58. Montana's Real Life Monopoly Men: The Copper Kings

Pacific Northwest History & Humor: Rainy Day Rabbit Holes

What happens when greed, power, and ego collide? Meet Montana’s Copper Kings: the men who turned a mining boom into a chaotic feud that shaped the state forever.
This episode takes you to the Gilded Age of the late 1800s, where Montana's vast copper reserves became a battleground for four larger-than-life figures. From Clark’s blatant bribery to Hines’ legal loopholes and Daily’s relentless grit, discover the petty feuds and cutthroat tactics that defined the era. Learn how their greed built empires, destroyed lives, and left an environmental mess that persists today. Plus, find out why Anaconda almost became Montana’s capital!

Chapters:

• 00:00-02:00 - Welcome Back and Montana Origins
• 02:01-08:19 - Copper Fever: Why Montana Mattered
• 08:20-19:50 - The Rise of William A. Clark and Marcus Daly
• 19:51-28:30 - Hines, Legal Loopholes, and Explosions
• 28:31-39:30 - The Legacy of the Copper Kings

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