Located on an actual mine site, the Orphan Girl Mine, the World Mining Museum opened in 1963. In the centre of the museum is the centerpiece of the museum, the 100 foot high steel headframe of the Orphan Girl Mine. One of the most prolific mines of Butte, she produced silver, lead and zinc from 1875 until 1956. There are also several vehicles of various types, each related in one way or another to Butte's staple industry,
Copper Mining.
On the grounds of the museum today are many exhibits, both large and small, which relate to the Orphan Girl Mine and its operation through the years. Here you'll also find a re-creation of an 1890s mining town, with 15 historic structures and approximately 35 buildings constructed from old materials by the many volunteers who put the museum together from the mid-1960s to the 1980s. The buildings are fully stocked with thousands of period artifacts. The town includes several buildings that were brought in as complete, original, historic structures, including two churches, the school house, superintendent’s house, and others.
We don't know if the museum still hosts dinner theatre, but it did in 2005, as witnessed by the Dillon Tribune. Their report on past and upcoming performances at the museum for the summer of 2005 is reproduced below.
World Mining Museum: Orphan Girl Mine
MANIFESTATIONS:
Entity of male in Yellow Slicker
His apparition has been clearly seen standing by The Chinese Apothecary, which is directly across from the entrance to The Orphan Girl Mine and the mine's Head Frame. His apparition has also been seen by the Pawn Shop as well, and probably around other buildings found in Hell Roarin' Gulch. He is protective of the mine, and likes to turn off people's cameras when they try to get a picture of the mine's Head Frame. It is thought that it was this spirit who rocked gently a photographer's car that had her mother inside, while she was standing by the fence, getting ready to use her camera.
Unseen Male Entities -
Staff members that have had the job of locking up all the buildings have experienced hearing male voices talking, and have felt unseen presences watching them intently. Pale apparitions of male entities dressed as miners have been seen around and in the mine shaft itself, and possibly in some of the displays. "The dry" in the hoist house by the head frame is a definite hot spot. The Sound of Bells ringing, perhaps from one of the churches brought in as a donation, has been reported, when the museum was empty. One witness reported that the dolls that are on display in one of the stores in Hell Roarin' Gulch are said to be haunted with spirits of perhaps former owners, probably children. She has strongly felt their presences in the dolls, which has "creeped her out."
PARANORMAL FINDINGS:
Since the opening of The World Museum of Mining: The Orphan Girl Mine staff have reported having the experiences listed above. Visiting photographers have long had trouble taking photos of the mine's Head Frame. Visitors who come during an uncrowded time have reported the above occurrences as well. Paranormal groups haven't been allowed in to investigate, or if they have done so, aren't allowed to share what they found. Most museums that have spirits don't want to be known as a haunted facility, but as a place of learning.
STILL HAUNTED?
Probably so, though there has been no hard evidence made public, either from investigators or the museum. The reports of staff members, and the experience of the one photographer that shared what happened to her and her mother in the car are very believable.
Plus, places that have experienced a lot of death, often on average have at least a few spirits not ready to cross over yet. It seems that The World Museum of Mining: The Orphan Girl Mine has at least one supervisor, caretaker of the property not on the payroll, or even alive in this world, who looks after and keeps an eye on the mine, perhaps protecting the privacy of the spirits inside the mine from cameras as well.
From Haunted Houses