Merchants Hotel/Monticello Apts.

Merchants Hotel / Monticello Apartments
Broadway at Warren
First Called the Jumbo Block
1882-1972

Colorized 1880s View
Looking North from Broadway

COURTESY OF TOM MULVANEY • CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE IN A NEW WINDOW

The Merchants Hotel, later the Monticello Apartments, was built by Cornelius Lansing Vawter (1851-1926). Construction on what would first be dubbed the Jumbo Block (sometimes Jumbo Building) began in 1882 as a single-story mercantile building. It was enlarged over the following decade to four stories.

The hotel fell on hard times begining in 1891, and was eventually closed. The refitted building housed the Montana State Legislature in 1895, 1897, 1899, and 1901.

In 1901, the building was sold and remodeled into apartments. It was listed in the 1902 city directory as the Monticello, the only apartment building listed at the time.

The Monticello slowly declined over the following 70 years, and was in poor condition when it was demolished in May of 1972, during Helena's Urban Renewal projects.

To the right of the Merchants Hotel can be seen the Warren Hotel, which at one time was joined to the Merchants by a second-story covered walkway. The long-derelict and condemned Warren was demolished in 1968. There is a photo of the demolition at the bottom of this page.

Location