Sculpted by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Butte's statue of Marcus Daly was originally unveiled September 2, 1907 in the centre of Main Street, between Copper and Gagnon Streets, most likely in front of the old Federal Building, today known as the Mike Mansfield Federal Building and United States Courthouse. The statue was moved to its present location at the entrance to the Montana Tech campus on June 25, 1941.
When the American Guide Series writers breezed through town the statue was in its original location and they didn't miss it.
POINTS OF INTEREST
1. MARCUS DALY STATUE, center of N. Main St. between Copper and Gagnon Sts., by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, erected by popular subscription in 1906, is a bronze of the copper king standing at ease, coat on arm and battered hat in hand, a picture of the self-assurance that helped make him master of the State's copper industry.
From Montana, A State Guide Book, Page 140
An Irishman born December 5, 1843 in county Caven, Ireland,
Marcus Daly emigrated to the U.S. at the age of fifteen, going west at the age of 20 and finding work in the silver mines of the Comstock Lode in Virginia City, Nevada. Here he met George Hearst who, among others, was to become a financial backer.
Eventually buying the Anaconda claim, a silver mine in Butte, with the backing of Hearst, the mine struck copper at 300 feet. Copper was just coming into use at the time as an electrical conductor and Daly immediately saw the value of building a nearby copper smelter. This he did, with the backing of Hearst, James Ben Ali Haggin, and Lloyd Tevis. The site of the present day city of Anaconda was chosen for the location of the smelter due to the availability of ample water and limestone for the smelting process.
Meanwhile, in Butte Daly continued to expand his holdings, all the while engaging in epic battles with William Andrews Clark and F. Augustus Heinze, the other two "
Copper Kings", each trying to out maneuver the others and retain the greatest profit.
Further below is more biographical information on Marcus Daly, taken from a historical marker in Anaconda's Washoe Park.
Marcus Daly
In 1876, an Irish immigrant working for a Salt Lake City mining company arrived in southwest Montana to appraise mining properties. His name was Marcus Daly and as a result of good timing and a keen knowledge of the mining industry he became instrumental in making the Butte mines and Anaconda smelters part of the foundation upon which the country's industrial and social development would be built.
In the late 1800s a gigantic vein of copper sulfide ore was discovered in Butte, just as the country was beginning to embrace the electric light bulb and the telephone. This increased demand for copper wire to meet America's electrical needs placed Montana's copper industry on the verge of a boom. Eventually, the savvy Daly convinced this backers to invest in the research and development of a large-scale smelting and refining works to process the copper ore.
Daly's search for the ideal smelter location led him to the Deer Lodge Valley, where he chose Anaconda as the new site. It was the location nearest the Butte mines that offered a natural water source sufficient to operate the large scale ore processing. He also planned and founded the city of Anaconda. In the community's early years, Daly assisted in providing the city water supply, lighting system, electric streetcar service, sewer system and public buildings. A dedicated follower of horse racing, Daly promoted the construction of the Anaconda Driving Park, a mile-long racing track featuring a double-decked grandstand that seated 2,000. A number of famous sprinters raced on the track, including Daly's beloved thoroughbred Tammany.
From 1884 to 1902 smelting and refining facilities were operated at the Upper and Lower Works, on the north Side of the valley near the current site of the Old Works Golf Course. When Montana was granted statehood in 1889 Marcus Daly promoted Anaconda as its capitol and built the Montana Hotel in anticipation of housing the legislators. Although his bid was unsuccessful, Daly remained committed to the city's welfare.
Under his leadership plans for a modern 5,000-ton capacity smelter were finalized in 1899. Groundbreaking for the Washoe Smelter took place on September 20, 1900 and Anaconda Reduction Works went into production in 1902. Marcus Daly died in November 1900 and did not see the great smelter completed. This Irishman dreamed grand dreams and left an indelible mark on the city he founded.