The state fish hatchery was a project of the State Fish & Game Commission. In 1907, Anaconda smelter manager E.P. Mathewson was the chairman of this commission, and he was instrumental in establishing the first state hatchery in Anaconda. A residence, icehouse, and hatchery building were constructed, and the Company loaned the state over $9,000 to begin operations in 1908. In 1913, the Anaconda Company again came to the aid of the state, supplying the labor for the construction of new concrete troughs, a closed water supply system, a whitefish battery and an aquarium.
From NRHP-Focus-Page 71
The Washoe Park Trout Hatchery maintains the state's only native westslope cutthroat broodstock. The hatchery visitor center consists of a display pond of trout, interpretive center, and a live stream aquarium. The hatchery grounds are open during daylight.
The Washoe Park Trout Hatchery in Anaconda was the first state-run hatchery built in Montana. The hatchery is located at the east end of the historic Washoe Park. The hatchery was built in 1907 with the help of local industries. The manager of the Washoe Smelter at the time was a Fish and Game Commissioner. He obtained support from the legislature for funding the construction of the facility. The Butte, Anaconda and Pacific Railroad granted the four acres for the hatchery site and water rights were donated by the Anaconda Copper Mining Company.
Over the years, the hatchery has raised many species of salmonids including Arctic grayling, westslope cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, brook trout, golden trout, lake trout and brown trout. Currently, the hatchery manages the state's only westslope cutthroat broodstock. The founding population of today's broodstock was taken from tributaries of Hungry Horse Reservoir and the lower Clark Fork drainage in 1984 and 1985. The hatchery produces over one million eggs per year. About 200,000 of these eggs are kept at the facility for future brood and production fish that will be planted in lakes across Montana to support recreational sport fishing. Eggs and fish from Washoe Park Trout Hatchery are also used for restoration stocking as part of Montana's westslope cutthroat trout conservation program.
From Montana Fish & Wildlife