In and around Butte, MT: 139.2 miles
Since I went to bed early, I woke up crazy early. I scrolled through what I had planned for the day which gave me minor panic attacks about what was and wasn't open. Getting good information can be hard when there is so much of it - and so much of it is conflicting. It will be a day to go with the flow.
Eventually coffee called, and it was much, much better than the previous day's. It was a little nice having forced down time as I waited for the world to wake up. By around 8:00 I was bouncing off the walls and ready to be out the door.
I drove into Butte and went first to the Berkeley Pit Mine viewing area. Apparently none of the opening times I had seen were right - 10:00AM. I tried to look from the fence at the top of the hill but I could only just barely see anything.
So I headed to the World Museum of Mining. I had purchased tickets online for both SO and I, and they were quite clear that there were no refunds. I wasn't going to sweat it. But after getting my ticket, another couple came in and wanted to tour, but could only get one ticket - Light Bulb! With a willing buyer right there, the nice lady at the counter offered to refund my money and sell them the ticket. Win - Win - Win for all involved. It was a good day.
The Orphan Girl mine began operation somewhere around 1875. It produced enough silver, lead and zinc to remain active until the 1950s. Smaller amounts of other metals were also produced. During this time, ownership shares changed hands many, many times as it was never the most profitable mine. Some two decades after closing, it became the World of Mining Museum.
I had some time to walk around before the actual underground tour. In addition to being a great place to get a serious tetanus infection, it was also really neat to walk around. I didn't read most of the exhibits, but I am fascinated by all the oversized machinery.
The mine engine was amazing. I think I need one for home (wait, my house is only one story).
I was able to go up the mining headframe where the view was spectacular. I-90 is just visible off in the distance.
I've seen video's of these screw snow machines, but this is the first one I've seen in person. I need one of these too (wait, we don't get much snow at home).
Soon enough it was time for the guided underground tour. We walked to a number of exhibits while the tour guide gave additional information. He was really good and had a family connection to the mining industry. Then, it was finally time to go down to the 100-foot level. I've seen this movie, and it doesn't end well...
We all had helmets with headlamps. Towards the end of the tour the guide had us turn them off and used a candle to give an idea what it was like in the early days of mining. I'm glad I live in a time with batteries and LED headlamps.
We got down to the level above the water. The water looked ominous and was gurgling.
The museum probably would have been worth it without the underground tour, but the underground tour was definitely worth the price of admission.
Then it was back the the Berkeley Pit Mine. Thankfully, it was actually open. I forked over $3 and headed to the viewing stand.
What is there isn't that interesting in and of itself. It looks like a big green man-made lake - almost like a gravel pit back at home. But the story makes the reality so much more interesting.
This mine displaced the entire communities of Meaderville and McQueen. Populated city areas have lots of champions when eminent domain is used, but the narrative gets confused in rural towns. Just ask Centralia, Pennsylvania - although that situation is very different.
Copper has already been critical for decades. And in an envisioned future with electric everything, it will continue to be. There is a down side and I'm looking at a potential version of it.
The Berkeley mine started in 1955. Over its life just under 300 million tons of copper ore came out. Fortunes were made. The copper wiring in my house may have started here. It ceased operation in the early 1980's. Without pumps to keep it dry (The Anaconda Mining Company turned them off once the mine shut down since they are not cheap to run), the pit slowly filled with water. The water has a pH of about 2.5, similar to cranberry juice. Sounds nice right? But it is acidic due to the metals and sulfurous compounds that remain and those metals have turned it into a superfund site. An absolutely gorgeous green superfund site.
As easy as it is to point fingers at the Berkeley Pit as mistakes of the past. We should also look to the future and ask where all the metals in our electrified future will come from. Where all the metals needed to keep my phone working come from. I'm not suggesting we don't move in that direction. But a level of caution is warranted. Rarely does society solve one problem without creating an equally vexing one somewhere else. The next Berkeley Pit may not be in Butte or Osceola, Iowa. It may be in Angola or Jiangxi, China - that would not make it any less tragic.
It was interesting to note that the toxic green lake does allow some life in the form of algae that (probably) feed off of iron in the water, as well as water boatman bugs that seem to live just fine there thank-you-very-much. Occasionally birds will land in the water with dire consequences - this is actively discouraged by various means. I also thought the explosions in the nearby active mine added a bit of ambiance to the Berkeley Pit.
Then it was on to Deer Lodge to the Old Montana Prison Museum. The Old Montana Prison was built in the late 1860s. I wonder if it was called the New Montana Prison then? I'm not sure this qualifies as cruel and unusual punishment, but it was built by prison labor which does seem a little too close to "digging one's own grave." While prisons from this time period are probably universally unpleasant, it was known for problems of overcrowding and being outdated even shortly after opening. Things culminated in a 1959 prison riot; although it does not seem that this improved the situation much. When will the rioters learn that riots don't really seem to accomplish what they hoped for? The prison stayed in operation until 1979 where it soon after opened to the public.
The grounds are both a car museum and the prison, because why not? There was also a doll exhibit - too creepy for me...
The prison tour is self guided from a book. It was originally hard to follow and even once I (mostly) understood it, where to go wasn't always very clear. But I mostly followed the script. Having toured prisons in Mansfield, OH, Jefferson City, MO and Rawlins, WY, I didn't see much new. Parts of it were falling down and there was little I would call "restored" - so there was a lot of nanny state and questions unanswered. I still enjoyed it though.
Maybe it is just since they are always terrifying places in popular culture, but cell blocks always look imposing.
I couldn't help but wonder if the cells actually had these cupboards. I would think anything that closed would be ripe for hiding contraband.
What the???
Well, at least there is a tiny bit of privacy?
The car part of the museum acts as a timeline starting in the 19-teens and progresses to the newest cars - I like this much better then trying to categorize cars like some museums do. I did skim the early parts since it was almost all American and it only interested me a little bit. A few highlights later in the timeline include:
A Plymouth Superbird - very possibly the ugliest factory modification ever.
A Ford Mustang Mach 1. I've always wanted one of these and in the 1980's these were not particularly desirable. However now they command absolutely stupid prices.
A BMW Isetta. These always remind me of the Messerschmitt KR200 from the Movie Brazil.
This car was supposed to be from the Mad Max franchise, but the plaque left a big question mark on the provenance.
A Citicar. Someone should tell Elon Musk that his Cybertruck is just a much uglier version of this!
Near and dear to my heart.
A Nash Metropolitan - I've only seen these a few times.
A Porsche 356. What is most interesting about this car is that it still resides in the family that bought it new.
I was ready to head "home" but was also a bit hungry. I didn't feel like driving anywhere so I decided if I found a place within walking distance, I'd grab a bite before heading back south. Ice cream was all I could see. Bummer...
I sort of wanted to go to the Ringing Rocks on my way back, but really didn't feel like dealing with gravel roads and even small hikes in motorcycle clothes in the hot afternoon.
It was a fascinating day in and around Butte. It felt weird without SO, but I got a report back from the vet while I was in prison that the dog is doing much better. A good day all around.
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