Welcome to the Butte Archives Catalog of Collections
Butte, Montana was once acknowledged world-wide as The Richest Hill on Earth because of its incomparable mineral wealth in gold, silver, and copper. By the turn of the 20th century, Butte was one of the most ethnically diverse settlements in the West and was the wellspring of the western labor movement.
The vast collections of the Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives provide dynamic insights into the history of copper mining and the electrification of America, as well as essential information on a number of subjects in the American West, including the history of women and immigrant groups, mining technology, environmental history, and labor history.
The Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives encourages use of materials for education, research, and personal enjoyment. Any other use, for example in web pages, documentary films, or publications of any kind, must be approved by the Archives. For information on how to obtain permission or to obtain prints or other copies of this material, please contact the Archives at bsbarchives@bsb.mt.gov or by calling 406-782-3280.