)

Elevation: ranges from 5,484 to 6,463 feet above sea level

Average Annual Temperature: 53.2° F (maximum), 27.1° F (minimum)

Average Annual Precipitation: 12.75 inches

Major Economic Sectors: Transportation, energy research, medicine, tourism

Unemployment rate: 6.0% (January 2005, Silver Bow County)

Per Capita Income: $17,068 (2000)

2004 ACCRA Average House Price: Not reported

2004 ACCRA Cost of Living Index: Not reported

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: Not reported

Major Colleges and Universities: Montana College of Mineral Science and Technology

Daily Newspaper: Montana Standard