Stephanie Brewster
You attend a university in Montana’s second most haunted city. Butte, Montana is not only the headquarters of the nation’s second best “Public School”, according to U.S. News’ Higher Education database, it is also second, just behind Deer Lodge and its haunted prison, on the list of most haunted towns in Montana. According to a 2014 post by 96.3 The Blaze, a Missoula rock radio station, Butte contains over five haunted venues, all within walking distance of Tech’s campus.
You attend a university in Montana’s second most haunted city. Butte, Montana is not only the headquarters of the nation’s second best “Public School”, according to U.S. News’ Higher Education database, it is also second, just behind Deer Lodge and its haunted prison, on the list of most haunted towns in Montana. According to a 2014 post by 96.3 The Blaze, a Missoula rock radio station, Butte contains over five haunted venues, all within walking distance of Tech’s campus.
The Copper King Mansion, less than a mile from the Bob Green Field at Tech, sports a paranormal presence that includes hot and cold spots in the house and animate doors that close and lock themselves without assistance. If you want to be a spectator to the specters or keep them company for a night, the mansion provides tours and Bed & Breakfast amenities. A one hour tour is $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for children and the cost of nightly stays ranges from $105 to $150, haunted discount not included. More information can be found at www.copperkingmansion.com.
Next on the route, about 1.2 miles away from Montana Tech, is the Butte Detention Center and Courthouse. While the Detention Center is primarily known for its “Inmate Services” and employment opportunities, it is also becoming known for the moans of a Butte man who employees claim to have heard wandering the halls. It is rumored that Miles Fuller, the moaning man, was falsely convicted and hung in 1906 and now haunts the workers at the Detention Center.
If you want to dig deeper into the haunted history of Butte, Butte’s most famous haunted attraction, the Historic Dumas Brothel Bed & Breakfast, is the best place to end the tour. The Historic Dumas Brothel commemorates Butte’s “Red Light District” days and record as the longest running brothel in Montana. While its brothel days have ended, the “Dumas Hotel” still stays busy with paranormal activity, haunted by at least three female entities, and is welcome to visitors of all sorts.
Other haunted venues in Butte include the Old Butte Historical Tours building, the Butte Archives, the former Rockwood Speakeasy, and 314 W Park Street, an apartment building that, at one time was the St. James Mental Hospital, is now dedicated to housing college students. If you’re looking for something spooky to lift your spirits this Halloween, check out one of Butte’s haunted locations. Have a happy Halloween Diggers!