The County Poor Farm was built as a hospital in 1902 as the early
development of care for the indigent in Montana.
It is the only such structure remaining in the state. Silver
Bow County had previously maintained a poor farm and quarantine house on
this property. They had contracted hospital services elsewhere. The
mines of Butte attracted thousands of immigrant workers, and many had no
means of support once they arrived in Butte. It was apparent that
medical treatment was desperately needed for these people. The
new hospital included an operating room, offices, patients’ rooms, and
wards. The hospital served the needy until the current system of welfare
was adopted in the 1930s. After that the hospital continued services to
the county until a new facility was built in 1956. The National Center
for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) took over the building in 1976.
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