Our Lady of the Rockies facts for kids
The statue atop a mountain
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| Coordinates | 46°00′02″N 112°26′47″W / 46.000472°N 112.446272°W |
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| Location | Butte, Montana, United States |
| Type | statue |
| Height | 27 metres (89 ft) |
| Beginning date | December 29, 1979 |
| Completion date | December 17, 1985 |
| Dedicated to | Blessed Virgin Mary |
The Our Lady of the Rockies is a very tall statue in Montana. It shows Mary, the mother of Jesus. This huge statue sits high up on a mountain overlooking the city of Butte, Montana.
It's one of the tallest statues in the United States. It stands 90 feet (27 meters) tall! The statue is built on private land. You can see it lit up at night from far away.
A man named Bob O'Bill from Butte first thought of building the statue in 1979. He wanted to thank the Virgin Mary after his wife got better from cancer. Later, the statue was also dedicated to "all women, especially mothers."
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Building the Statue
Bob O'Bill first imagined this statue in 1979. His wife was very sick with cancer at the time. O'Bill promised to build a statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe if his wife recovered. She did get better! He then started this big project.
Many people helped build the statue. They gave money, materials, and their time for free. Laurien Eugene Riehl, a retired engineer, designed the statue. He also gave his skills to the project without charge.
Work on the statue began on December 29, 1979. The base of the statue was made with 400 tons of concrete in September 1985. On December 17, 1985, a large helicopter lifted the statue. It carried the statue in four parts to its spot on Saddle Rock. This spot is on Butte's East Ridge. The land for the statue was given by Guy Ossello.
Visiting the Statue
You can visit the Our Lady of the Rockies. There is a gift shop in Butte. This shop offers bus tours to the statue during the summer months.
Discussions About the Statue
Before the statue was put up, some people had concerns. They talked about how the statue might affect different religious groups.
In 1981, a Catholic priest named Father Edward Hislop spoke about it. He said that even though the statue was on private land, it was very visible to everyone. He felt that some people might find this difficult.
In 1985, a newspaper advice columnist named Ann Landers shared a letter. The letter was from a reader who felt that one religious group was making its beliefs too public in Butte.
Job Corps and the Statue
In 1994, a group called the Freedom From Religion Foundation learned something. They found out that the nearby Anaconda Job Corps was helping to build a chapel at the statue site. The foundation believed that using government resources for a place of worship was not allowed. They complained to the U.S. Department of Labor. On September 11, the Job Corps stopped helping with the chapel.
Plans for a Tram
In 2005, some homeowners sued Our Lady of the Rockies. They were worried about plans to use a road near their homes. This road would be used to build a tram to the statue. A local court approved the plans. However, in 2008, the Montana Supreme Court decided the road was private. This meant it could not be used for the tram. So, the plans for a tram have not happened yet.
See also
In Spanish: Nuestra Señora de las Rocosas para niños
