The Anselmo Mine

In 1887, the Anselmo Mine first felt the movement of life above and below ground powered by electricity and innovation.

“Overlooking the homes of men who once descended its shaft, the Anselmo [Headframe] looms over Caledonia Street along with the majority of ancillary buildings that served the underground.”

Everyday, they pulled lead, zinc, silver and copper from its veins under Montana Street. 

The concept of this diverse combination found within the ore reminded us of gin and eventually led to our product, Anselmo Gin. Just as the miners found riches at depths over 4,000 feet, we also reached deeper to come up with a blend of 10 botanicals to create a one of a kind gin that lives up to its namesake. 

August 19, 1959 – workers at mines across the Butte hill went on strike against the Anaconda Copper Company after negotiations regarding better conditions failed. It took 181 days for negotiations to settle. The second longest strike in Butte history. But closing for six months, this strike shut down the Anselmo permanently. 

Photos provided by the World Museum of Mining

Now, it sits as the best preserved mine space in Butte. Often a must-see stop for historical tours or anyone visiting town as the National Park Service noted, “the Anselmo Mine yard in particular offers an impressive array of preserved mine yard structures.”

Bells and pressurized air still work in the building and are used as the hoist house in our 2014 film, “The Orphan Girl.”

“With buildings representing the full range of mine yard activities, the Anselmo is a monumental testament to Butte’s mining history and the daily experience of the thousands of mineworkers that powered the industry.”