Helena(/ˈhɛlənə/) is thecapital cityof theU.S. stateofMontanaand theseatofLewis and Clark County.[4]
;Helena | |
---|---|
Helena skyline Benton Avenue Cemetery Original Montana Governor's Mansion | |
Nickname(s): Queen City of the Rockies, The Capital City | |
Coordinates:46°35′28″N112°1′13″W/ 46.59111°N 112.02028°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Montana |
County | Lewis and Clark |
Founded | October 30, 1864 |
Government | |
•Mayor | Wilmot Collins(D) |
Area | |
• City | 16.90 sq mi (43.76 km2) |
• Land | 16.86 sq mi (43.67 km2) |
• Water | 0.04 sq mi (0.10 km2) |
• Urban | 11 sq mi (30 km2) |
Elevation | 4,045 ft (1,233 m) |
Population (2020) | |
• City | 32,091 |
• Density | 1,903.38/sq mi (734.91/km2) |
•Metro | 83,058 |
Time zone | UTC−7(Mountain) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−6(Mountain) |
ZIP Codes | 59601–59602, 59626; 59604, 59620, 59624 (P.O. Boxes); 59623, 59625 (organizations) |
Area code | 406 |
FIPS code | 30-35600 |
GNIS ID | 802166[2] |
Waterways | Tenmile Creek |
Website | www |
Helena was founded as a gold camp during the Montanagold rush,and established on October 30, 1864.[5]Due to the gold rush, Helena became a wealthy city, with approximately 50millionairesinhabiting the area by 1888. The concentration of wealth contributed to the city's prominent, elaborateVictorian architecture.[6][7]
At the2020 censusHelena's population was 32,091,[8]making it the 5th least populous state capital in the United States and the6th most populous cityin Montana.[9]It is the principal city of the HelenaMicropolitan Statistical Area,which includes all of Lewis and Clark andJeffersoncounties; the MSA's population being 83,058 according to the 2020 Census.[3]
The local daily newspaper is theIndependent Record.[10]The city is served byHelena Regional Airport(HLN).[11]
History
editThe Helena area was long inhabited by various indigenous peoples.[12]Evidence from the McHaffie and Indian Creek sites on opposite sides of the Elkhorn Mountains southeast of the Helena Valley show that people of the Folsom culture lived in the area more than 10,000 years ago.[13]Before the introduction of the horse 300 years ago, and since, other native peoples, including theSalishand theBlackfeet,visited the area seasonally on their nomadic rounds.[14]
Early European settlement and gold rush
editBy the early 1800s, people of European descent from theUnited Statesand BritishCanadabegan arriving to work the streams of the Missouri River watershed looking for fur-bearing animals such as thebeaver,undoubtedly bringing them through the area now known as the Helena Valley.[15]
Gold strikes inIdaho Territoryin the early 1860s attracted many migrants who initiated majorgold rushesat Grasshopper Creek (Bannack) andAlder Gulch(Virginia City) in 1862 and 1863 respectively. So many people came that the federal government created a new territory calledMontanain May 1864. The miners prospected far and wide for newplacergold discoveries. On July 14, 1864, the discovery of gold by a prospecting party known as the "Four Georgians"in a gulch off the Prickly Pear Creek led to the founding of a mining camp along a small creek in the area they called" Last Chance Gulch ".[16][17][18][19][20]In 1876, Thomas Cruse, a prospector of Irish descent, discovered a massive gold deposit in the mountains, northwest of Helena. He soon filed a mining patent on 20.25 acres and opened the famous Drumlummon Mine which produced a rich bounty of gold and silver worth millions of dollars.[21]
By fall of 1864, the population had grown to over 200, and some thought the name "Last Chance" too crass. On October 30, 1864, a group of at least seven self-appointed men met to name the town, authorize the layout of the streets, and elect commissioners. The first suggestion was "Tomah", a word the committee thought had connections to the local Indian people. Other nominations included Pumpkinville and Squashtown[22](as the meeting was held the day beforeHalloween). Other suggestions were to name the community after variousMinnesotatowns, such as Winona and Rochester, as a number of settlers had come from Minnesota. Finally, a Scotsman, John Summerville, proposedHelena,which he pronounced/həˈliːnə/hə-LEE-nə,[23]in honor ofHelena Township, Scott County, Minnesota.This immediately caused an uproar from the formerConfederatesin the room, who insisted upon the pronunciation/ˈhɛlɪnə/HEL-i-nə,afterHelena, Arkansas,a town on theMississippi River.While the name "Helena" won, the pronunciation varied until approximately 1882 when the/ˈhɛlɪnə/HEL-i-nəpronunciation became dominant. Later tales of the naming of Helena claimed the name came from the island ofSt. Helena,where Napoleon was exiled, or was that of a miner's sweetheart.[24][25]
Helena was surveyed by Captain John Wood in 1865 for the first time. The original streets of Helena followed the paths of miners, thus making the city blocks of Early Helena various sizes and shapes.[26]
In 1870,Henry D. Washburn,having been appointed Surveyor General of Montana in 1869, organized theWashburn-Langford-Doane Expeditionin Helena to explore the regions that would becomeYellowstone National Park.[27]Mount Washburn,within the park, is named for him. Members of the expedition included Helena residents:[28][29][30][31]
- Truman C. Everts,former U.S. Assessor for the Montana Territory
- Cornelius Hedges, U.S. Attorney of the Montana Territory
- Samuel T. Hauser,president of the First National Bank, Helena, Montana; later a Governor of the Montana Territory
- Warren C. Gillette, Helena merchant
- Walter Trumbull,son of U.S. SenatorLyman Trumbull(Illinois)
- Nathaniel P. Langford,then former U.S. Collector of Internal Revenue for Montana Territory. Langford helped Washburn organize the expedition and later helped publicize the remarkable Yellowstone region. In May 1872 after the park was established, Langford was appointed by the Department of Interior as its first superintendent.
Wealth boom
editBy 1888 about 50 millionaires lived in Helena, more per capita than in any city in the world.[32]They had made their fortunes from gold.[33]It is estimated about $3.6 billion in today's money was extracted from Helena during this period of time.[34]The Last Chance Placer is one of the most famousplacer depositsin the western United States. Most of the production occurred before 1868. Much of the placer is now under Helena's streets and buildings.[35]
This large concentration of wealth was the basis of developing fine residences and ambitious architecture in the city; itsVictorianneighborhoods reflect the gold years.[36]The numerous miners also attracted the development of a thrivingred light district.Among the well-known localmadamswasJosephine "Chicago Joe" Airey,who built a thriving business empire between 1874 and 1893, becoming one of Helena's largest and most influential landowners.[37][38]Helena's brothels were a successful part of the local business community well into the 20th century, ending with the 1973 death of Helena's last madam,"Big Dorothy" Baker.[39][40]
Helena's official symbol is a drawing of "The Guardian of the Gulch", a wooden fire watch tower built in 1886. It still stands on Tower Hill overlooking the downtown district.[41]The tower, built in 1874, replaced a series of observation buildings, the original being built in response to a series of devastating fires that swept through the early mining camp.[42][43][44]On August 2, 2016, an arson attack severely damaged the tower and it was deemed structurally unstable. The tower is to be demolished but will be rebuilt using the same methods as in its original construction.[45][46]
In 1889, railroad magnateCharles Arthur Broadwateropened his Hotel Broadwater and Natatorium west of Helena.[47][48][49]The Natatorium was home to the world's first indoor swimming pool. Damaged in the1935 Helena earthquake,it closed in 1941.[50][51][52]The property's many buildings were demolished in 1976.[53]Today, the Broadwater Fitness Center stands just west of the Hotel & Natatorium's original location, complete with an outdoor pool heated by natural spring water running underneath it.[54]
Helena has been the capital ofMontana Territorysince 1875 and the state of Montana since 1889. Referendums were held in 1892 and 1894 to determine the state's capital; the result was to keep the capitol in Helena. In 1902, theMontana State Capitolwas completed.[55][56]Until the1900 census,Helena was the most populous city in the state. That year it was surpassed by Butte (with a population of 30,470), where mining industry was developing.[57]
Among the settlers the city's prosperity attracted were Blacks fleeing racism in theSouth.Many found work in the mines or on the railroads and established a middle class that supported Black-owned businesses,Black churches,Black newspapers and a Black literary society. A Black police officer patrolled the town's wealthiest (white) neighborhood. But in the later 1900s new discriminatory laws, such as a ban on mixed marriages and the establishment of manysundown towns,along with the attendant racist attitudes that led to them drove many Blacks out not just Helena but the state, to the point that the city's Black population today is a small fraction of what it was in the early 20th century.[58]
In 1916, theUnited Daughters of the Confederacycommissioned the construction of theConfederate Memorial Fountainin Hill Park.[59]It was the only Confederate memorial in theNorthwestern United States.[60]The fountain was removed on August 18, 2017, after the Helena City Commission deemed it a threat to public safety following a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.[61]
1980s–present
editTheCathedral of Saint Helena[62]and theHelena Civic Center[63]are two of Helena's many significant historic buildings.
Many working Helenans (approx. 18%) work for agencies of the state government.[64]When in Helena, most people visit the local walking mall. It was completed in the early 1980s afterUrban Renewaland theModel Cities Programin the early 1970s had removed many historic buildings from the downtown district.[65][66]During the next decade, a three-block shopping district was renovated that followed the original Last Chance Gulch. A small artificial stream runs along most of the walking mall to represent the underground springs that originally flowed above ground in parts of the Gulch.[67]
TheArchie Bray Foundation,an internationally renowned ceramics center founded in 1952, is just northwest of Helena, near Spring Meadow Lake.[68]
A significanttrain wreckoccurred on February 2, 1989, in which a 48-car runaway freight train slammed into a parked train near Carroll College, setting off an explosion that blasted out windows up to three miles away, causing most of the city to lose power and forcing some residents to evacuate in subzero weather.[69][70][71]
With the mountains, Helena has much outdoor recreation, includinghuntingandfishing.[72][73]Great Divide Ski Areais northwest of town near theghost townofMarysville.Helena is also known for itsmountain biking.[74]It was officially designated as anInternational Mountain Bicycling Associationbronze levelRide Centeron October 23, 2013.[75][76]
Helena High School[77]andCapital High School[78]are public high schools inHelena School DistrictNo. 1.
In 2017, Helena voters elected as mayor formerLiberianrefugeeWilmot Collins,who was widely reported to be Helena's first black mayor.[79][80]TheIndependent Recordreported contested research indicating that in the early 1870s one E. T. Johnson, listed in the city directory as a black barber from Washington D.C., had been elected mayor, before Helena became an incorporated town.[81]
Geography
editHelena is located at46°35′45″N112°1′37″W/ 46.59583°N 112.02694°W(46.595805, −112.027031),[82]at an altitude of 4,058 feet (1,237 m).[83]
Surrounding features include theContinental Divide,Mount Helena City Park,Spring Meadow Lake State Park,Lake Helena,Helena National Forest,theBig Belt Mountains,theGates of the Mountains Wilderness,Sleeping Giant Wilderness Study Area,Bob Marshall Wilderness,Scapegoat Wilderness,theMissouri River,Canyon Ferry Lake,Holter Lake,Hauser Lake,and theElkhorn Mountains.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau,the city has a total area of 16.39 square miles (42.45 km2), of which 16.35 square miles (42.35 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) is water.[84]
Climate
editHelena has asemi-arid climate(KöppenBSk), with long, cold and moderately snowy winters, hot and dry summers, and short springs and autumns in between.[85]Snowfall has been observed in every month but July, but is usually absent from May to September, and normally accumulates in only light amounts.[86]Winters have periods of moderation, partly due to warming influence fromchinooks.[87]Precipitation mostly falls in the spring and is generally sparse, averaging only 11.4 inches (290 mm) annually.[88]The hottest temperature recorded in Helena was 105 °F (41 °C) on August 24, 1969, and July 15, 2002, while the coldest temperature recorded was −42 °F (−41 °C) on January 31, 1893, January 25, 1957, and February 2, 1996.[89]
Climate data for Helena, Montana, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1880–present | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 63 (17) |
69 (21) |
78 (26) |
86 (30) |
95 (35) |
104 (40) |
105 (41) |
105 (41) |
102 (39) |
89 (32) |
76 (24) |
70 (21) |
105 (41) |
Mean maximum °F (°C) | 53.2 (11.8) |
55.6 (13.1) |
66.7 (19.3) |
76.6 (24.8) |
84.3 (29.1) |
91.9 (33.3) |
98.0 (36.7) |
97.1 (36.2) |
91.0 (32.8) |
79.0 (26.1) |
63.5 (17.5) |
53.0 (11.7) |
99.3 (37.4) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 32.4 (0.2) |
37.2 (2.9) |
47.5 (8.6) |
56.7 (13.7) |
66.4 (19.1) |
74.7 (23.7) |
86.1 (30.1) |
84.6 (29.2) |
73.3 (22.9) |
57.6 (14.2) |
42.8 (6.0) |
32.6 (0.3) |
57.7 (14.3) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 23.0 (−5.0) |
27.2 (−2.7) |
36.1 (2.3) |
44.5 (6.9) |
53.9 (12.2) |
61.7 (16.5) |
70.6 (21.4) |
68.8 (20.4) |
58.9 (14.9) |
45.5 (7.5) |
32.8 (0.4) |
23.4 (−4.8) |
45.5 (7.5) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 13.5 (−10.3) |
17.2 (−8.2) |
24.6 (−4.1) |
32.4 (0.2) |
41.5 (5.3) |
48.7 (9.3) |
55.1 (12.8) |
52.9 (11.6) |
44.6 (7.0) |
33.5 (0.8) |
22.8 (−5.1) |
14.2 (−9.9) |
33.4 (0.8) |
Mean minimum °F (°C) | −12.6 (−24.8) |
−5.3 (−20.7) |
4.0 (−15.6) |
18.4 (−7.6) |
28.0 (−2.2) |
37.2 (2.9) |
45.7 (7.6) |
42.0 (5.6) |
31.0 (−0.6) |
15.3 (−9.3) |
1.1 (−17.2) |
−8.8 (−22.7) |
−19.9 (−28.8) |
Record low °F (°C) | −42 (−41) |
−42 (−41) |
−30 (−34) |
−10 (−23) |
17 (−8) |
30 (−1) |
36 (2) |
28 (−2) |
6 (−14) |
−8 (−22) |
−39 (−39) |
−40 (−40) |
−42 (−41) |
Averageprecipitationinches (mm) | 0.39 (9.9) |
0.42 (11) |
0.52 (13) |
1.02 (26) |
1.95 (50) |
2.21 (56) |
1.06 (27) |
1.04 (26) |
0.96 (24) |
0.78 (20) |
0.59 (15) |
0.46 (12) |
11.40 (290) |
Average snowfall inches (cm) | 6.6 (17) |
6.6 (17) |
4.6 (12) |
2.9 (7.4) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.3 (0.76) |
0.2 (0.51) |
2.8 (7.1) |
5.4 (14) |
7.7 (20) |
37.2 (94) |
Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.9 | 8.8 | 11.2 | 11.5 | 7.5 | 6.3 | 5.8 | 7.0 | 6.5 | 6.6 | 91.1 |
Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 5.6 | 5.6 | 3.7 | 2.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 4.0 | 5.2 | 28.1 |
Averagerelative humidity(%) | 66.0 | 64.1 | 60.1 | 53.9 | 53.5 | 52.1 | 46.4 | 47.5 | 54.5 | 58.3 | 64.8 | 68.1 | 57.4 |
Averagedew point°F (°C) | 9.5 (−12.5) |
15.1 (−9.4) |
19.0 (−7.2) |
25.3 (−3.7) |
33.6 (0.9) |
40.8 (4.9) |
43.7 (6.5) |
42.6 (5.9) |
36.5 (2.5) |
28.8 (−1.8) |
20.3 (−6.5) |
12.0 (−11.1) |
27.3 (−2.6) |
Mean monthlysunshine hours | 119.4 | 149.0 | 225.8 | 243.0 | 282.0 | 308.7 | 370.3 | 324.1 | 254.6 | 202.9 | 118.6 | 99.9 | 2,698.3 |
Percentpossible sunshine | 43 | 52 | 61 | 60 | 61 | 65 | 77 | 74 | 68 | 60 | 42 | 37 | 60 |
Source 1: NOAA (relative humidity, dew points and sun 1961–1990)[88][90] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: National Weather Service[89] |
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info onPhabricatorand onMediaWiki.org. |
See or editraw graph data.
Demographics
editCensus | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1870 | 3,106 | — | |
1880 | 3,624 | 16.7% | |
1890 | 13,834 | 281.7% | |
1900 | 10,770 | −22.1% | |
1910 | 12,515 | 16.2% | |
1920 | 12,037 | −3.8% | |
1930 | 11,803 | −1.9% | |
1940 | 15,056 | 27.6% | |
1950 | 17,581 | 16.8% | |
1960 | 20,227 | 15.1% | |
1970 | 22,730 | 12.4% | |
1980 | 23,938 | 5.3% | |
1990 | 24,569 | 2.6% | |
2000 | 25,780 | 4.9% | |
2010 | 28,190 | 9.3% | |
2020 | 32,091 | 13.8% | |
source:[91] U.S. Decennial Census[92][8] |
2010 census
editAs of thecensusof 2010,[93][94]there were 28,190 people, 12,780 households, and 6,691 families residing in the city. Thepopulation densitywas 1,724.2 inhabitants per square mile (665.7/km2). There were 13,457 housing units at an average density of 823.1 units per square mile (317.8 units/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.3%White,0.4%African American,2.3%Native American,0.7%Asian,0.1%Pacific Islander,0.6% fromother races,and 2.6% from two or more races.HispanicorLatinoof any race were 2.8% of the population.[citation needed]
There were 12,780 households, of which 24.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.2% weremarried couplesliving together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 47.6% were non-families. 39.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[95]The average household size was 2.07 and the average family size was 2.77.[citation needed]
The median age in the city was 40.3 years. 20.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.3% were from 25 to 44; 29.5% were from 45 to 64; and 15.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.0% male and 52.0% female.[96]
2000 census
editThis sectionneeds additional citations forverification.(July 2020) |
As of the census of 2000,[97]there were 25,780 people, 11,541 households, and 6,474 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,840.7 people per square mile (710.7 people/km2). There were 12,133 housing units at an average density of 866.3 units per square mile (334.5 units/km2). The ethnic makeup of the city is 94.8% White, 0.2% African American, 2.1% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.4% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. 1.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 11,541 households, out of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.9% were non-families. 37.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.4% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,416, and the median income for a family was $50,018. Males had a median income of $34,357 versus $25,821 for females. Theper capita incomefor the city was $20,020. About 9.3% of families and 14.5% of the population were below thepoverty line,including 16.4% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
editHelena has a long record of economic stability with its history as being the state capital and being founded in an area rich in silver and lead deposits. However, this situation has resulted in a slow growing economy.[98][99][100]Its status as capital makes it a major hub of activity at the county, state, and federal level.[101]According to the Helena Area Chamber of Commerce, the capital's median household income is $50,889, and its unemployment rate stood at 3.8% in 2013, about 1.2% lower than the rest of the state.[102][103]Education is a major employer, with two high schools and accompanying elementary and middle schools for K–12 students as well asHelena College.Major private employers within the city of Helena includeCarroll Collegeand the medical community.[104][105]
Helena's economy is also bolstered byFort William Henry Harrison,the training facility for theMontana National Guard,located just outside the city.[106]Fort Harrison is also home toFort Harrison VA Medical Center,where many Helena-area residents work.[107]
Education
editHigher education
edit- Carroll College,aCatholicliberal artscollege,[108]which opened in 1909, enrolls around 1,500 students.
- Helena College University of Montana,a two-year affiliate campus ofThe University of Montana,provides skilled trades and technology degrees as well as general education requirements.[109]It opened in 1939.
Primary and secondary education
editSeveral school districts provide public education from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade.
Helena Public Schoolshas two components: Helena Elementary School District and Helena High School District.[110]Almost all of Helena is in Helena Elementary School District and Helena High School District. A small portion extends intoEast Helena K-12 Schools.[111]
The Helena Elementary School District consists of 13 schools covering students from pre-kindergarten to 8th grade.[112]There were 5,181 students enrolled in the district during the 2021–2022 school year.[113]
The Helena High School District has two schools for students in 9th through 12th grade.Helena High Schoolhad 1,128 students enrolled for the 2021–2022 school year[114]whileCapital High Schoolhad 1,350.[115]
Library
editHelena'spublic libraryis the main branch of the Lewis & Clark Library.[116]Branches are also inAugusta,East Helena,andLincoln.
Media
editHelena'sDesignated Market Areais 205th in size, as defined byNielsen Media Research,and is the fifth smallest media market in the nation.
- Newspapers
- Independent Record(daily, morning)
- Online news
- Montana Free Press(statewide news source)
- AM radio
- KKGR680 (Oldies),KGR, LLC
- KCAP950 (Talk),Cherry Creek Radio
- KROL1430 (Classic Hits)
- FM radio
- KUHM91.7 (National Public Radio), Montana NPR
- KQRV96.9 (Country), Butte Broadcasting Incorporated
- KHGC98.5 (Adult Contemporary), Cherry Creek Radio
- KBLL99.5 (Country), Cherry Creek Radio
- KZMT101.1 (Classic rock), Cherry Creek Radio
- KMXM102.3 (Adult Contemporary), The Montana Radio Company, LLC
- KJPZ104.1 (Christian), Hi-Line Radio Fellowship
- KMTX105.3 (Adult Contemporary)
- Television
Notable people
edit- Josephine Airey,madamand landowner
- Stephen Ambrose,historian, author ofBand of BrothersandUndaunted Courage
- Dorothy Baker,madam
- Max Baucus,formerU.S. senator from Montana(1978-2014), and formerU.S. Ambassador to China(2014-2017)[117]
- James Presley Ball,African-Americandaguerreotypist
- Jean Baucus,historian, author, and rancher
- Samuel Beall,Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin
- Vice AdmiralDonald Bradford Beary(1888–1966) (U.S. Navy), implementedSea Replenishmentduring World War II
- Patricia Belcher,actress
- Dirk Benedict,actor (The A-Team)
- Brand Blanshard,philosopher
- H. Kim Bottomly,former president ofWellesley College
- Isaac Brock,lead singer ofModest Mouse
- Mary Caferro,Montana state senator
- Thomas Henry Carter,United States senator from Montana[118]
- Lane Chandler,actor
- William H. Clagett,congressmanfromMontana Territory[119]
- Liz Claiborne,fashion designer[120]
- Wilmot Collins,first black mayor in Montana since statehood
- Kevin Michael Connolly,photographer
- Mike Cooney,Montana state senatorand formerMontana Secretary of State
- Gary Cooper,actor
- Margaret Craven,author
- Charles Donnelly,president of theNorthern Pacific Railway
- Pat Donovan,Dallas Cowboysoffensive tackle
- James Earp,saloonkeeper and brother ofWyatt Earp
- Truman C. Everts,Assessor of Internal Revenue for theMontana Territorybetween July 15, 1864, and February 16, 1870[121]
- Casey FitzSimmons,tight endwith theDetroit Lions
- Cory Fong,Tax Commissioner of North Dakota
- John Gagliardi,College Football Hall of Famecoach
- Pat Gray,Host ofPat Gray Unleashed
- Tyler Knott Gregson,poet and author
- Stuart Long,priest
- Russell Benjamin Harrison,son of PresidentBenjamin Harrisonand Indiana politician
- Rick Hill,congressman from Montana[122]
- Norman Holter,biophysicist and inventor of theHolter monitor
- Esther Howard,actress
- Laura E. Howey,educator, librarian, and social reformer
- L. Ron Hubbard,[123]author and founder ofScientology
- Chuck Hunter,Montana state senator
- Hal Jacobson,member ofMontana House of Representativesrepresenting District 82
- Christine Kaufmann,Montana state senator
- Brian Knight,Major League Baseballumpire
- Nicolette Larson(1952-97), singer
- Nathaniel P. Langford,U.S. Collector of Internal Revenue (1864–69), Montana Territory, and first superintendent ofYellowstone National Park
- Dave Lewis,Montana state senator
- James F. Lloyd,congressman from California[124]
- Myrna Loy,actress
- Martin Maginnis,congressman fromMontana Territory
- Tony Markellis,bassistandrecord producer
- Thomas Francis Meagher,Irish rebel, US Civil Warbrigadier general,Acting Governorof theTerritory of Montana
- Dave Meier,Major League Baseball outfielder
- Colin Meloy,lead singer and songwriter ofThe Decemberists
- Maile Meloy,writer
- James C. Morton,actor
- Sean O'Malley,MMA fighter
- Bobby Petrino,headfootballcoach atMissouri State University
- Paul Petrino,headfootballcoach at theUniversity of Idaho
- Charley Pride,country musicsinger
- Glenn Roush,Montana state legislator
- Henry H. Schwartz,chief of the U.S. General Land Office and U.S. senator from Wyoming[125]
- Leo Seltzer,creator ofroller derby
- Vida Ravenscroft Sutton,playwright and radio professional
- George G. Symes,congressman from Colorado[126]
- Robert "Dink" Templeton,Olympic gold medalist in rugby
- Decius Wade,the "Father of Montana Jurisprudence"
- Thomas J. Walsh,U.S. senator from Montana[127]
- Henry D. Washburn,Surveyor General, Montana Territory, and commander of theWashburn-Langford-Doane Expeditionto Yellowstone in 1870
- William F. Wheeler,U.S. Marshal,Civil War officer, Minnesota territorial Librarian and secretary to two governors, and founder of the Montana Historical Society, first in the West
- John Patrick Williams,former congressman from Montana[128]
- Belle Fligelman Winestine,writer and suffragist
- Molly Wood,executive editor atCNET.com
- Lt. GeneralSamuel Baldwin Marks Young(U.S. Army), former Acting Superintendent ofYellowstone National Park[129]
- Dale L. Mortensen,member ofMontana House of Representativesrepresenting District 44
- Claude Gordon,American trumpet player.
Gallery
editGallery: modern day
edit-
View of north face of Mount Helena and west side of city
-
Mount Helena snowline (April 2005)
-
Walking/biking trail between downtown and Mount Helena's peak
-
View from Mount Helena's peak, accessible by bike and foot
-
Helena's Civic Center (Algeria Shrine Temple)
-
Former Northern Pacific (aka Union) Depot, Helena Avenue
-
View of Carroll College from Mount Helena
-
A "Tour Train" on the walking mall that was designed during 1960surban renewal
-
Deer are common within the city limits
-
The Guardian of the Gulch fire tower
Gallery: historical
edit-
Main Street, 1860s
-
An 1865 photograph taken from today's S. Park Ave., looking east
-
Last Chance Gulch, looking north from what is now Anchor Park — 1870s
-
Parade with firemen on Last Chance Gulch, looking south from Broadway — July 4, 1873
-
Banners from some of Helena's early newspapers
-
Cartographer's visualization — 1875
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Cartographer's visualization — 1883
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Cartographer's visualization — 1890
-
An 1891 image of the 1889 Power Building, named after magnateThomas C. Power[130]
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Union Depot (later Northern Pacific Depot) ca. 1904
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Postcard of Main Street, 1900s (decade)
-
View of Mount Helena from old high school, 1900s (decade)
-
Former Great Northern Depot, Neill Avenue (since replaced)
See also
edit- Capital City Mall (Montana)
- USSHelena,five ships
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Further reading
edit- Wood, Anthony. "After the West Was Won How African American Buffalo Soldiers Invigorated the Helena Community in Early Twentieth-Century Montana".Montana66.3 (2016): 36–50.
External links
edit- Official website
- Vintage images on HelenaHistory.org
- "Helena, Montana".C-SPANCities Tour. November 2013.