Website revamp in progress!
Not all links in the new menu above are currently working.
Please use the the alphabetical index links to search.
Hikers atop Mount Helena, circa 1910
CHARLES J. TIPTON COLLECTION
 |
Celebrating Helena's History, Culture & People |
Online since 2006, this extensive local history website is the product of over 100 individual contributors of photographs and other material, which they have generously shared. It is presented here free of charge and free of advertising, as a resource for researchers, students, and people who just want to recall days gone by. The associated facebook group has over 20,000 followers.
In
2012, this site was awarded both the Lewis &
Clark County Heritage Tourism Council Historic
Preservation Award and the Montana Preservation
Alliance Director's Choice Technology Award for
Outstanding Online Resource.
|
 |
 |
Who Does This Site? |
"Helena As She Was" was created by Kennon Baird, a fourth-generation Helenan. He continues as the site's curator and publisher. Ken is a member of the Sons and Daughters of Montana Pioneers, and the Montana Historical Society.
Contact him via email.
|
|
 |
How to Contribute Material and/ or Help Financially |
| If you have photographs of Helena or the surrounding area that you would like to share via this site, please contact me via email. For particulars about sending material, please click here. I occasionally buy old photos of Helena if the subject matter is good and the price is reasonable.
Financial Contibutions: this site is ad-free and always free to access, but it takes considerable time and money to keep it online and growing. The required website hosting, history research, and photo processing tools used are costly yearly subscriptions. We receive no grants or public funding.
If you benefit from this resource, please consider making a donation, via PayPal, to help with expenses. It is sincerely appreciated!
|
|
|
|
 |
Terms of Use |
The material presented on this site is intended for non-commercial, educational use. Some collections represented here have high-resolution scans of photos available for commercial use. Kindly direct inquiries about such here.
If you repost photos from this site on social media, please credit www.helenahistory.org
|
|
Online
History Research Tools You Can Use
| Please
click on the pick and shovel to open a new
window listing the various online resources
I use in compiling the brief histories found
on this website. Some are free, others are by subscription. |
|
 |
"Skyline Bill"
GEORGE F. WILLMAN |
 |
Holter Hardware Warehouse
CENTURY-OLD GRAFFITI |
 |
Travelodge Hotel
DOWNTOWN SINCE 1972 |
 |
Foidel Undertaking Co.
1919 TO 1921 |
 |
Merchants Hotel/Monticello Apts.
EARLY MEETING PLACE OF THE MONTANA LEGISLATURE |
|
|
|
|
1904
Federal Building
NOW
THE CITY-COUNTY BUILDING |
|
|
1883
View of the City
A
LARGE, DETAILED VIEW OF THE BRIDGE (STATE) STREET NEIGHBORHOOD,
'CATHOLIC HILL' AND BEYOND. PHOTO BY F. JAY HAYNES, COURTESY
OF THE SEAN LOGAN COLLECTION |
|
|
The Millegan
Ranch
THREE
GENERATIONS WORKED THE LAND, BEGINNING IN 1865 |
|
|
Frontier
Town
THIS FONDLY-REMEMBERED TOURIST ATTRACTION ATOP MACDONALD
PASS WAS A GRAND EXAMPLE OF AMERICAN FOLK ART. IT WAS
ESSENTIALLY HAND-BUILT BY ONE MAN, JOHN R. QUIGLEY, JR.
HUGE THANKS TO KITTY ANN QUIGLEY TAALER FOR MAKING THIS
FEATURE POSSIBLE. |
|
|
Panoramic
View of Downtown, circa 1911
LOOKING
WEST FROM THE GRANDON HOTEL. SCANS OF THREE NEGATIVES,
COURTESY OF WENDI KOTTAS PETERSON, WITH PANORAMA PHOTO-STITCHING
BY SEAN LOGAN |
|
|
Old City Hall
A
CENTER OF ACTIVITY ON SOUTH MAIN FROM 1885 TO 1935.
IMAGES AND HISTORY CONTIBUTED BY HELENA FIRE CHIEF SEAN
LOGAN |
|
|
Rio/Vigilante
Theatre
COURTESY OF TOM MULVANEY AND THE TED KIRKMEYER COLLECTION,
WE PRESENT SEVERAL LOVELY IMAGES OF THIS DOWNTOWN ART
DECO CINEMA, ALONG WITH AN EXPANDED HISTORY OF THE BUILDING
-- WHICH STILL STANDS AT 335 NORTH LAST CHANCE GULCH
|
|
|
The
Marlow Theatre
ONCE
HELENA'S SHOWPLACE, THE BELOVED 1918 THEATRE WAS DEMOLISHED
DURING HELENA'S 1970s 'URBAN RENEWAL' PROGRAM |
|
|
The
Parrot Confectionery
VIRTUALLY
UNCHANGED SINCE THE 1930s, THE PARROT STILL "TALKS
FOR ITSELF" ON LAST CHANCE GULCH
|
|
|
The
Old Brewery Theatre
A
NOTED SUMMER STOCK THEATRE ONCE HOUSED IN THE OLD CAPITAL
BREWERY BUILDING ON WEST MAIN. DESTROYED BY 'URBAN RENEWAL'
IN THE 1970S |
|
|
Lewis & Clark County
Fairgrounds
ONCE
THE HOME OF THE TERRITORIAL AND STATE FAIRS. THE HISTORIC
RACETRACK DATES FROM 1870 |
|
|
House
of Wong
DECADES
OF POPULAR CHINESE FARE, INCLUDING THOSE MEMORABLE
PORK NOODLES |
|
|
Annotated
1890/91 View of Chinatown
and the Old West Side
PHOTO
COURTESY OF SEAN LOGAN. THE ANNOTATIONS SHOWING LANDMARKS
ARE DERIVED FROM VARIOUS SOURCES. CLICK
HERE TO VIEW/DOWNLOAD A NON-ANNOTATED VERSION |
|
|
A
Tribute to Broadcaster Al Johnson
A
VERSATILE ARTIST AND TRUE GENTLEMAN, AL JOHNSON WAS THE
PREEMINENT VOICE OF HELENA RADIO FOR NEARLY HALF A CENTURY.
SCROLL DOWN THE LINKED PAGE FOR A TRIBUTE TO AL, INCLUDING
RARE PHOTOS AND AUDIO. Special
thanks to Walli Johnson and Wally Peel |
|
|
The
Fire Tower - "Guardian of the Gulch"
HELENA'S
SYMBOL HAS A COLORFUL HISTORY |
|
|
"Dear
Old Montana" - Play it in mp3!
WRITTEN
IN 1931 BY HELENA SISTERS GENEE AND MIMI MILLIGAN,
"DEAR OLD MONTANA" WAS DEDICATED TO THE
22nd LEGISLATIVE
ASSEMBLY. THE SHEET MUSIC PICTURED WAS INSCRIBED BY THE
SISTERS TO "DADDY" REEVES, AN EARLY HELENA MUSIC
EDUCATOR
AND IMPRESARIO. SCROLL DOWN THE LINKED PAGE TO READ ABOUT
MR. REEVES, THE MILLIGAN SISTERS, AND TO PLAY THE SONG |
|
|
1894
Williams Street Bridge
THIS
LOVELY IRON PONY-TRUSS BRIDGE WEST OF HELENA
WAS REMOVED IN THE SUMMER OF 2009. SCROLL
DOWN THE LINKED PAGE FOR SIX 2004 VIEWS OF THE BRIDGE,
COURTESY OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. ALSO, HISTORIAN
JON AXLINE'S EXCELLENT 2005 HISTORIC AMERICAN ENGINEERING
RECORD PAPER ABOUT THE BRIDGE AND ITS ENVIRONS
PLUS:
THE WILLIAMS STREET BRIDGE IN ART -- A STRIKING
PASTEL PAINTING OF THE ROMANTIC BRIDGE BY NOTED HELENA
ARTIST
KATHRYN FEHLIG
|
|
|
Dorothy's
Rooms ~ Helena's Last Bordello
RARE
PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE INTERIOR, AND CLOTHES WORN BY THE GIRLS |
|
|
"Helena
- City of Gold" VIDEO DOWNLOAD
- 27:24
A
promotional film produced in 1973 by the Helena Chamber
of Commerce.
HELENA'S HISTORY, RECREATONAL ACTIVITIES AND COMMERCE
ARE HIGHLIGHTED THROUGH THE CHARACTER OF BOB STANLEY,
ONE OF THE 'FOUR GEORGIANS' WHO DISCOVERED GOLD IN LAST
CHANCE GULCH IN 1864. STANLEY SUDDENLY FINDS HIMSELF
IN HELENA IN 1973, AND IS BOTH BEDEVILED AND AMUSED
BY MODERN LIFE
VIDEO COURTESY OF KITTY ANN QUIGLEY TAALER.
Open with realPlayer.
|
These
good folks have all shared their Helena photographs, ephemeria
and memories via this site.
If you
enjoy "Helena As She Was", these are the people to
thank!
| Tim
Kuney |
Scott
Nelson |
Ray
Cumming |
Laura
Blumenthal |
| Charleen
Spalding |
Vic
Reiman |
Bill
Higgins |
Kitty
A. Quigley Taaler |
| Don
Hoffman |
Kathleen
Ely |
Kirby
Lambert |
Chuck
Jezick |
| Joe
Munzenrider |
Anonymous
(3) |
Janet
Stellmon |
Sidney
Armstrong |
| Gerry
Early |
Wes
& Carol Synness |
Sister
Dolores Brinkel |
Charlie
Beaton |
| Nancy
Goodspeed |
Darcy
O'Dell |
Pamela
Attardo |
Blake
Gardiner |
| Jeff
Sherlock |
Don
Cornish |
David
Hull |
Tom
Kilmer |
| The
Bisom Family |
Chris
Warren |
Patrick
Ryan |
Dennis
Dickert |
| Cathee
Crapo |
Inez
Slayman |
Derek
Evers |
Ralph
Beer |
| Kathryn
Fehlig |
Michael
E. Holmes |
Ellen
Baumler |
Kathleen
Daniusis |
| Linda
Beattie Anderson |
Wally
Peel |
Dan
Duke |
D.
R. Stinson |
| Orchard
Lakes School |
Lisa
Kennedy |
Carol
& Charles Anderson
|
Jason
Francis |
| Rowena
Clarke Fulk |
Bob
& Susie Lindeberg |
Tim
Rusek |
Frank
Cuta |
| Bob
Guffey |
Roy
E. Millegan, Sr. |
Virgie
M. Baird |
Dave
Thomas |
| Mike
Millegan |
Judy
Bakke |
Kerry
Brown |
Patty
Dean |
| Steve
Andre |
David
Marriot |
Keith
Nay |
Tom
Mulvaney |
| Jack
Womack |
David
Burton |
Marilyn
Lamb Roberts |
Chief.Sean
Logan
The Helena Fire Dept. |
Intermountain
Childrens Home |
Vivian
Hayes |
The
Ray & Phil Jezick
Collection |
G.
B. Carson |
| Patti
Casey Scott |
Dave
Dubé |
Danny
Larson |
Jeff
Wong |
| Susie
Morrison |
Annah
Smith |
Patricia
Rogers Glisson |
J.
M. Cooper |
The
George Huber
Collection |
Walli
Johnson |
Vince
Moravek |
Aub Kirkland |
|
Tana Dearborn |
Rhonda
Wilson |
Jodie
Miller |
Monty
Cowles |
| Ray
Lindsey |
Robin
Evans |
Diane
Macaraeg-Langenfus
|
The
Joyce Oliva-Anderson Collection
|
| Robert
Noel Clarkson |
Wanda
Power |
Daniel
Sullivan |
Deb
Winston Bushnell |
| Gail
Hatch |
Kathleen
Kinney |
Terese
Penix |
Paul
Daniels |
| Steve
Moody |
Jean
Allen Davis |
P.
Christiaan Klieger |
The
Family of
Gertrude Haight Miller |
| Roger
Liedle |
Vicki
Pawlitschek |
Janet
Abrams |
Wendi
Kottas Peterson |
| Jerry
Hopkins |
John
and Rosie Crocker |
Craig
Kirwin |
Connie
Ferriter |
| Al
Ballard |
Jan
Fusco |
Loretta
Wallace Smith |
Phil
Gunn |
| Trudy
Erickson |
Helen
Margaret Grant |
Collection
of the late
Henry W. Jorgensen |
Maxine
Gilmour |
| Doug
and Kathy Lindgren |
Calvin
Schneckloth |
Clint
Vincent |
Myrtle
Prohaska |
| Richard
Smith |
Rich
Weddle |
Bill
Clarkson |
Roberta
Zieske |
| Colleen
McCarthy |
Cathy
Green |
E.
O. Kindschy, Jr. |
Mike
Hausler |
|
|
Darrell
Beckstrom |
Greg
Logan |
June
Virag |
Diane
Stavnes,
Helena
Civic Center |
Richard
Alberts |
David
Poor |
Stephen
A. D. Hahn |
| Peggy
Flynn |
April
Coen |
Peter
Brown
Montana
SHPO
|
Chuck
Siefert |
| Montana
Memory Project |
Rita
Cross |
Autumn
Barnett |
Lorilei
Cochran |
| Jerry
Walker |
Terry
Wareham |
Shannon
Matthies-Callahan |
Annell
Fillinger
|
| The
Earl Jacoby Family |
Marla
Jacoby |
Jack
Frost |
Montana
Military Museum |
| Ron
Haraseth |
Tom
Stockdale |
Collection
of
William Wallace Shropshire |
Collection
of
Lee Hoyt Larison |
|
|
Betty
Borsberry Foster
|
Patrick
Foster
|
|
The
Ann and John Fay
Collection |
Kally
Porrini |
Shawn
Ratchford |
Yvonne
Proul Hufford |
| Bernadette
Powers |
St.
Paul's United Methodist Church |
Tim
Holmes |
Dodie
Hohn |
| Mickey
Czerniski |
William
C. Ford |
Kevin
Lordemann |
Jack
Rudio |
| Paul
E. Paulsen Jr. |
Dawn
DeHart Lofthouse |
Guy
Duncan |
Forestvale
Cemetery |
| Richard Spaulding |
John M. Barrows |
James Nuss |
Kevin Fitzgerald |
| Gail Von Tersch Brown |
Jeff Morrison |
Daniel Glover |
Aimee Hahn March |
| Margaret McIntosh |
Connie Jerome |
Lynnette Nilan |
Nancy Sidor Mayer |
| Helen Eden |
John Vollerston |
Claudia E. Thomas |
Merrill RiChey Meredith |
| Andy Lopez |
Juli Peden |
Ralph Lofthouse |
Tom Patterson |
| Karla Sherry |
The Colleen Kesterson
Family Cillection
|
Allen Keim |
Bruce Laine |
| Jacoby Lowney Images |
Allen Mayer Davidson |
Phil Ellsworth |
Alice Peters |
| Mardi Slocum |
|
|
|
|
DISCLAIMER
...This
site is educational and non-commercial in nature. To
the best of my knowledge, the small number of images presented on these
pages which not sent in by contributors, are either in the public domain or are used in
accordance with Fair Use practices. If you have concerns
about this, contact
me.
|
|
