Of substantial brick and stone construction, the city hall originally housed the city government, the police and a jail, and the city fire department. The fire department has since departed and the city government has moved to newer premises, but the jail cells in the basement remain, now housing the historical society.
The basement and a smaller portion of the main floor are now the site of Anaconda's Copper Village Museum, which houses a multitude of artefacts from Anaconda's heyday, when the smelter belched smoke 24/7 and the town was a boisterous frontier village of miners and smelter workers. The museum also hosts various travelling exhibits and annual quilting exhibits and student art displays.
Copper Village Museum & Arts Center
The Copper Village Museum and Arts Center, was founded in 1971 with the hope that the arts could help to heal the divisions of a 9 month strike between the Anaconda Company and its workers. With strong support from its community, the center has flourished ever since. The building, the old City Hall built in 1895 and obtained by us, is home to the Marcus Daly Historical Museum and the Anaconda Company Archives, A Bella Salon, a newly renovated Exhibit Hall and Local Artist Gift Shop, plus a meeting spot for many civic organizations.
Copper Village Museum & Arts Center stands as a monument to the spirit of our community and the revitalization of “Copper Town”. Our mission is to foster an awareness and appreciation of all the arts, to provide the community opportunities for cultural and artistic growth and education; and to assist in community cultural preservation and development. Continual restoration of this beautiful building has been in fast mode during the last four years. Further plans are to install an elevator to all three floors, and restore the fantastic second floor to be used as a community center for many activities.
As a not-for-profit organization the Center provides many programs and services. In 1985, the Copper Village Board and Tri-County Historical Society undertook the preservation project to save and renovate Anaconda’s abandoned City Hall. This is where the Museum and Art Center is now located. We are on the corner of Commercial and Cedar Streets and the first historic building you see when entering Anaconda from the East. Click here to see pictures of our newly renovated gallery and workshop. Our address is 401 East Commercial, Anaconda, Mt. 59711 and our phone is (406) 563-2422.
From the Museum & Arts Center