For 32 years, Ellen Crain served as the director of the Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives.

There, she took on the monumental task of turning piles and boxes of papers into a treasure, helping preserve the storied history of the Mining City.

Ellen took over as director in January of 1990, and she retired last April. During those years, she was doing so much more than working a job. She was living a passion project. The job could not have been in better hands.

The many authors and film makers who used the Archives as tools for research will certainly attest to that.

Not only did she lead the organization and set the Archives standards, Ellen led the way to expand the building. When she left the job, handing it over to successor Aubrey Jaap, Ellen left behind a legacy of hard work and passion.

The Mining City will benefit from that hard work and passion for generations to come.

Listen in as Ellen talks about growing up in Butte with her well-known parents, Kevin and Joan Shannon. Listen as she talks about her career at the Archives and raising a family. 

Listen to her passion for history and storytelling.cListen to her talk about the first year of retirement and her plans for the years to come.