Post-millennium Butte, Montana

around twenty of headframes still stand on mine shafts, , city still contains thousands of historic commercial , residential buildings boom times, which, in uptown section, give old-fashioned appearance, many commercial buildings not occupied. many industrial cities, tourism , services, health care (butte s st. james hospital has southwest montana s major trauma center), rising primary employers, industrial-sector private companies. many areas of city, areas near old mines, show signs of urban blight recent influx of investors , aggressive campaign remedy blight has led renewed interest in restoring property in uptown butte s historic district, expanded in 2006 include parts of anaconda , largest national historic landmark district in united states 6,000 contributing properties.

a century after era of intensive mining , smelting, area around city remains environmental issue. arsenic , heavy metals such lead found in high concentrations in spots affected old mining, , period of time in 1990s tap water unsafe drink due poor filtration , decades-old wooden supply pipes. efforts improve water supply have taken place in past few years, millions of dollars being invested upgrade water lines , repair infrastructure. environmental research , clean-up efforts have contributed diversification of local economy, , signs of vitality remain, including multimillion-dollar polysilicon manufacturing plant locating nearby in 1990s , city s recognition , designation in late 1990s all-america city , 1 of national trust historic preservation s dozen distinctive destinations in 2002.