Radon Health Mines Continue to Cure

Nov 17: Giant Forks: Sign of the Tines
Nov 12: Squawk Show
Nov  9: Lucy In The Sky With Damage
Nov  1: Parking Spots: House of Cars
Oct 29: Flamingo Flap
Oct 28: Tip O’ The Hat ‘N’ Boots

Radon Health Mines Continue to Cure

A half-dozen defunct gold mines south of Helena, Montana, continue to attract ailing tourists who like to bask in radioactive radon gas and drink radioactive water. Each summer, hundreds of people, many of them Amish and Mennonites, come to the radon health mines to relax and treat arthritis, lupus, asthma and other chronic cripplers.

With colorful names like the Sunshine Health Mine, Free Enterprise, Earth Angel, and the Merry Widow, the mine shafts tout radon levels 175 times higher than the federal safety standard for houses.

The average visitor is 72 years old. [12/14/1997]

Radon Health Mines

Address:: Basin, MT
Directions:: Sunshine Health Mine is midway between Butte and Helena off I-15 Exit 160. 1/2 mi. up Galena gulch. Free Enterprise Health Mine, Boulder - in town, turn west at Second Street (at the Ace Hardware store). Go 2 miles to the top of hill, follow Free Enterprise signs.

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