The Butte mine headframes are possibly the most easily identifiable structures on The Hill as you look up from down on The Flats.  Especially as the sun goes down and their looming shadows are cast eastward across the Uptown cityscape.  Sure, the Original Mine is becoming known worldwide thanks to the Montana Folk Festival and the thousands that it attracts every year.  The Mountain Con is known for it's "Mile High, Mile Deep" paint job as well as for having its surrounding area turned into a beautiful recreation area.  The Belmont's hoisthouse is now a bustling Senior Citizens center.  But what about some of Butte's lesser-known mines whose headframes are still standing?  Can you name these mines just by sight? (ANSWERS BELOW)

HEADFRAME #1

Photo: Tommy O/Townsquare Media
Photo: Tommy O/Townsquare Media
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This mine, while not Butte's deepest, has the distinction of sitting highest on the hill.  It was in operation from 1879 to 1928 and was originally owned by Copper King W.A. Clark.

HEADFRAME #2

Photo: Tommy O/Townsquare Media
Photo: Tommy O/Townsquare Media
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This mine is further north than any other in town with a standing headframe and was in operation from 1880 to 1966.  This mine, in addition to being one of the longest-running, was the first to use the "block caving" mining technique which allowed lower grade ore to be mined more efficiently.

HEADFRAME #3

Photo: Tommy O/Townsquare Media
Photo: Tommy O/Townsquare Media
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This mine ran from 1887 to 1944 and was the site of the deadliest mine disaster in Butte history in 1917 when 168 men died in a tragic fire.

HEADFRAME #4

Photo: Tommy O/Townsquare Media
Photo: Tommy O/Townsquare Media
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This mine, an outstanding producer of silver, ran from 1876 to 1947 and is the only remaining headframe with a strike fence.

Do you know the answers?  Before we give them away, take a look at these cool "ghost signs" from Uptown Butte.

Butte's Ghost Signs Part 1

Uptown Butte was once one of the largest urban centers in the Northwest and the bustling heart of a thriving Mining City. Here is the first in a series of some of the ghost signs you can see Uptown that have survived through the decades.

Gallery Credit: Gallery Credit: Tommy O/Townsquare Media

"Ghost Signs" of Uptown Butte Part 2

Gallery Credit: Gallery Credit: Tommy O/Townsquare Media

Butte's Ghost Signs Part 3

Here's a look at more of Uptown Butte's ghost signs.

Gallery Credit: Gallery Credit: Tommy O/Townsquare Media

HERE ARE YOUR ANSWERS: 1. Bell Diamond, 2. Badger State, 3. Granite Mountain, 4. Lexington

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