Anaconda, Montana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anaconda, Montana
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Consolidated city-county
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Downtown Anaconda, looking north
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Location of Anaconda within the county Deer Lodge County.
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 Anaconda, Montana
Location in Montana
Anaconda, Montana
Location in the United States
Anaconda, Montana
Location in North America
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| Country | United States | |
| State | Montana | |
| County | Deer Lodge | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 741.2 sq mi (1,919.7 km2) | |
| • Land | 736.53 sq mi (1,907.6 km2) | |
| • Water | 4.7 sq mi (12.1 km2) | |
| Elevation | 5,276 ft (1,608 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 9,421 | |
| • Density | 12.79/sq mi (4.94/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (Mountain (MST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) | |
| ZIP code |
59711
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| FIPS code | 30-01675 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 779015 | |
Anaconda is a city in southwestern Montana, United States. It is the main town in Deer Lodge County. Anaconda has a special type of government where the city and county work together as one.
The city is located at the base of the Anaconda Range, which locals call the "Pintlers." The Continental Divide, a line that separates rivers flowing to different oceans, is just 8 mi (13 km) south of Anaconda. In 2020, about 9,421 people lived in the city and county area. This makes it the ninth largest city area in Montana.
Contents
History of Anaconda
Anaconda was started by Marcus Daly, a very important person in the copper mining business. He was one of the "Copper Kings," who were powerful mining leaders. Daly built a large factory called a smelter near Warm Springs Creek. This factory processed copper ore from the mines in Butte.
Daly first wanted to name the place "Copperopolis." But another small mining town in Montana already had that name. So, Daly chose "Anaconda" instead. He officially registered the town's name on June 25, 1883.
When Montana became a state in 1889, Daly tried to make Anaconda the state capital. People voted twice, in 1892 and 1894, to choose the capital city. The campaigns were very intense. In the end, Helena won, which was supported by Daly's business rival, William A. Clark.
In 1903, the Socialist Party of America won local elections in Anaconda. They elected a socialist mayor and other officials. This was a big deal because it was their first major win west of the Mississippi River. The Anaconda Copper Mining Company, which owned the smelter, didn't like this. They made it hard for the new leaders to do their jobs and even fired workers who supported the Socialists. Over time, the company gained more control over the town's politics.
The Anaconda Company kept making its smelter bigger. By 1919, their smokestack, called the Anaconda Smelter Stack, was 585 feet (178 m) tall. It was the tallest brick structure in the world! The whole factory was the biggest plant for processing non-iron metals anywhere.
In 1980, the Atlantic Richfield Company closed the smelter. This ended nearly 100 years of metal processing in Anaconda. The closing left a large area with dangerous waste. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and ARCO then started a huge cleanup project. This project cost millions of dollars. Part of the cleaned-up land was turned into a famous golf course called the "Old Works" Golf Course, designed by Jack Nicklaus.
In 1977, Anaconda and Deer Lodge County decided to combine their governments. This created the consolidated city-county government they have today. A part of Anaconda is also included in the Butte-Anaconda Historic District, which is important for its history.
Geography and Climate
Anaconda is located 5,335 ft (1,626 m) above sea level. It is surrounded by smaller communities like Opportunity and West Valley.
- Average yearly rainfall: 14 inches or 360 millimetres
- Average yearly snowfall: 48.0 inches or 1.22 metres
- Average yearly temperature: 43.0 °F (6.1 °C)
The county area is 736.53 square miles (1,907.6 km2). It has many forests, lakes, and mountains. This makes it a great place for outdoor activities. The county shares borders with Beaverhead, Butte-Silver Bow, Granite, Jefferson, and Powell counties.
Anaconda's Weather
Anaconda has a humid continental climate. This means it has warm summers and cold, snowy winters.
| Climate data for Anaconda, Montana (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1901–1927, 1982–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 60 (16) |
65 (18) |
71 (22) |
83 (28) |
91 (33) |
96 (36) |
100 (38) |
102 (39) |
97 (36) |
88 (31) |
74 (23) |
60 (16) |
102 (39) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 36.6 (2.6) |
39.3 (4.1) |
47.5 (8.6) |
54.7 (12.6) |
64.1 (17.8) |
72.5 (22.5) |
82.7 (28.2) |
81.5 (27.5) |
72.2 (22.3) |
57.1 (13.9) |
43.4 (6.3) |
34.4 (1.3) |
57.2 (14.0) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 26.3 (−3.2) |
27.8 (−2.3) |
35.2 (1.8) |
41.5 (5.3) |
50.2 (10.1) |
57.8 (14.3) |
65.7 (18.7) |
64.4 (18.0) |
55.9 (13.3) |
43.8 (6.6) |
32.4 (0.2) |
24.6 (−4.1) |
43.8 (6.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 15.9 (−8.9) |
16.4 (−8.7) |
22.9 (−5.1) |
28.4 (−2.0) |
36.4 (2.4) |
43.0 (6.1) |
48.7 (9.3) |
47.3 (8.5) |
39.7 (4.3) |
30.5 (−0.8) |
21.3 (−5.9) |
14.7 (−9.6) |
30.4 (−0.9) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −37 (−38) |
−35 (−37) |
−21 (−29) |
−2 (−19) |
14 (−10) |
23 (−5) |
30 (−1) |
23 (−5) |
11 (−12) |
−9 (−23) |
−22 (−30) |
−38 (−39) |
−38 (−39) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.57 (14) |
0.99 (25) |
1.15 (29) |
1.50 (38) |
2.13 (54) |
2.21 (56) |
1.30 (33) |
1.20 (30) |
1.15 (29) |
1.00 (25) |
0.97 (25) |
0.72 (18) |
14.89 (378) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 11.4 (29) |
11.3 (29) |
11.8 (30) |
9.9 (25) |
2.0 (5.1) |
0.6 (1.5) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.2 (0.51) |
0.4 (1.0) |
3.3 (8.4) |
12.1 (31) |
12.1 (31) |
75.1 (191) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 9.2 | 8.5 | 11.2 | 12.1 | 13.8 | 13.8 | 9.3 | 9.1 | 7.9 | 10.1 | 10.5 | 9.9 | 125.4 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 7.8 | 7.7 | 6.8 | 4.9 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 3.2 | 6.8 | 8.4 | 47.7 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Population of Anaconda
Anaconda's population has changed over time. It grew a lot when the mining industry was strong. The city had its highest populations in 1930 and 1980. According to the 2020 census, 9,421 people live in the consolidated city-county area.
Arts and Culture
Anaconda has a beautiful building called the Washoe Theater on its main street. This theater is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was the last theater built in the United States in the Nuevo Deco style. The theater opened in 1936 and is still used today for movies, plays, and other shows.
Sports and Recreation
Anaconda and the surrounding area offer many fun activities:
- Hunting – There are huge public lands for hunting. You can hunt for birds, bears, mountain lions, elk, deer, and moose with a permit.
- Fishing – Many mountain lakes and streams are great for fishing. Popular spots include Silver Lake, Georgetown Lake, and the Big Hole River.
- Golf – The Old Works Golf Course is a championship course designed by Jack Nicklaus. There's also a country club and another 18-hole course at Fairmont Hot Springs.
- Skiing – You can find many trails for cross-country skiing. Nearby, Discovery Ski Area offers downhill skiing with challenging trails and groomed cross-country paths.
- Darts – Anaconda hosts the annual Winter Getaway dart tournament. It's the biggest dart tournament in Montana.
- Museums – The Copper Village Museum and Arts Center teaches visitors about the local art and history.
- Hiking – You can hike to mountain lakes or climb a 10,067-foot (3,068 m) mountain. There's also a walking trail next to Warm Springs Creek.
- Drag Racing – Lost Creek Raceway hosts over 20 drag racing events each year. Racers come from Washington, Idaho, and Montana.
- Mountain Biking – The area has trails for mountain biking.
Education
Anaconda School District 10 has several schools. These include a Head Start program for young children, Lincoln Elementary (kindergarten to 3rd grade), Fred Moodry Intermediate School (4th to 6th grade), and Anaconda Junior-Senior High School (7th to 12th grade). The high school's mascot is the Copperheads.
The Hearst Free Library serves the community, offering books and resources.
Transportation and Healthcare
Anaconda is located on Montana Highway 1, which connects to Interstate 90. Highway 1 is also known as the Pintler Scenic Loop. East of town, you can find the junction for Montana Highway 48.
For air travel, Bowman Field is a public airport just three miles (5 km) northeast of Anaconda. The closest airport with commercial flights is Bert Mooney Airport in Butte.
The Community Hospital of Anaconda provides medical care for the town's residents.
Media
The local newspaper in Anaconda is the Anaconda Leader. It is published twice a week.
KGLM-FM is a radio station licensed in Anaconda. It is owned by Butte Broadcasting Inc.
Film and TV Appearances
Anaconda has been a filming location for several movies, documentaries, and TV shows. Some examples include:
- 1985 - Runaway Train
- 1993 - Return to Lonesome Dove
- 2012 - Diggers
- 2022 - Father Stu
- 2022 - 1923 (TV series)
Notable People
Many interesting people have connections to Anaconda:
- Lucille Ball – a famous actress who lived in Anaconda briefly as a child.
- Marcus Daly – the founder of Anaconda and a "Copper King."
- Wayne Estes – a college basketball star.
- Raymond Hunthausen – a Roman Catholic Archbishop.
- Jack Morris, S.J. – born in Anaconda, he founded the Jesuit Volunteer Corps.
- Casper Oimoen – an Olympic ski jumper.
- Bridget Sullivan – Lizzie Borden's maid, who lived in Anaconda for the rest of her life.
- Ralph "Papa" Thorson – a bounty hunter who was the subject of the movie The Hunter starring Steve McQueen.
- Lester Thurow – a well-known economist.
See also
In Spanish: Anaconda (Montana) para niños
