Butte America: Exploring the Richest Hill on Earth
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Please note: This course program requires membership in a 2024-2025 OLLI at MSU Membership
Important Requirements
This is an active tour where days are filled with a variety of activities on foot and in vehicles. Participants must be able to meet ALL the physical requirements outlined at the bottom of this pageDescription
Explore Butte and Anaconda, two cities at the heart of Montana's rich frontier history, and discover the stories and places that shaped our state. This three-day, two-night adventure includes engaging presentations by local experts and field trips to historic sites, including mines, the Anaconda smelter stack and sites showcasing contemporary mining and remediation. Meals are included. Participants are responsible for their own lodging. The Historic Finlan Hotel in Uptown Butte has a block of rooms for OLLI.
Sample Schedule
Day 1: History of Butte
You will begin your journey by immersing yourself in Butte's vibrant history. A catered lunch will feature a speaker giving a pictorial presentation on Butte's historical significance. This will be followed by an afternoon tour of the city and a visit to the World Mining Museum, below or above ground-your choice. Dinner will feature a speaker exploring the city's diverse ethnic heritage, highlighted through traditional foods from Butte's immigrant communities.
Night at the Finlan Hotel
Day 2: Anaconda's Industrial Legacy
You will travel to Anaconda on day two to explore its industrial past. The day includes a guided tour of the iconic smelter stack, led by an ARCO representative, followed by a talk and tour of the history of Anaconda. The group will return to Butte for optional walking tours, where you can explore the city's storied streets. The evening will feature a speaker to prepare us for the next day's field trip with before and after photos of mining remediation.
Night at the Finlan Hotel
Day 3: Modern Mining and Environmental Remediation
The final day focuses on current mining operations and environmental restoration efforts. Montana Resources, Butte's only active mining company, will guide you through the Continental Pit. Lunch will feature a speaker knowledgeable about the cleanup and remediation of the Berkley and Continental Pits. The day concludes with a guided tour of the Bell-Diamond mine, followed by a talk by a Montana Tech faculty expert.
Note: Schedule subject to change.
Meals and Lodging
Participants are responsible for their own transportation to Butte.
Our base of operations for this tour is the century-old Finlen Hotel in Uptown Butte, where a block of rooms is held at a special group rate. You can opt to stay elsewhere and meet the group at the Finlen for daily excursions. Transportation between all sites will be provided on the town trolley or a bus. Carpooling can be arranged independently using a participant list that OLLI will provide.
Tuition
$510. Participants are responsible for their own lodging. The Historic Finlan Hotel in Uptown Butte has a block of rooms for OLLI.
Activity Level
This is an active tour where days are filled with a variety of activities on foot and in vehicles and requires:
- Low to moderate levels of walking on sidewalks and gravel
- Walking up and down stairs
- Standing indoors and outdoors amongst the elements
- Loading in and out of cars, coaches, and a tour train
*The optional underground tour of the Orphan Girl Mine at the World Museum of Mining is not ADA-compliant. To participate, you must be able to:
- Wear a hard hat with a light, the only light during the tour
- Navigate in low light in an enclosed space
- Be comfortable at 45-50 degrees Fahrenheit
- Walk on muddy, uneven, and sloping ground, up to a 17% grade
- Step over thresholds and small obstacles
- Duck under low doorways
You can choose to opt out of the mine tour
Those who opt out of the mine tour will explore the vast above-ground museum complex featuring indoor and outdoor exhibits.
Contact Rab Cummings at 406-994-4820 with any questions regarding the requirements as outlined above.
Logistics
Participants will stay at the century-old Finlen Hotel in uptown Butte, within walking distance of historic sites. A block of rooms is held at a special group rate for OLLI. You can stay in a modern hotel in the Flats, meeting the group at the Finlen for daily excursions. Transportation between all sites will be provided on either the town trolley or a bus, although participants are responsible for their own transportation to Butte. Carpooling can be arranged independently using a participant list that OLLI will provide.
Scholarship
Apply for a needs-based scholarship before entering the lottery for this program. The application deadline is February 10.
| Fee: | $510.00 |
Fee Breakdown
| Description | Amount |
|---|---|
| OLLI Member | $ 510.00 |
| OLLI member with a partner | $1,020.00 |
| Date | Day | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05/13/2025 | Tuesday | 12M to 12M | Butte, MT |
| 05/14/2025 | Wednesday | 12M to 12M | Butte, MT |
| 05/15/2025 | Thursday | 12M to 12M | Butte, MT |
Cancellation Policy
Please read carefully:
- If a registrant cancels on or before March 12, 2025, we will issue a refund within 60 days, minus a 7.5% administrative fee.
- If a registrant cancels after March 12, 2025, no refunds will be issued. Registrants may, however, designate a replacement for this trip at the time of cancellation.
- Registrants are strongly encouraged to purchase accident, baggage, and trip cancellation insurance through a travel agent or other provider. Travel insurance can help protect against financial loss in case of an emergency.
- If it fails to meet the minimum enrollment by March 12, 2025, we will cancel this trip and issue full refunds to all registrants within 60 days.