Sixth
Ave. to Lawrence St.
Last Chance Gulch 1948, looking south across Sixth Avenue
COLLECTION
OF KENNON BAIRD •
CLICK ON IMAGE FOR A BIG VIEW IN A NEW WINDOW
CLICK
HERE
FOR AN EVEN BIGGER VIEW
|
The
Safeway market, seen here on the left in the Harmony Hall
building, would soon move to the NE corner of Placer and Fuller;
the Ben Franklin variety store would subsequently occupy this
space. Harmony Hall (upstairs, with entrance on Jackson St.)
had a maple dance floor, and was not only used for social
events such as concerts and dances, but also as a roller rink.
The hall was also known at various times as the New Winter
Garden and the Oriental Ballroom. From 1932 to 1958, it was
the home of the Central Bowling Alley. The downstairs (Main
St. level) was for many years home to the Montana Meat Co.
The building was demolished in 1970.
Also seen
on the left are Gamble's, Singer Sewing Machines (opened in
1947), and Parchen Drug. On the right are the First National
Bank, the J. C. Penney Co., and - in the Power Building -
Goldberg's Furriers. Much more detail is available in the
"big views".
|
Butte
High Band, "Golden Canyon Days" Parade, July 1949
COLLECTION
OF BOB & SUSIE LINDEBERG
| "Golden
Canyon Days", held July 21-24 1949, celebrated the 85th
anniversary of the discovery of gold in Last Chance Gulch, and
the start of construction on the new Canyon Ferry dam. |
"Golden
Canyon Days" Parade, 1949
COLLECTION
OF BOB & SUSIE LINDEBERG
|
The unfortunate
fellow portrayed with the noose around his neck looks like
either a preacher or a lawyer. On the right is the Vigilante
Theatre (formerly the Rio). Farther north on the right-hand
side of Main are the Mobilgas station at Main and Seventh
(replaced by a new office building in 1956), Dairyland (ice
cream and other goodies), Globe
Clothing, and the tall Iron Front Building, which is still
standing.
The Super
Ice Cream store on the left was gutted by fire in January
of 1951, and subsequently demolished.
|
"Golden
Canyon Days" Rustic Façade, 320 N. Main, 1949
COLLECTION
OF BOB & SUSIE LINDEBERG
Two
"Convention Month" Parades, May 1950
COLLECTION
OF BOB & SUSIE LINDEBERG
The Anheuser-Busch
clydesdales, May 1950.
Algeria
Shrine Parade, "Convention Month", May 1950
COLLECTION
OF BOB & SUSIE LINDEBERG
| Visible
on the left is part of the Vigilante (formerly Rio) Theatre
marquee. The building next to the Rio, 333 North Main, housed
the Vigilante Bar when this photo was taken. In 1952, the apartment
above the bar would be the scene of a murder-suicide. Click
on the photo for the story (new window). |
300
block of N. Last Chance Gulch, 1950s, looking south
COLLECTION
OF KENNON BAIRD • CLICK ON IMAGE FOR
A BIG VIEW IN A NEW WINDOW
CLICK
HERE FOR AN EVEN BIGGER VIEW!
| On the
left are the Mecca Cafe and Scott's Toys. On the right we
see Helena Hardware, the Elks Lodge (upstairs), Jorud Photo
Shop, Palace Clothing, and the Silver Spur Lounge (which later
became O'Toole's). |
300
block of N. Last Chance Gulch, 1963 Last Chance Stampede Parade
COURTESY
OF KITTY ANN QUIGLEY TAALER
Enlarged
detail of previous image, 300 block of N. Last Chance Gulch, 1963
COURTESY
OF KITTY ANN QUIGLEY TAALER
1970s
postcard view of Last Chance Gulch, looking north
|
There
may be an uglier postcard of Helena, but I've never seen it.
Now known as the Donovan Building, the boxy 1963 J. C. Penny
Co. store was designed by Portland architects Edmondson &
Kochendoerfer. In the summer of 2008, a second
story was added to the structure...
|
INDEPENDENT
RECORD PHOTO BY ELIZA WILEY
The
Completed Donovan Building, February 2009
COURTESY
OF TOM KILMER
| With restrained
yet handsome brick and stone work, the Donovan building fits
in well on Last Chance Gulch. The design is by Crossman-Whitney-Griffin
Architects of Helena. |
Budweiser
Clydesdales, 1964 Last Chance Stampede Parade
COURTESY
OF TOM KILMER
|
Note the rough pine-bark façades on The Globe Clothing
Co. and Barnes Jewelry. Many Helena businesses sported these
during the Centennial year of 1964. This had previously been
done in 1949, during "Golden Canyon Days".. |
Beer
wagon, 1964 Last Chance Stampede Parade
COURTESY
OF TOM KILMER
On the far right
is the 1934 Rio/Vigilante Theater building, still standing today.
Vigilante
Parade, May 11 1973
COURTESY
OF TERESE PENIX
Buildings shown,
from left to right: 335, 333, 331 and 327 North Main (Last Chance
Gulch).
View
from W. Lawrence and Fuller, 1964
COLLECTION
OF KENNON BAIRD
| Notice
the split log stockade-type structure on the right. This was
"Fort Union" behind the Union Bank & Trust Co.,
one of many such rustic decorative structures put up during
1964 as part of Montana's Territorial Centennial celebration... |
|
