The Archives has an extensive collection of area newspapers, published between 1896 and 1962. Most are hard bound volumes. The Archives has a variety of area maps including mining claim maps, city plat maps, and topographical maps. The most widely used are the Sandborn Fire Insurance maps, 1884-1952. These are a wonderful resource for the study of Butte's Historic Landmark District.
Many rare books are available to researchers.
Contact the Archives for complete list. The Archives government records collection contains records from 1879 through 1990 and includes minutes of the City Council meetings, petitions, correspondence to the city government, and documentation on every aspect of public administration in the local government. The minutes of the Health Department for the flu epidemic of 1918 are complete and display how public administrators responded to crisis at that time. The Archives maintains Naturalization Records, Petitions for Naturalization, and Declarations of Intent from 1881-1960 for persons who were naturalized in Silver Bow County only. This short line railroad was established in 1892 to haul ore from the Butte mines to the smelter in Anaconda, Montana, and held the distinction of being the first electrified railroad in the United States.