An Historic Erection

BSB Master Gardener Norm DeNeal's Lexington Gardens, a huge local and tourist draw in Uptown Butte.

It's time for an historic erection!...... The Alta headframe deserves one!

The only reason the Alta headframe is seeing any traction at this time is because it was run over with multiple tread-marks while being desecrated during Evel Knievel Days. No one has identified the 3 "Mopes" that grabbed the timbers to build a motorcycle obstacles course in the Original Mineyard; but it is a fact that Chief Executive Matt Vincent allowed them to remain in place and be damaged after it was adamantly demanded that they be put back and protected prior to the Knievel event.

Yes, many of the timbers are old but others were manufactured at great expense as replacement members so that the Alta could be erected per agreements between the Federal Agency BLM and BSB.

There were many people, including myself, appalled by the desecration and mistreatment of the Federally owned and loaned frame as a dirt-bike obstacle course.

 As always, BSB assured all those angered that BSB would make the situation right. After years of waiting, Norm DeNeal would finally get to erect this headframe – after the damage was covered up and repaired. This promise was basically to keep this incident quiet.

But in typical non-transparent BSB fashion they let the dirt-bike dust settle with nothing in writing. – Oh. I finally get it after 3 years. "Transparency" means that all promises are written in disappearing ink. Now it was time to pay the piper and nobody wanted to.

The tragedy of all of this is that Norm is now having to jump through burning hoops in order to make this “promise” happen. (Read: BSB agrees but sets impossible requirements)

 Norm, a BSB contract employee, is required to get zoning approval and provide insurance for the Alta headframe. Um…..what? 

The Lexington Gardens spot. Norm's vision for a garden.

It is great to see that my Hero Norm finally got the attention he deserves in pursuing another of his projects. Think about what Butte would look like without him; Norm's pursuits of enhancing our environment and remembering and interpreting our mining history must be commended and BSB should, as they did in the beginning, provide all necessary assistance.

The Washington School site (owned by BSB) with the Lexington Gardens features a Columbia Gardens inspired Butterfly. The Lex Gardens also features a depression era headframe (the Silversmith) saved from Walkerville along with a Stamp-mill from Pony, MT that likely first saw service in Butte and more than likely at the garden site itself. Norm has made it clear in his interpretation that these are interpretive features, though per the US Department of the Interior May-not technically qualify as "Historic" by being moved.

The Lexington Gardens taking shape with non-original features

I understand that some preservationists are adamantly opposed to placing a relocated headframe in the historic district that may or may not technically be historic. But let's face the reality of Buttes Headfames, they were moved, replaced and set up again at other locations -  with examples of this being the Anselmo frame (originally located further up on the hill), the Parrot and the smaller adjacent frame at the Kelley. So what is technically historic and carved in stone is the actual shaft location, with the location being acknowledged (that being the "Clear Grit" silver mine) and interpreted by installing signage that calls out the Silver Mining Era of Montana.  Drive by signage, similar to that at our other mines, will acknowledge the technical distinction of the ALTA @ the Clear Grit.

So travel up Main Street and look at the location, also look at what Norm has done with his Aspen Forest (nearby) that he has created to enhance our environment. Swing by the Lexington Gardens and talk to him as he cleans up in preparation of the blooms of spring and thank him for the displays at the Pit entry.

BSB should not be hindering Norm, they should be assisting him aggressively by providing man power, equipment, funding, zoning approval and insurance coverage. Norm is virtually a one-man-show, and he is aging. It will take a small army to replace what he does for this community.

 The time is now to rally around Norm, create a new group of volunteers to help with the Alta and carry on with his efforts. If Norm goes to the Great Garden in the Sky sooner than any of us want, we best be prepared.

Face it, we are all getting older and we need a little help, as John Wayne got older in his move career. It is going to take some "True Grit" - Butte needs to muster some "Grit" and do the right thing at the Clear Grit.

As far as using ANY historic resources for destructive events, well, that’s for another blog post.