Financial Institutions

Samuel T. Hauser's First National Bank, circa 1892

LITHOGRAPH BY WARD BROS., COLUMBUS OHIO - COLLECTION OF KENNON BAIRD

This building is still standing, at what was once the corner of Main and Grand.

 

 

As it appears now, known as the Securities Building

 

 

A Recent Interior View of the Securities Building

PHOTO BY KEITH NAY

A fancifully-tinted ca. 1900 postcard view of Last Chance Gulch, looking south from Grand St. Prominent on the right is the (white) 1890 Merchants National Bank building, and the (yellow) 1883 Montana National Bank building. On the near left is the red brick Thompson Block, on the site of the future Placer Hotel. The red building on the right is the Grand Central Hotel, later the Harvey Hotel.

 

L. H. HERSHFIELD & BRO. BANKING HOUSE 1965-1882
MERCHANTS NATIONAL BANK - 1882-1898
UNION BANK & TRUST CO. - 1898 - 1959

In November 1865, L H. Hershfield opened a private bank in Last Chance Gulch, near the corner of Bridge Street (later State Street) and Warren Street, supplementing his bank in Virginia City.

Two years later his brother, Aaron, became associated with him, and the L. H. Hershfield and Bro. banking house operated as one of the leading financial firms in the territory until June 10,1882 when it obtained a charter as the Merchants National Bank of Helena. This bank was located at 52 South Main which in later years, and until April, 1958, was occupied by The Independent Record newswpaper.

 

Merchants National Bank, circa 1892

CIRCA 1892 LITHOGRAPH BY WARD BROS., COLUMBUS OHIO - COLLECTION OF KENNON BAIRD

In 1890 the Merchants National constructed this six-story bank building on the NW corner of Main and Edwards, where Helena's second (1872) Masonic Temple once stood. Eight years later, after the Merchants had suspended business operations, they sold the building to the newly-organized Union Bank and Trust Company. The Union Bank maintained its quarters there for 61 years, moving to a new building at the SW corner of Lawrence and Last Chance Gulch in July of 1959. Montana Power offices then moved into the main floor of the Merchants National building, then known as the Wheat Building, and the upper floors were leased as office space. The handsome structure was demolished in the autumn of 1975, during Urban Renewal.

 

Union Bank & Trust Co. employees, 1920s.
FROM LEFT: ___ Mc Connell, Edna Kain, Claude McGuinness,
Irvin Gibson, Ben Draper, Bill Lane, Ed Butler, Frank Ladan.

FROM THE 1965 LAST CHANCE STAMPEDE PROGRAM • COURTESY OF KITTY ANN QUIGLEY TAALER

Union Bank & Trust Co. Christmas party, December 22, 1949

COURTESY OF MIKE MILLEGAN • CLICK ON PHOTO FOR A LARGE VERSION IN A NEW WINDOW

Helena native Nancy Goodspeed adds: "The father holding the little girl on the left side of the photo is Ray Hess, a long time Union Bank official. He is holding his youngest daughter, Paulette Rae Hess (later Brown, and wife of Helena Mayor Rich Brown) who was my college roommate and long time friend." Thanks, Nancy, for all your wonderful contibutions to this website!

 

Union Bank Teller, 1953

FROM THE 1953 CARROLL COLLEGE 'HILLTOPPER' YEARBOOK - COURTESY OF THE MONTANA MEMORY PROJECT

 

Union Bank & Trust Co. Christmas Party, Dec. 20, 1962

KENNON BAIRD COLLECTION • CLICK ON IMAGE TO OPEN A BIG VERSION IN A NEW WINDOW

Rustic 1964 "Fort Union" Stockade

FROM THE 1964 LAST CHANCE STAMPEDE PROGRAM • COURTESY OF KITTY ANN QUIGLEY TAALER

Like many Helena businesses during the Territorial Centennial year of 1964, Union Bank added a frontier look with a decorative split-log structure. "Fort Union" faced Lawrence St.

Two Small Calendars from the 1960s • David Poor Collection

Montana National Bank
(later the National Bank of Montana)

1892 LITHOGRAPH BY WARD BROS., COLUMBUS OHIO - COLLECTION OF KENNON BAIRD

Built by Charles A. Broadwater in 1886, The Montana National Bank building stood on the SW corner of Main and Edwards St. Edwards was eliminated during the 1970s Urban Renewal project.

1884 newspaper ad for the Montana National Bank.

 

 

1942 view of the Montana National Bank, Main at Edwards.

Widow of Bank's Co-founder Perishes in January 9, 1944 Blaze

Montana National Bank Fire from Edwards Street
Taken Prior to the Explosion that Collapsed Much of the Building

COURTESY OF CAPT. SEAN LOGAN & THE HELENA FIRE DEPT.
FOR MORE HISTORIC HFD PHOTOS, CLICK HERE!

The Montana National Bank building was destroyed by fire on January 9, 1944. Killed in the blaze were two elderly women, Elizabeth and Laura Clarke, sisters-in-law who resided in an apartment on the fourth floor. Elizabeth Clarke, 81, was the widow of A. G. Clarke, founding Vice President of the bank. Her sister-in-law Laura Clarke, 83, was the widow of A. G.'s brother, Will. Eight others were injured in the fire, several critically.

 

COURTESY OF THE WALTER S. WOODS COLLECTION

 

Montana National Bank Fire from Park Ave.
The rear of the Marlow Theatre is seen on the left

COURTESY OF CAPT. SEAN LOGAN & THE HELENA FIRE DEPT.
FOR MORE HISTORIC HFD PHOTOS, CLICK HERE!

 

Fire Aftermath

THE DAVID HULL COLLECTION

COURTESY OF WENDI KOTTAS PETERSON

Edwards Street
Eliminated by 1970s Urban Renewal

Edwards Street, which ran east/west between Main Street and Olive Street, had a distinctly urban feel about it, as evidenced by the 1944 fire photograph above. The main attraction on Edwards was, of course, the majestic Marlow Theatre, another victim of Urban Renewal. In 1999, Helena historian Vivian Hayes wrote a wonderful article about Edwards Street for the Independent Record. Courtesy of Vivian, we are very pleased to present it here in PDF format. Click on the images below for parts 1 and 2:

The Helena Branch of the
Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank

COURTESY OF TOM KILMER • CLICK ON IMAGE FOR A LARGE VERSION IN A NEW WINDOW

This building (1910-1974), located on the southeast corner of Edwards St. and Park Ave., was built to house the Helena Automatic Telephone Company, which operated from 1910-1914. During that time, Helena had two phone companies, the other being the Rocky Mountain Telephone Company. The exchanges were not integrated, so some people had to have two telephones. When the Helena Retail Merchants Association opted to go exclusively with Rocky Mountain, Helena Automatic folded. This building subsequently housed the Foidel Undertaking Company from about 1915-1921... The building became the Federal Reserve Branch Bank in 1921. The second story was added at that time, along with significant interior alterations. After the Bank moved to custom-built quarters on Park Ave. in 1938, the building became the Union Bus Depot. The building was demolished in 1974 during Urban Renewal.

1935 Earthquake Damage

COURTESY OF THE SEAN LOGAN COLLECTION • CLICK ON IMAGE TO OPEN A BIG VERSION IN A NEW WINDOW

One of the Last Photos of the
Helena Automatic Telephone Company Building, 1974
Part of the Marlow Theatre can be seen in the background

THE WES AND CAROL SYNNESS COLLECTION

 

Helena Branch of the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank, 400 N. Park Ave.
1937 - today

FROM THE WEBSITE OF THE MINNEAPOLIS FEDERAL RESERVE BANK

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