Montana State Park of the Week Anaconda Smoke Stack State Park

This week's showcase takes us to Anaconda Smoke Stack State Park, where we see one of the tallest free-standing brick structures in the world; a legacy of the legendary Anaconda Copper Company.

Anaconda Smoke Stack State Park stands on the horizon like an ancient castle. Truly a sight to behold!

It costs the park over $5,000 a year to light the structure and keep airplanes from flying into it. You can help ease this burden by donating to the park today or becoming a sponsor of a featured park email.

The Washoe Smelter was demolished after its closure in 1981. The stack alone, however, remains standing because the citizens of Anaconda organized to "Save the Stack."

It is commonly referred to as "The Stack" or "The Big Stack" and is a well-known landmark in western Montana. In 1986 it was designated the Anaconda Smoke Stack State Park.

The old Anaconda Copper Company smelter stack, completed in 1919, is one of the tallest free-standing brick structures in the world at 585 feet.

The inside diameter of the smelter stack is 75 feet at the bottom and tapers up to 60 feet at the top. For comparison, the Washington Monument is 555 feet tall.

The Anaconda Smelter Stack dominates the landscape, just as the Anaconda Copper Company once dominated the area's economic life. Since the smelter closed in 1980, the stack has become a symbol of the challenges that face communities dependent on finite resources.

Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the stack may be viewed and photographed only from a distance. Interpretive signs that detail its history are located in the viewing site near Goodman Park.

Remember that when visiting state parks this year, it's important that you practice social distancing and wear a mask. Not just for your safety, but for the safety of others as well.

Under normal circumstances, they have a celebration called "The Smelterman's Day." This day is a time to reflect upon and remember the people that made the area what it is today. They have wine, art, parades, and all kinds of fun activities.