Helena Montana
Helena is the capital of Montana. Its population is 25,780, but with the surrounding area the population reaches 40,000. more info
Helena Montana Listings: (add your listing)
Missouri River Lodge - north of Helena, MT
Offering top-quality daily guide trips on the famed Missouri River, plus gorgeous accommodations and delicious meals. Include us in your fishing plans when visiting Helena.
(406) 468-2224
The town was established on October 30, 1864, following the discovery of gold along Last Chance Creek.. Helena's main street is named Last Chance Gulch and follows the winding path of the original creek through the historic downtown district.
Helena was originally named "Crabtown", after John Crab, one of the "Four Georgians". As other miners arrived and the town expanded it was decided to change the name. After many suggestions, John Sommerville suggested the name of his home town, Saint Helena, Minnesota, but the pronunciation (Hel-E-na) did not suit the miners, who preferred HELL-en-a (emphasis on hell). Dropping "Saint" from the name as unnecessary, the new name Helena was adopted.
The townsite was first surveyed in 1865 by Captain John Wood. However, most streets follow the chaotic paths of the miners, going around claims and following the winding streambed. As a result, few city blocks match the ideal of 30 x 60, rather they have an irregular variety of shapes and sizes. Indeed, many major streets deadend abruptly.
By 1888, about 50 millionaires lived in Helena, more millionares per capita than any city in the world! About $3.6 billion (in today's dollars) of gold was taken from Last Chance Gulch over a 20-year period.
The Last Chance Placer is one of the most famous placers in the western United States. Much of the placer is now under the streets and buildings of Helena, but even as late as the 1970s, when repairs were being made to a bank, a vein of placer gold was found under the Bank's foundation!
The official symbol of Helena is a drawing of "The Guardian of the Gulch", a wooden fire watch tower built in 1886 that still stands on Tower Hill overlooking the historic downtown district. This fire tower replaced a series of observation buildings, the original being a flimsy lookout stand built in 1870 on the same site, built in response to a series of devastating fires.
Helena is a rare town that has managed to become a modern city while retaining the character of its early years. These include: Montana Historical Society Museum; Reeder's Alley, a restored miner's village featuring a restaurant and historic buildings housing shops and cafes; Helena's oldest house, Pioneer Cabin; and the Old Fire Tower, one of the few structures of its kind left in the United States.
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