Butte and Anaconda in the early 1990s created Montana's Copperway to preserve the rich heritage of mining's past through what once was a landscape of mining and smelting.
, Montana’s Copperway Preserves Heritage, Copper mining dominated the Butte and Anaconda region and defined its culture and landscape. Different buildings and trades provided a variety of specialized services to support underground mining operations. These “strike fences” were intended to protect the mine yards from vandalism during frequent periods of labor unrest. Tall wooden fences complete with barbed wired and electric security alarms extended around the perimeter of the mine yard. Constantly evolving as mines deepened, consolidated or played out, mine yards were self-contained mining operations behind an imposing perimeter fence. , You’ll Find Mineyards Here, Mineyards were vast in scale and dynamic in function and design, employing the latest advances in industrial technology. And a fantastic view of the Berkeley Pit, a former open pit copper mine one mile long, half a mile wide, and 1,780 feet deep and mostly filled with water. The Granite Mountain Memorial, honoring the lives of 168 miners lost in the disastrous Speculator Fire of 1917. The Mountain Con, one of Butte's oldest and most productive mines. The Top of the World trail segment, pictured in the map at right, encompasses a wide variety of cultural sites, including. , Montana’s Copperway, You are about to enter a unique trail system that is part of Montana's Copperway, a network of trails and cultural sites developed to celebrate and interpret one of the richest, most colorful histories in our nation.