Red-light district and saloon supporters in both cities accordingly posted signs reading, “All Nations Are Welcome Except Carrie.” In 1910 Carrie Nation, the hatchet-wielding, radical supporter of the temperance movement, announced she would be visiting both Butte and Anaconda.

The Socialist party were not the only reformers. It was the party’s first victory west of the Mississippi. By 1903, miners in western states were talking of going on strike.ĭespite the Anaconda Company's firm grip on the local economy, the citizens of the city of Anaconda managed to vote in city officials of the newly-formed Socialist Party, which vowed to support members of various unions, social reformers, farmers, and immigrants. The Anaconda Copper Mining Company was no exception. The historic Deer Lodge county courthouse at Anaconda, MontanaĪfter the turn of the century, labor disputes arose as miners across the west began complaining of low pay, long hours and hazardous working conditions. In 1898 a stunning new county courthouse building was completed, which still stands today. Ultimately Clark would be victorious but Anaconda would nonetheless grow to be one of Montana's most important cities.Īnaconda did achieve some of its political ambitions however as it was named the seat of government for Deer Lodge County in 1896. Helena's bid for capitol was supported by another of Butte's Copper Kings, William Andrews Clark, and the competition between the men was fierce both in business and in politics. In 1891, Anaconda lost a political bid to Helena to become the new capitol of Montana. The population of Anaconda was quckly growing, with 3,975 people living there by 1890.ĭownsized Montana Hotel - Anaconda, Montana That same year, Daly built a horse racing track, while a grand, four-story hotel, The Montana, was being constructed to emulate New York City’s Hoffman House. On the edge of town, the Chinese element quietly shared some buildings and operated a chop house and laundry.Īs of 1888, Anaconda's fire department was firmly in place, with a large reservoir feeding 25 fire hydrants. Within a year, Anaconda featured an amazing array of businesses: four hotels, 24 stores offering anything from drugs and groceries to clothing and furnishings three lumber yards, two blacksmiths, two liveries, two photographers, a bank, five barbers and an amazing 20 saloons. The town was originally to be called Copperopolis but that name was already in use by another Montana town so the name Anaconda was settled on.Īnaconda, Montana Historic City Hall Building Anaconda was established in 1883 by Marcus Daly, one of the three 'Copper Kings' of Butte, Montana, as a site for a new smelter to treat ores from his Anaconda mine.

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