Hamilton’s Daly Mansion Opens For Summer Tours
A Georgian-Revival style mansion at Hamilton is ready for its summer season. The Daly Mansion, summer home of one of Montana's Copper Kings and now operated by the Daly Mansion Preservation Trust, has started its regular schedule of guided and self-guided tours on the weekdays, as of June 7.
Executive Director Darlene Gould said the guided tours are twice a day at 12 noon and 2 p.m. Self-guided tours happen at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. She said the mansion always has new displays inside the building, which is surrounded by acres of trees, gardens, lawns and other historic features including a tennis court and a (now empty) swimming pool. On the weekends, the mansion hosts many weddings and special events in the large tent on the front lawn and at the gazebo south of the mansion. This July, the Bitterroot Brewfest will be on the mansion grounds.
When the State of Montana bought the mansion in 1986, an auction of its furnishings and paintings was held. Since then, quite a few furnishings have been donated back to the estate. Most recently, Gould said, some chairs have been returned, including one that was part of Marcus Daly's office. Each year, a few more historic items appear in the rooms.
The three-story mansion has over 50 rooms. There are 25 bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, 7 fireplaces with imported Italian marble, a music room, a formal dining room, an upstairs sitting room and, on the third floor, a billiard game room. Daly had remodeling plans, but died before they could start. So, his wife Margaret had A.J. Gibson of Missoula create the current style, which was completed in 1910.
Tours cost $15 for adults, $14 for Seniors over age 60 and for Military, $8 for youth aged 6 to 17. those 5 and under are free. Call the mansion for more information at 406 363-6004 extension 2#. You can also visit their website or their Facebook page.