Helena, MT Photos |
The town of Helene, Montana arose around Last Chance Gulch where some discouraged miners decided to give their prospecting one last chance & struck it rich in 1864. The main street of town is arrayed along what was once the actual gulch. Much of the downtown district is on the National Register. |
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| See also: Montana, Montana State Capitol, Montana Historical Society Museum, Cathedral of Saint Helena |
| Click photo to enlarge. |
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| Reeder's Alley (1875-84), a series of brick & stone buildings built for miners by brick mason Louis Reeder. | Sign of Reeder's Alley rehabilitated from small apartments & bunkhouses for single males to the small shopping arcade of today. | Territorial style buildings of Reeder's Alley. | Stone House at Reeder's Alley (1880s) contained four small shotgun-style apartments. |
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| Territorial style buildings of Reeder's Alley in brick gave some protection against fires. | Morelli Bridge (aka Howie St. Bridge) at Reeder's Alley (1893) on stone piers with timber deck. | Pioneer Log Cabin (1864) built by Wilson Butts at Reeder's Alley, still as it was during the gold rush. | Front room of Pioneer Cabin at Reeder's Alley. |
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| Rocking chairs & stove of Pioneer Cabin at Reeder's Alley. | Dining table of Pioneer Cabin at Reeder's Alley. | Wood stove of Pioneer Cabin at Reeder's Alley. | Oil lamp of Pioneer Cabin at Reeder's Alley. |
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| Bakery, cafe & grill of arcade near Reeder's Alley. | Dunphy Block (1860s remodeled 1890s) (38 S. Last Chance Gulch) plus an original Helena Streetcar. | Raleigh & Clarke Drygoods block (1865, remodeled 1888) (36 Main St.) with cast iron front. | Sands Brothers Dry Goods block (1874, remodeled 1889) (Main St.) in granite. Style: Victorian Romanesque. |
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| Boston block (23 S. Last Chance Gulch). | Upper story details of Boston block (Main St.). | St. Louis block (1882) (Main St.) has history as store, vaudeville house, saloon, brothel. Style: Italianate. | Upper story details of St. Louis block. |
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| Masonic Temple (1885) (104 Broadway) & 106 Broadway. | Upper story details of Helena Masonic Temple. | Brickwork details of Helena Masonic Temple. | Horseshoe window & sunburst details of 106 Broadway. |
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| The Prospectors sculpture (1974) of gold miners sluicing ore by Lyndon Pomeroy on Last Chance Gulch Mall at Broadway. | Prospectors sculpture of gold miners panning gold on Last Chance Gulch Mall. | Painted mural at Last Chance Gulch Mall & Broadway. | Atlas Block (1889). Style: Richardsonian Romanesque. Architect: Shaffer & Stranahan. |
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| Atlas Block details of insurance building shows fire survival such as salamanders reputed to survive flames. | Carving of Greek god Atlas on front of Atlas Block. | Painted Bear About Town sidewalk art by Dennis McCahon on Last Chance Gulch Mall. | Placer Center building (21 N. Last Chance Gulch). |
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| First National Bank Securities Building (1886). Style: Victorian Romanesque. Architect: Hodgson, Wallingford & Stem. | Stonework detail of First National Bank Securities Building. | Multicolored carved Romanesque arches of First National Bank Securities Building. | Bullwhacker statue on Last Chance Gulch Mall. |
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| Granite Building (1920s) (30-36 N. Last Chance Gulch Mall). Style: Moderne. | Terra Cotta details of Granite Building. | Terra Cotta details of Granite Building. | Lalonde Building (1920s) (38-42 N. Last Chance Gulch Mall). |
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| Terra Cotta details of Lalonde Building. | New York Block (1928) (Fligelman's Department Store) (46 N. Last Chance Gulch Mall). Architect: George Carsley. | Detail of windows of New York Block. | Sculpted woman with purse & square glasses on New York Block. |
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| Terra Cotta shield on New York Block (aka Fligelman's Department Store). | Terra Cotta eagle on New York Block. | Terra Cotta plant design on New York Block. | Extra, Extra Read All About It statue (1999) by Becky Eiker on Last Chance Gulch Mall. |
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| T.C. Power Block (1889-92) (58 N. Last Chance Gulch). Style: Romanesque Revival. Architect: Willetts & Ashley. | Granite stonework details of T.C. Power Block. | Goodkind Block (1884 remodeled 1920s) (139 N. Last Chance Gulch). Architect: F.D. Lee. | First National Bank & Trust Company (302 N. Last Chance Gulch). |
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| Terra Cotta panels of First National Bank & Trust Company. | Terra Cotta panel of First National Bank & Trust Company. | Stylized eagle on First National Bank & Trust Company. | Streetscape along West Sixth Ave. |
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| Montana Club building at West Sixth & Fuller Ave. | Former building of Montana Club (1905). Style: Victorian Romanesque. Architect: Cass Gilbert. | Plaque to discovery of gold in Last Chance Gulch. | Iron Front Hotel (former Windsor House) 1888. Architect: Heinlein & Matthias. |
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| Details of cast iron arches of Iron Front Hotel. | Makers plaque of JNO. Stedman, Helena, M.T. on Iron Front Hotel. | Helena streetscape looking to Montana Life Insurance Company. | Montana Life Insurance Company building (now Blue Cross) (1923) (404 Fuller Ave.). Style: Greek Revival. |
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| Terra Cotta of Montana Life Insurance Company building. | Helena City County (former Federal) Building (1904) (316 N. Park Ave.). | Arch details of Helena City County Building. | Grandstreet Theater (former First Unitarian Church of Helena) (1901). Style: Richardsonian Romanesque. Architect: C.S. Haire. |
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| Original Governor's Mansion (1888) (originally William Chessman house) (304 N. Ewing St.). Style: Queen Anne. Architect: Hodgson, Stem & Welter. | Queen Anne details of Original Governor's Mansion. | C.B. Power Residence (c1907) (309 N. Ewing St.). Style: Prairie & Tudor. | Porter Flats Apartments (1884) (335 N. Ewing St.), an early stylish apartment building. Style: Italianate. On National Register. |
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| Thomas C. Power House (1891) (600 Harrison Ave.) in West Side neighborhood. Style: Richardsonian Romanesque. | House in West Side neighborhood at Gilbert & Dearborn Streets. | Red Shift Rocker sculpture (2005) by Richard Swanson at Holter Museum of Art. | St. Paul's United Methodist Church (505 Logan St.). |
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| Holter Museum of Art & St. Paul's United Methodist Church. | Modern structure of St. Paul's United Methodist Church. |
All photos on this page are originals by & copyrighted by Jim Steinhart. All rights reserved. Permission required to use. |