‘Anaconda’s Past’ September presentation to focus on Montana’s first paved highway and a ‘mystery bridge’

By Kasey Edge-Faur Anaconda Weekly Review Editor Tomorrow’s “Anaconda’s Past” presentation from the Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Historic Conservation Board  will appeal to road enthusiasts, history buffs, and generally curious citizens. Jon Axline, a historian and cultural resources specialist with the Montana Department of Transportation, will be speaking about Montana’s first concrete paved highway, the old road between Butte and Anaconda, and its connection to the Yellowstone Trail (later US Highway 10 - South).  According to Axline, the trail was the country’s first interstate highway.  Paved in 1921, the road served heavy supply trucks and industrial traffic that needed a solid…