EAST HELENA — In April 2001, the ASARCO smelter in East Helena shut down its operations for good. The closure had broad impacts on the community and saw more than 250 employees lose their jobs.
(WATCH: Smeltermen return to ASARCO site in East Helena)
On the 25th anniversary of the smelter's closure, a group of former smeltermen toured the old site. For many, it was their first time back.
“25 years, I guess, since the plant shut down,” said Tom Tenneson, third-generation smeltermen and former union leader at the East Helena ASARCO site. “You know, I had 22 years in the plant, but I was probably in the middle of the pack when it came to the layoff… It's just a big grassy field, looks like now.”
Tennison’s grandfather moved to the United States from Norway specifically to work at the smelter in East Helena. It was not uncommon for multiple generations of a family to work at the smelter.
“My dad was really proud that our family had 294 years of service to the plant in those three generations,” said former smelterman Scott St. Clair. “When I got there, Rome was kind of faded, but the camaraderie was just incredible. If anything, I miss from the plant, it’s the camaraderie of the fellow workers.”
While there were always some individuals who butted heads, many of the smelter workers were friends both in and outside the operation. Many have also remained friends to this day.
“We recreated together, we worked together, we went to dinner together. You know, just kind of our own little world,” explained St. Clair.
(WATCH: A Lasting Legacy — 25 Years after ASARCO in East Helena)
Jim Adolph, who helps organize the annual Smeltermen’s Picnic in East Helena, says he still has fond memories from working for ASARCO.
“A lot of memories. I still look for the stacks that aren't here anymore. Just out of habit. Just… yeah. A flood of memories,” he explained.
Adolph also recalled bringing food to the picket line during a strike, even though he was a salaried employee.
“At one point, there was a security fella that was worried that I would stop and talk to these guys, would get in trouble. And I said, ‘These are my friends. I played rugby with these guys.’ I said, ‘If anybody would be in trouble, it might be you,’” he recalled.
For many of the old smeltermen, there’s no denying the area has changed.
“I was a purchasing and out of here and all the stuff that I bought. And it just amazes me going out and seeing this,” said Joe Terrio.
Though the work could be dangerous, it paid very well.
“It was a very good-paying job. It used to pay for school. You can't pay for school now,” said Rob Mahr, who worked in the acid facility while attending school.
The past employees noted that while they worked there, there were significant efforts to protect the health of employees. Heavy-duty personal protective gear was required in all areas where smelting and manufacturing were happening. Showers before heading home were also mandatory to limit any contaminants being brought home. Employees also had their blood regularly tested for lead.
“But I think, you know, the amazing thing was that we didn't have a lot of serious accidents,” recalled Jay Reardon, who worked as a plumber and pipefitter at the site. “There were some. But, you know, through all of that, 270 guys were working there while they were still operating, and, they got numerous awards for safety.”
Grupo Mexico, one of the largest mining companies in the world, purchased ASARCO in 1999. Two years after the purchase, they announced the closure of the East Helena site. As union leadership, Tennison was one of the first to know.
“We talked about it from the day I started saying, ‘You know, some day this plant is going to shut down.’ Then I got the letter one day that is was going to shut down,” Tennison said.
Tennison said for some employees, it was complete shock and disbelief about what was happening, while others began making plans for the immediate future.
“The first thing I did is I went home and sat down with my wife and start making a plan. I mean, we got two months of paychecks coming in. So what are we going to do to prioritize, to take care of it?” recalled Reardon. “I think that's what a lot of people did. And then some people, I think just didn't do anything.”
Some employees held out hope that the shutdown was temporary and the plant would reopen, but it never did.
“You know, when you raise the family, you take it for granted. You got benefits and a guaranteed paycheck,” noted Tennison. “Yeah. And it was a scary thing to think about quitting. But when they said they were going to shut it down, we were forced to rethink.”
ASARCO had classes to teach the employees how to build a resume and how to apply for a job. Reardon applied for and was granted funding from the union for workers to go back to school to train in other professions.
“That was a big one that did impact several of us in there,” explained former ASARCO weilder and blacksmith Garfield Simmons. “We had the opportunity to go back to college. I graduated at 50 years old.”
After the closure in April of 2001, only a skeleton crew was kept on, like Stan Hohn, who has been one of the remaining staff managing the site under the Montana Environmental Trust Group.
“It's great to see some of these guys I haven't seen in 20-some years. You know, some of them I see every once in a while,” Hohn told MTN. “But there's a lot of them I haven't seen in 20 years, so it's good to see them again.”
While in operation, ASARCo was a cornerstone of the East Helena community. It seemed like just about everyone had a family member or neighbor who worked for ASARCO. The company was also heavily involved in the community.
“They supported almost everything,” recalled Hohn. “The fire department and everything, they did a lot.”
They paid for annual fireworks shows, funded community projects, sponsored sports teams and supported school events. The author of this article remembers cleaning up the side of Highway 12 as an East Helena Schools student with ASARCO employees, and then the following BBQ that ASARCO paid for.
Although time has impacted them all, the bonds remain strong among the smeltermen. Friendships forged in the same heat of the smelter and tempered by the shared drinks over the years.
“I mean, we were a tight-knit family. We treated that plant like it was our home,” said Tennison.
