Historic Butte bar felled by flames

Town Crier “Briefs from the Region” (1) – 5/10/21

The M&M Bar and Café in Butte, Montana, went up in flames in the early hours of May 7, breaking the hearts of locals and history buffs alike. The business opened in 1890 and was run as a saloon, eatery and gambling house by Sam Martin and William F. Mosby, who named it after their initials. When prohibition hit, the saloon reverted to a cigar store and a hidden speakeasy in the back room. While crews were able to rescue the vintage outdoor sign, the fire destroyed the rest of the building. The cause of the fire is at this time unknown and under investigation. “This was not just another old building being erased from the streets of this old mining city,” wrote David McCumber in an editorial in the Montana Standard. “It was Butte’s very heart, on fire.