Montana mining town booms once again thanks to Hollywood

Montana’s mining towns, especially Butte, have seen an economic revival thanks to Hollywood productions like 1923, a prequel to Yellowstone.

Butte, once Montana’s largest city and the heart of a copper mining boom that earned it the nickname “the richest hill in the world,” has since seen its population shrink to about 36,000.

The city is dealing with the aftermath of mining waste and a shortage of well-paying jobs.

The arrival of Hollywood brought a new kind of boom, this time in the form of economic opportunity and celebrity sightings. Locals whispered that Harrison Ford was enjoying a drink at the bar and Helen Mirren was shopping at Walmart. Not to mention that Alec Baldwin just finished filming Rust in Livingston, a town near Butte, last year.

Paige Layne, a new security guard in her hometown of Butte, Montana, had been on the job for several weeks when she discovered she was guarding the set of 1923, the multimillion-dollar prequel to the hit series Yellowstone.

The news spread quickly and soon the entire city was buzzing with excitement about the production.

The 1923 premiere attracted an audience 200 times the size of Butte’s population, but initial reactions to the recordings were mixed.

Residents like Layne were skeptical and worried that the influx of Hollywood productions — including films like Last Survivors (2021), Ghosts of Devil’s Perch (2022) and Father Stu (2022) — could drive up prices in a city already hit by an influx. of home workers during the pandemic.

Locals whispered that Harrison Ford was enjoying a drink at the bar and Helen Mirren was shopping at Walmart

“We don’t like outsiders unless you have a very good reason to be in town,” Layne told the paper New York Times. “This is our city, we love our people.”

However, as filming progressed, opinions softened. Locals were hired for various roles, and the influx of cast and crew brought money to local businesses.

Bartenders shared stories about Harrison Ford’s purchasing rounds for the house, and the production team took a genuine interest in the city’s history and culture.

“They came in and they ruffled some feathers, man, they really did, but by the end they were contributing to our local community,” said Layne, who even worked as an extra on set.

Butte’s rugged beauty and historic architecture have made it a magnet for filmmakers. The Uptown neighborhood, with its sprawling mansions and faded brick facades, offers an authentic glimpse into the past.

Hollywood crews have filmed in local diners, bars, union halls and courthouses. In 1923, entire streets were closed because extras rode horses next to the stars.

The productions have produced lasting benefits. Props were donated to a children’s theater, surplus food went to a local mission and vintage items from 1923 now adorn the historic Front Street Station, where owners Tom and Janel Madrazo rented out their space for filming. They were amazed at the crew’s attention to detail, right down to the use of 1923 coins in scenes.

Butte, once Montana’s largest city and the heart of the copper mining boom, is dealing with the aftermath of mine waste and a shortage of good-paying jobs

Still, there have been challenges. Road closures and event cancellations caused frustration, and some residents were disappointed that Butte replaced the better-known Bozeman in 1923.

Montana’s 2019 film production tax credit has been crucial in attracting Hollywood. Between 2020 and 2022, $77.5 million was spent on productions in the state.

But industry leaders, like filmmaker Lynn-Wood Fields, worry that Montana could lose its momentum unless lawmakers increase the current $12 million cap on appropriations.

She advocates additional incentives to support local filmmakers in addition to major Hollywood productions.

Former state lawmaker Jim Keane emphasized the ripple effect of productions like 1923. “The truck drivers, crane operators, caterers — that’s what makes it valuable,” he said.

Pictured: Harrison Ford and his co-stars on the 1923 set

For locals like Joe Sullivan, the film industry has been transformative.

A Butte native and production assistant, Sullivan thought he would have to leave Montana to pursue a film career. Instead, his five-day gig at Yellowstone grew into seven years of working on major projects.

“This isn’t LA. This isn’t New York. This is not normal for us,” he says. “This is magic for us.”