Apilite House

Building stone house

This is one of the few homes in Uptown Butte where building stone was used for the entire house and foundation. The rock type used is apilite - very light in color as it is mostly composed of quartz and feldspar minerals.

Images

Untitled The rock types used are all igneous, those formed below ground like apilite and granite (in the foundation) and those deposited on the landscape, volcanic rocks, for the upper stories.
Untitled South wall of house from the alley. Source: Apilite house with sandstone lintle above a lower window and sills below windows. Sandstone was more easily dressed into flat surfaces because it is softer than granite or apilite. The building stone finishing was most likely done at or near quarries and then the stones were marketed to building contractors.
Untitled The dark crystals in a finely textured, gray background mass shows that these rocks are of a volcanic origin.

Location

117 N. Excelsior

Metadata

Larry Smith, “Apilite House,” Story of Butte, accessed October 18, 2024, https://storyofbutte.org/items/show/3473.