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Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives

Every person, through their lives, shapes local and American history. Archives are here to protect that history.

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Did you know?

During the era before prohibition, Butte supported five breweries: The Centennial, the Crystal, the Tivoli, The Butte Brewery, and the Olympia.

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Be sure to check out our latest blog post on what

Be sure to check out our latest blog post on what Halloween looked like in Butte in 1920! https://buttearchives.wordpress.com/2020/10/26/halloween-a-century-ago/

A couple years after John Winston's death, his wif

A couple years after John Winston's death, his wife, Catherine bought a kitchen range, kitchen cabinet, four chairs and a rug from Kelley & Alton Furniture. In days before credit cards, widows would often times find themselves in need of household items and would purchase items through a bill of sale with the agreement to pay the full amount over a set period of time.
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Catherine Winston passed away in 1928.
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To celebrate #AmericanArchivesMonth we will be demonstrating how to research a person with the resources at the Butte Archives. Be sure to check our daily posts to learn how to utilize the archives for your own research and learn more about John and Catherine Winston's story in Butte!
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#ButteMontana #ButteArchives #BSBPublicArchives #Archivists

After John Winston's death, his widow, Catherine W

After John Winston's death, his widow, Catherine Winston applied for the Widow's Pension. Catherine received money from the government to help care for her children but if you look carefully you will see "Cut Off" written in pencil, next to her name at the top of the page. Reading further down, it states "Cut off rec'd money from Workmens Comp". We researched this a bit more and discovered in the Butte Miner newspaper that the widows of this particular disaster were given compensation for the loss of their husbands. The widows could choose to accept a lump sum of $3,380 or $10 per week for 400 weeks.
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To celebrate #AmericanArchivesMonth we will be demonstrating how to research a person with the resources at the Butte Archives. Be sure to check our daily posts to learn how to utilize the archives for your own research and learn more about John and Catherine Winston's story in Butte!
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#ButteMontana #ButteArchives #BSBPublicArchives #Archivists

Considering the manner in which the 16 men died on

Considering the manner in which the 16 men died on October 19, 1915 an inquest was held. The inquest is 156 pages long with detailed accounts of what occurred. It was never determined why the dynamite exploded, although some theorized a skip unloading ore dropped some rocks that hit the dynamite or perhaps some neighborhood kids were shooting a gun and a bullet accidentally hit the dynamite.
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Pictured today is a portion of the inquest that mentions John Winston as described by undertaker, John Duggan.
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To celebrate #AmericanArchivesMonth we will be demonstrating how to research a person with the resources at the Butte Archives. Be sure to check our daily posts to learn how to utilize the archives for your own research and learn more about John and Catherine Winston's story in Butte!
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#ButteMontana #ButteArchives #BSBPublicArchives #Archivists

After learning that John Winston died in the surfa

After learning that John Winston died in the surface explosion we went to the Death Record Index. In the index we found the death certificate reference number and we pulled his death certificate. John had just turned 37 years old four days prior to the explosion. While he was born in Wisconsin, his parents are listed as natives of Ireland and England. His cause of death was "Shock Internal Injuries received in Powder explosion". He was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery.
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To celebrate #AmericanArchivesMonth we will be demonstrating how to research a person with the resources at the Butte Archives. Be sure to check our daily posts to learn how to utilize the archives for your own research!
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#ButteMontana #ButteArchives #BSBPublicArchives #Archivists

Pictured today are the undertakers recovering bodi

Pictured today are the undertakers recovering bodies from the scene of the explosion that occurred on the surface of the Granite Mountain on October 19, 1915.
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The Archives received this photo in the C. Owen Smithers Collection. It was labeled as the Granite Mountain Disaster of 1917 but when performing rescue efforts and removing bodies from the 1917 disaster, the shaft to the Granite Mountain was not accessible due to the fire. Because of this knowledge, we believed this photo was actually from the 1915 explosion. We ultimately found this photo in the Butte Daily Post as part of the press coverage of this explosion confirming our thoughts.
Smithers.11.036.01
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#AmericanArchivesMonth #ButteNeverForgetsHerOwn #GraniteMountain #ButteMontana #ButteArchives #BSBArchives

105 years ago today, a car packed with dynamite ex

105 years ago today, a car packed with dynamite exploded on the surface at the Granite Mountain mine ultimately killing 16 men. The mine car was the last of several cars of powder to be lowered into the mine. Upon its explosion it instantly killed the assistant foreman, six shift bosses, chief ropeman, a carman and four nippers. More deaths would follow because of injuries sustained. This was the deadliest mine disaster in Butte up to that point.
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John Winston was working at the Granite Mountain as a shift boss that day and was one of the 16 killed. Swipe to see the front page articles of Butte's major newspapers detailing the event as well as an image of John that was in the papers.
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#AmericanArchivesMonth #ThisDayInHistory #ButteNeverForgetsHerOwn #GraniteMountain #ButteMontana #ButteArchives #BSBArchives

Based on information found in the city directories

Based on information found in the city directories at the Archives we know that John Winston worked at the Speculator Mine. Many men would work in multiple mines within a year's time. Considering the Speculator and the Granite Mountain were both owned by the North Butte Mining Company it is a safe bet that John worked in both of these mines. Pictured today is left to right, the High Ore, the Elm Orlu, the Granite Mountain and the Speculator.
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To celebrate #AmericanArchivesMonth we will be demonstrating how to research a person with the resources at the Butte Archives. Be sure to check our daily posts to learn how to utilize the archives for your own research and continue learning the story of John and Katherine Winston.
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#ButteMontana #ButteArchives #BSBPublicArchives #Archivists

John Winston became ill with scarlet fever in Dece

John Winston became ill with scarlet fever in December of 1913. He went to the Murray Hospital seeking treatment. He was then sent to the county hospital. While there John was housed with smallpox patients and claimed he "suffered great mental pain and anguish from fear" he would contract small pox. He was discharged after a couple days by Dr. P.H. McCarthy even though John was still ill. He was not given adequate clothing and had to travel home in the winter elements. A few days after being home he began having convulsions and was brought to St. James Hospital. He ultimately sued Dr. McCarthy to pay his hospital bills. Pictured today is the court document ruling that there was not sufficient facts "to constitute a cause of action in favor of the plaintiff", leaving John to pay his medical bills on his own accord.
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To celebrate #AmericanArchivesMonth we will be demonstrating how to research a person with the resources at the Butte Archives. Be sure to check our daily posts to learn how to utilize the archives for your own research and learn more about John and Catherine Winston's story in Butte!
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#ButteMontana #ButteArchives #BSBPublicArchives #Archivists

Pictured today is the school census record from 19

Pictured today is the school census record from 1915 for Butte School District No. 1. With this record we can see that John and Catherine Winston had children including their names and ages!
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To celebrate #AmericanArchivesMonth we will be demonstrating how to research a person with the resources at the Butte Archives. Be sure to check our daily posts to learn how to utilize the archives for your own research!
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#ButteMontana #ButteArchives #BSBPublicArchives #Archivists

Tune in to KBOW 550AM (or online at kbow550.net) a

Tune in to KBOW 550AM (or online at kbow550.net) at 1:00pm to hear Chris Fisk talk about his "Spooks & Spirits" tour. Pictured today is the Cabbage Patch, a place where Fisk has had numerous successful ghost hunts. Listen in to learn more about the Mining City Haunts!
Smithers.76.017.72
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#TheGoodTheButteAndTheUgly #MiningCityHaunts #SpooksAndSpirits #ButteMontana #ButteBroadcasting

Pictured today is a Sanborn map. These were fire i

Pictured today is a Sanborn map. These were fire insurance maps published by the Sanborn Map Company and are a great resource to learn more about structures. This particular map shows 1813 Florence Avenue, home of John and Katherine Winston. By looking at this map we can tell by the color of the structure listed at 1813 Florence that is was a wood framed building. It is also marked with a "D" that indicates it was a dwelling. These maps are a great snapshot in time!
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To celebrate #AmericanArchivesMonth we will be demonstrating how to research a person with the resources at the Butte Archives. Be sure to check our daily posts to learn how to utilize the archives for your own research!
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#ButteMontana #ButteArchives #BSBPublicArchives #Archivists

To celebrate #AmericanArchivesMonth we will be dem

To celebrate #AmericanArchivesMonth we will be demonstrating how to research a person with the resources at the Butte Archives. Be sure to check our daily posts to learn how to utilize the archives for your own research!
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We will be learning the story of John and Katherine Winston. Our first stop into researching their story is at the Polk City Directories. These directories tell where a person lived, who they were married to and their occupation. We first found John listed in the directories in 1901. Pictured is John's name in the 1915 directory in which we learned he was a shaftman at the Speculator Mine and lived at 1813 Florence Avenue in Butte.
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#ButteMontana #ButteArchives #BSBPublicArchives #Archivists

We are standing at attention, ready to answer any

We are standing at attention, ready to answer any and all questions you have for #AskAnArchivist Day! Comment below or head to our stories to ask a question for our archivists!
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Pictured today is the National Guard in 1914 on the county courthouse steps.
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#AmericanArchivesMonth #ButteMontana #ButteArchives #BSBPublicArchives #Archivists

Huddle up! Ok, team... now is the time to start th

Huddle up! Ok, team... now is the time to start thinking about what you want to ask the staff of the Butte Archives tomorrow on #AskAnArchivist Day! We are excited to kickoff #AmericanArchivesMonth with our followers with this fun day!
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Pictured today is a Butte Central Football squad outside standing and kneeling while listening to a coach.
Smithers.124.025.28
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#ButteMontana #ButteArchives #BSBPublicArchives #Archivists

October is #AmericanArchivesMonth! To celebrate we

October is #AmericanArchivesMonth! To celebrate we will be showing the ins and outs of how to research and use the resources available at the archives. On Wednesday check out our stories on Facebook and Instagram, where we will be answering questions from our followers on #AskAnArchivist Day! We would love to hear your inquiries!
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Pictured today is the invitation to the Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives Grand Opening 40 years ago!
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#BSBPublicArchives #ButteArchives #Archivists

Z is for Zinc! Pictured today is the Timber Butte

Z is for Zinc! Pictured today is the Timber Butte Milling Company which was built in 1913-1914 to process ore mined from the Elm Orlu, primarily zinc. During World War One, almost half of the nation's zinc came from Montana. The mill would decline in use until it ceased operations completely by 1940. Eventually most of the buildings would be sold and salvaged.
Smithers.10.022.01
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#ABCsofButte #ButteMontana #Zinc

Y is for YMCA! Butte's YMCA was commissioned in 19

Y is for YMCA! Butte's YMCA was commissioned in 1917 and finished in 1919. It was paid for entirely through local contributions and built by local laborers. Did you know the triangle in the YMCA emblem represents Spirit, Mind, and Body?
PH148.6
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#ABCsofButte #ButteMontana #YMCA

X is for X-Ray! The X-Ray was a privately printed

X is for X-Ray! The X-Ray was a privately printed newspaper by Warren G. Davenport that only had a few issues and proved to be quite scandalous. Davenport was arrested and jailed for "crimes against public decency" with having "willfully, lawfully, maliciously, lewdly and intentionally written, composed and caused to be printed, published, sold and distributed a certain obscene and indecent paper and publication" but was ultimately found not guilty.
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#ABCsofButte #ButteMontana #XRay

W is for Walkover Shoe Store! The store was opened

W is for Walkover Shoe Store! The store was opened in Butte in 1904 and located at 8 W. Park Street. It outgrew its space by 1905 and moved to 58 W. Park Street. In 1906 they were forced to move yet again due to a fire. They relocated to 46 W. Park Street and stayed there until 1939 when it became Hallowell's Shoe Store.
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#ABCsofButte #ButteMontana #Shoes #ShoeStore #WalkOver

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