Cemeteries of Butte
Settlement in Butte began in 1864 with the discovery of gold, but the boom was short-lived. The discovery of silver in the 1870s and copper in the 1880s transformed Butte into the “Richest Hill on Earth,” with its population peaking at nearly 100,000 around 1917.
Immigrants from around the world arrived to work in the mines and supporting industries, bringing diverse cultural and religious traditions that shaped Butte’s cemeteries and enriched its heritage.
Beyond Butte's cemeteries included in this tour are Butte's lost cemeteries.
Cemetery on the Hill
Butte’s first burial ground, later called Stephen’s Cemetery, was located north of the present-day St. James Hospital. Informally arranged, it had faded from use and memory by 1904.
The New Cemetery
Established in 1877 near the Belmont Mine, this cemetery had sections for Masons, Odd Fellows, Catholics, and the public. It was eventually closed and relocated due to mining operations.
The Pauper’s Cemetery
Created around 1880 for the County Hospital’s poor and patients with contagious diseases, this cemetery held 500 wooden-marked graves by 1904. It was abandoned as other cemeteries began burying the poor before the Poor Farm closed in the mid-1930s.
B'Nai Israel Cemetery
Established in 1877 by Butte Lodge No. 3 of the Hebrew Benevolent Association, B’nai Israel Cemetery reflects the legacy of Butte’s early Jewish community. Founding members included prominent figures such as Henry Jacobs, Butte’s first mayor, and merchant David Cohen.
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Mount Moriah Cemetery
When Mount Moriah Cemetery was established in 1877, it originally consisted of four blocks: A, B, C, and D. Block A was designated for the Masons, and Block B for the Odd Fellows, who co-founded the cemetery. Block C served the general public, while Block D was used to bury members of the Chinese community until 1889, after which Chinese burials were moved to the west of the main cemetery grounds.…
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St. Patrick's Cemetery
Butte's first Catholic Cemetery
Established in the 1880s as Butte’s Catholic cemetery, St. Patrick’s grew in an organized yet complex layout, making it one of the city’s more challenging cemeteries to navigate.
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Mountain View Cemetery
Founded in 1910 by Joseph Richards, Samuel White, and William Bailey, Mountain View Cemetery was Butte’s first privately owned cemetery. Joseph Richards, a former Mount Moriah board member, caused a stir when he resigned in 1906 to establish this new venture. The cemetery’s iron fencing was sourced from Detroit, and the first recorded burial was George Luwe in June 1910.
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Holy Cross Cemetery
Established in 1912, Holy Cross Cemetery was created after St. Patrick’s Cemetery sold its last burial lots. A 59-acre site was purchased along what is now Harrison Avenue, near the Four and Five Mile Houses.
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