Filed Under Butte

Montana Tech Campus Metallurgy Building

Butte National Historic Landmark District

Expansion of the campus in 1923 included the construction of this large building to house classrooms and laboratories for ore dressing, metallurgical research, ceramics, and chemistry. Architects Floyd Hamill of Butte and George Carsley, widely respected for his long association with renowned New York architect Cass Gilbert, drew the plans for the building, which added significantly to the size of the campus and considerably increased the school’s facilities. It is interesting to note that during construction, which cost a total of $211,054, the second floor collapsed and had to be completely rebuilt. A rusticated granite foundation, horizontal bands of brickwork, and bands of windows sharply delineate the three floor levels while decorative terra cotta diamonds and shields encircle the building below the cornice. A brick and granite stairway leads to the entrance, which is handsomely framed by imitation granite terra cotta enriched with decorative rosettes.

Images

Montana Tech Campus Metallurgy Building
Montana Tech Campus Metallurgy Building Montana Tech Campus Metallurgy Building. Front to side view of the building, facing northwest. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: John Westenberg Date: Mar. 1980

Location

Montana Tech Campus, Butte, MT | Public

Metadata

The Montana National Register Sign Program
, “Montana Tech Campus Metallurgy Building,” Historic Montana, accessed March 29, 2024, https://historicmt.org/items/show/2225.