Entry No. 16 — the Butte file — filed under: roadside-oddity

Our Lady of the Rockies

A 90-foot white statue of the Virgin Mary stands in a notch on the Continental Divide, roughly 3,000 feet straight up above Butte, lit and visible from all over the valley at night. It began in 1979 when local miner Bob O'Bill vowed to build a small Mary in his yard if his wife survived cancer, and the idea snowballed into a town-built colossus that took six years and was lifted into place in sections by an Army National Guard helicopter. It is the fourth-largest statue in the United States, and the only way up is a bus tour across private land, where you can step inside the hollow metal figure.

The move: Book the afternoon bus tour together and ride up the switchbacks to stand inside a 90-foot Mary while Butte spreads out far below.

📍 Before you go Access is by paid bus tour only (crosses private land); tours run roughly June through October, weather permitting. Call ahead at 406-782-1221 to confirm times.

• 📍 Butte
• 💸 Free
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: Tours depart from gift shop at 1707 Continental Dr, Suite C, Butte, MT 59701

Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.

⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4

last checked: 2026-06-24