Anaconda was founded in 1883 by Marcus Daly, one of the Copper Kings of the area who personally picked this spot for the smelting process because of its ample water and limestone. It is home to the largest smokestack in the world, a remnant of the glory days of mining.
The town in the mouth of a narrow valley near the Continental Divide grew up around the giant smelter built by Marcus Daly. Daly picked the site for his smelter when the air quality in the booming town of Butte was being fouled by Butte’s smelters. Only 35 miles from Butte, Daly liked this site because it was near ample water and limestone. As the story goes, Daly saw a cow grazing in the valley, pointed to it and said he wanted the Main Street of his new town to run north and south right through the cow. The town was platted in 1883 and named Copperopolis. Shortly after that, the postmaster found out there was already in Copperopolis in Meagher County and renamed the city for the giant mine in Butte.
It is said that when copper is in demand, both smelter and town prosper; but when the mines are quiet, so is Anaconda. Interestingly, the name Anaconda is not related to copper but comes from a newspaper reference to the large, South American snake bearing this name. Michael Hickey was a Union Army veteran and an adventurous Irish miner. He had once read an article by Horace Greeley describing Grant’s army "encircling Lee’s forces like a giant anaconda." As Hickey recalled, "That word struck me as a mighty good one. I always remembered it, and when I wanted a name for my mine, I remembered Greeley’s editorial and called it the ‘Anaconda.’" Hickey’s mine led to one of Butte’s richest copper veins. Later, the world’s largest copper mining, smelting and fabricating organization took the name—the Anaconda Copper Mining Company.
Anaconda opens the door to the Pintler Primitive area, Deerlodge National Forest, Lost Creek State Park, Discovery Ski Basin, the Big Hole Battlefield, Georgetown Lake and ghost towns west of town. In nearby mountains, sapphires, garnets, fossils, and gold can be found to the delight of rock-hunters of every age.
Photo Gallery
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43 93 Divide Exit
43 93 Divide Exit
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Centennial Valley 1
Centennial Valley 1
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Centennial Valley 2
Centennial Valley 2
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Centennial Valley 3
Centennial Valley 3
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Centennial Valley 4
Centennial Valley 4
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Centennial Valley 5
Centennial Valley 5
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Centennial Valley 6
Centennial Valley 6
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Centennial Valley 7
Centennial Valley 7
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Copper King Man Butte
Copper King Man Butte
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Humbug Spires 1
Humbug Spires 1
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Humbug Spires 3
Humbug Spires 3
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Humbug Spires 4
Humbug Spires 4
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Humbug Spires 6
Humbug Spires 6
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I 15S MM 47
I 15S MM 47
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I 15S MM 49
I 15S MM 49
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I 15S MM 52
I 15S MM 52
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I 15S N of Dillon
I 15S N of Dillon
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I 90 M B Cardwell
I 90 M B Cardwell
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I 90 M B Exit 118
I 90 M B Exit 118
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I 90 M B Exit 124
I 90 M B Exit 124
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I 90 M B Exit 138
I 90 M B Exit 138
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I 90 M B Exit 153
I 90 M B Exit 153
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I 90 M B Homestake Pass 2
I 90 M B Homestake Pass 2
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M M Cafe Butte
M M Cafe Butte
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McDonald Pass
McDonald Pass
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Milwaukee Depot Butte
Milwaukee Depot Butte
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Mother Lode Theatre Butte
Mother Lode Theatre Butte
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Rank s Mercantile Virginia
Rank s Mercantile Virginia
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UM Dillon
UM Dillon
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Virginia City Courthouse
Virginia City Courthouse
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Virginia City Library Museu
Virginia City Library Museu
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Whitehall Murals 1
Whitehall Murals 1
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Whitehall Murals 2
Whitehall Murals 2
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Whitehall Murals 3
Whitehall Murals 3
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Whitehall Murals 4
Whitehall Murals 4
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Whitehall Murals 5
Whitehall Murals 5
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Whitehall Murals 6
Whitehall Murals 6
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Whitehall Murals 7
Whitehall Murals 7
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Whitehall Murals 8
Whitehall Murals 8
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Whitehall Murals 9
Whitehall Murals 9
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Whitehall Murals 10
Whitehall Murals 10
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Whitehall Murals 11
Whitehall Murals 11
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Whitehall Murals 12
Whitehall Murals 12
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Yesterday s Cafe 2
Yesterday s Cafe 2