Columbia Gardens: Butte's lost amusement park
View photos from Butte's famous amusement park, Columbia Gardens.
The original Columbia Gardens was created in the 1880s. It featured a small grandstand for horse racing and a tiny zoo, as well as a beer hall.
Columbia Gardens was purchased by Copper King (and later U.S. Senator) William A. Clark in 1899, opening under the new management on June 4 of that year. Clark wanted to provide a place where children and families could get away from the polluted air from the Butte mining industry.
The buildings of the original 1880s park were razed, and the new park grew to include a large greenhouse, a three-story pavilion building, a band stand, a small lake (pictured), a wooden roller coaster, an athletic field used for baseball and football, two zoos, an aviary and more.
The original pavilion, shown at right, burned in October 1907 along with the original outdoor bandstand. It was quickly replaced with another pavilion that featured a 15,000 square foot dance floor.
The lake allowed visitors to swim and canoe, and included a long boat chute that visitors could ride.
The park's greenhouse was used to allow growing plants during the dead months of the winter, and also featured a hothouse area that allowed plants that couldn't normally be grown in the region to be cultivated. It was built with an East Indian architectural style, which was also used for the ballpark grandstand.
- Butte-Silver Bow Public Library
In the time before automobiles, W.A. Clark needed a means by which to transport Butte residents to his amusement park northeast of town. As president of the Butte Electric Railway Co., he simply extended the rail service to Columbia Gardens. The rail cars remained in use until the mid-20th Century, when buses began running to the park.
The city of Butte was known to have very little grass and foliage. Columbia Gardens was a verdant oasis, covered in grass and shaded by trees.
The Katzenjammer Castle, named for the "Katzenjammer Kids" cartoon strip, was removed along with the park's Ferris wheel after the park was acquired by the Anaconda Company.
The park was well known for its elaborate floral arrangements.
- World Museum of Mining
Columbia Gardens played host to a number of community gatherings. Miners Union Day was held on June 13th of each year, and given the link between Columbia Gardens and the mining industry, it was a particularly special day for the park.
- World Museum of Mining
A hot air balloon ascends above Columbia Gardens in the late 1900s.
The park had a large trail system that ran up toward the Continental Divide.
The second pavilion was built with a huge dance floor that was known to accommodate hundreds of people at a time. It was used as a venue for local school dances and other social gatherings.
- Library of Congress
Weeping willows were among the many types of trees found at Columbia Gardens.
- Library of Congress
Near the pavilion was a long arcade with games and food stands. The building was also used to store parts of rides during the off season. It burned in November, 1973, just months after the park closed its doors. The park's carousel horses were destroyed in the fire, dampening hopes of moving the park to another location.
- Library of Congress
Among the snacks available at the park was the popular buttered popcorn.
The airplane ride was added in the late 1920s and remained in use until the park closed.
- Montana Standard
Though it remained a popular destination, by the end of the 1960s, the number of visitors began to decline. Park entry was always free, with low prices for the attractions and food.
- Montana Standard
The park's arcade featured carnival games, pinball and other games.
- Butte Historical Society
The Nov. 12, 1973 fire ruined plans to relocate Columbia Gardens to another part of Silver Bow County. The park's original site is now mostly incorporated into the Continental mining pit, with Interstate 90 running through a portion of the site.
- World Museum of Mining
Columbia Gardens closed for the last time on September 3, 1973. On November 12 of that year, a fire broke out in the arcade, burning the boardwalk, concessions area and a number of ride parts that were in storage, including the park's carousel horses and planes from the bi-plane ride.
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The original Columbia Gardens was created in the 1880s. It featured a small grandstand for horse racing and a tiny zoo, as well as a beer hall.
Columbia Gardens was purchased by Copper King (and later U.S. Senator) William A. Clark in 1899, opening under the new management on June 4 of that year. Clark wanted to provide a place where children and families could get away from the polluted air from the Butte mining industry.
The buildings of the original 1880s park were razed, and the new park grew to include a large greenhouse, a three-story pavilion building, a band stand, a small lake (pictured), a wooden roller coaster, an athletic field used for baseball and football, two zoos, an aviary and more.
The original pavilion, shown at right, burned in October 1907 along with the original outdoor bandstand. It was quickly replaced with another pavilion that featured a 15,000 square foot dance floor.
The lake allowed visitors to swim and canoe, and included a long boat chute that visitors could ride.
The park's greenhouse was used to allow growing plants during the dead months of the winter, and also featured a hothouse area that allowed plants that couldn't normally be grown in the region to be cultivated. It was built with an East Indian architectural style, which was also used for the ballpark grandstand.
- Butte-Silver Bow Public Library
In the time before automobiles, W.A. Clark needed a means by which to transport Butte residents to his amusement park northeast of town. As president of the Butte Electric Railway Co., he simply extended the rail service to Columbia Gardens. The rail cars remained in use until the mid-20th Century, when buses began running to the park.
The city of Butte was known to have very little grass and foliage. Columbia Gardens was a verdant oasis, covered in grass and shaded by trees.
The Katzenjammer Castle, named for the "Katzenjammer Kids" cartoon strip, was removed along with the park's Ferris wheel after the park was acquired by the Anaconda Company.
- World Museum of Mining
Columbia Gardens played host to a number of community gatherings. Miners Union Day was held on June 13th of each year, and given the link between Columbia Gardens and the mining industry, it was a particularly special day for the park.
The second pavilion was built with a huge dance floor that was known to accommodate hundreds of people at a time. It was used as a venue for local school dances and other social gatherings.
- Library of Congress
Near the pavilion was a long arcade with games and food stands. The building was also used to store parts of rides during the off season. It burned in November, 1973, just months after the park closed its doors. The park's carousel horses were destroyed in the fire, dampening hopes of moving the park to another location.
- Montana Standard
Though it remained a popular destination, by the end of the 1960s, the number of visitors began to decline. Park entry was always free, with low prices for the attractions and food.
- Butte Historical Society
The Nov. 12, 1973 fire ruined plans to relocate Columbia Gardens to another part of Silver Bow County. The park's original site is now mostly incorporated into the Continental mining pit, with Interstate 90 running through a portion of the site.
- World Museum of Mining
Columbia Gardens closed for the last time on September 3, 1973. On November 12 of that year, a fire broke out in the arcade, burning the boardwalk, concessions area and a number of ride parts that were in storage, including the park's carousel horses and planes from the bi-plane ride.
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