Exclusive Photo Tour of Butte’s Spooky, Promising Old Hospital

BUTTE, MT - When it comes to Butte's iconic locations, which one takes the cake for "most iconic?"

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For many, the Metals building in Uptown Butte is iconic in many ways, and stands as a proud testament to the not-so-distant past. Plus, it got turned into an awesome sports bar where you can dine inside of an old bank vault. What's not to love about that. Others may point out the First National Bank building, the building being erected in 1909 and marking the long peak of a historic era—though its distinctive awnings are no longer there.

For me, however, I think a great contender would be the massive and gorgeous site of the Old St. James Hospital, still standing in good shape off of S Idaho St. Though I'm lucky enough to see it from my bedroom window, I think anyone who lays their eyes upon the striking edifice—whether they know its history or not—are taken aback by its unique facade, its condition (better than it looks), and its spooky vibe.

That spooky vibe was exactly what I wanted to capture when I was offered to come down to the building with owner Cameron and project leader Pablo. However, I found out pretty quickly that the Old St. James Hospital isn't so spooky after all. It's a rustic piece of pre-modern engineering, a testament to the skill and care our architectural ancestors possessed when erecting these now-historic buildings.

Take a look at the exclusive tour of the Old St. James Hospital in Butte, MT below:

That was quite a tour, and although it may not look like it, the building is in remarkable shape. It's been around for over 100 years, and I think with Cameron's guidance, it'll last another 100.

Stay tuned for a deep dive into the current project to take it from abandoned to affordable housing.