BUTTE — Over a century ago, metals pulled from the ground in the Mining City helped a copper baron build a grand mansion in the heart of Uptown Butte. Now, a family that has owned the Copper King Mansion for over 70 years says that history is the gold that brings in tourists and helps preserve the space.
The mansion was built in the late 1880s by William A. Clark, a man who became filthy rich from his many business endeavors, including copper mining.
"If you were the richest man in the world, you could build a house and two or three more," Erin Sigl said.
Sigl is the granddaughter of Anna Cote, the Butte businesswoman who bought the mansion in the 1950s from a Catholic girls' school.
The mansion was empty when Cote bought it, but over the years, Cote and her daughter, Ann Cote-Smith, searched high and low for antiques to fill the space.
WATCH: A family that has owned Butte's Copper King Mansion for over 70 years is preserving the 1880s home and offering tours to keep history alive
Sigl moved into the home when she was 12 years old and remembers accompanying her grandmother on her business errands.
"She would hire people to be the bartenders, you know? And would tell me and whoever else was with me, 'Sit there on that bench and don't move.' It was like, "Okay, we won't." She was the boss, and she let us all know that," Sigl said with laughter.
Today, Sigl's daughter, Maria Gibbs, runs a bed and breakfast at the mansion and leads year-round tours.
"It cost $200,000 for the materials and $60,000 for the craftsman who built it," Gibbs said.
Craftsmen hand-painted the ceilings, hand-carved the woodwork on the staircase, and nine fireplaces, among other intricate details in the home. Artists also created breathtaking stained-glass windows that splash rainbows throughout the interior.
Gibbs says she takes on one project a year to preserve the history of the old mansion.
"The bathroom had rain damage, and the tub in there was not original from 1884 anyway. So, we put in a gorgeous clawfoot tub, but that was a restoration...In general, we try to do preservation where we just fix things before they get bad," Gibbs said.
Gibbs says she wants to encourage locals to take a tour because the majority of visitors come from out of town and even out of state.
"This summer, if you have your Butte driver's license, you and your family can come in and get the tour for 50 percent off," Gibbs said.
Starting May 1, the Copper King Mansion offers tours seven days a week through Sept. 30 and can be made by calling 406-490-5643.
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