It is unclear when automobiles first came to Helena, but hacks were being licensed by the City as early as 1906.

Car decorated for the 1907 July 4th Carnival. Note the human skull atop the radiator.

 

Isham's Valley Service
Early Filling Station

THE WES AND CAROL SYNNESS COLLECTION

Pop Isham's Valley Service, NE corner of N. Montana Ave. and the Lincoln Road, 1920s.

 

 

THE WES AND CAROL SYNNESS COLLECTION

Pop Isham's expanded Valley Service, 1930s.

Texaco at N. Main and Neill Ave., ca 1940

 

1953 Yellow Pages Ad for the Same Location as Grimes Texaco

 

Same Location as Bob Abel's Texaco, 1962

COURTESY OF PATRICIA ROGERS GLISSON

Bob Abel presents a check to Arnie Rogers for the Helena Civil Air Patrol

Central Garage

The Central Garage, NE corner of Fuller and Lawrence, about 1920. This building was later the home of Grimes Buick.

 

 

1943 Newspaper ad for the Central Garage

"Auto Row"
The Empson Buildings

COURTESY OF CAROL ANDERSON & CHARLIE ANDERSON
CLICK ON IMAGE FOR A LARGER VIEW IN A NEW WINDOW

This beautiful ca. 1919 photo of the now-demolished west Empson Building shows the SE corner of Fuller and Placer. This Mission Style structure was for many years the home of Helena automobile dealerships, most notably Anderson Motors, Placer Motors and Capital Ford.

 

The footrpint of the demolished west Empson Building, superimposed on a recent satellite image. The Empson Buildings were built by Colorado-based businessman John Howard Empson between 1917 and 1922. The east building (Park Hotel) is still standing, as seen above. The only surviving remnant of the western "Auto Row" buildings is the brick smokestack from the heating plant, which supplied heat to the entire development. John Empson's other great Helena accomplishment was as the leader in funding the construction of the 1918 YWCA building, located at the corner of Park Ave. and Placer. But Empson is probably most remembered for founding the Empson Cannery in Longmont, Colorado -- vegetables from which were frequently seen on the shelves of Helena grocers. You can live at the cannery now if you want.

Anderson Chevrolet • Anderson Motors • Placer Motors
THANKS TO LISA KENNEDY FOR SHARING THESE WONDERFUL PHOTOS AND FAMILY HISTORY

Ernest Walfrid Anderson, Sr.
COURTESY OF CAROL ANDERSON & CHARLIE ANDERSON

Founded by Swedish immigrant Ernest Walfrid Anderson, Sr. in 1919, Anderson Motors was one of the west's leading Chevrolet dealers for decades. Anderson started in business in 1906-07 as a proprietor of Anderson & Steckler General Merchandise in East Helena, seen in the ca.1916 photo below...

COURTESY OF CAROL ANDERSON & CHARLIE ANDERSON

Anderson, seen here standing in the aisle, sold groceries out of his home while building this store, which still stands today. He took out an $800 loan to stock the store, and prospered in trade for over a decade before selling out to Hrella and Maronick in 1919.

 

 

COURTESY OF CAROL ANDERSON & CHARLIE ANDERSON

Kellogg's Cereal promotional calendar, 1916.

 

The city of East Helena suffered a devastating fire in August of 1919. Shorty thereafter, Anderson sold his interest in the mercantile to Hrella and Maronick. J. R. Steckler continued to operate in the space. Anderson used the proceeds from the sale to open Anderson Chevrolet in Helena. It was located at 7 & 9 Placer St., in the east Empson Building, in a space shared with the Gill Piston Ring Co.

1920 newspaper ad for Anderson Chevrolet, offering the latest auto-theft prevention device.

 

COURTESY OF CAROL ANDERSON & CHARLIE ANDERSON

By 1923, Anderson Chevrolet had moved a block west to this prime location, the SE corner of Fuller and Placer, in the west Empson Building.

Anderson Chevrolet newspaper ad, October 1923.

 

A Trainload of 1936 Chevrolets

On April 11, 1936, in the midst of the Great Depression, E. W. Anderson Sr. ordered 200 new Chevy cars and trucks. They filled 50 railroad cars and arrived via special train. It was the first full trainload of Chevrolets ever sent to Montana for a single agency. Despite the stuggling economy, every car sold.

COURTESY OF CAROL ANDERSON & CHARLIE ANDERSON
CLICK ON IMAGE FOR A LARGER VIEW IN A NEW WINDOW

The train with 200 new 1936 Chevy cars and trucks aboard, arriving at the Great Northern Depot, April 11, 1936. This is now the site of the Great Northern Town Center. In the background, at the very end of the train, can be seen the pillars of the Euclid overpass, which was then under construction; it is now demolished.

 

COURTESY OF CAROL ANDERSON & CHARLIE ANDERSON
CLICK ON IMAGE FOR A LARGER VIEW IN A NEW WINDOW

The men of Anderson Motors gathered at the train for photos. E. W. Anderson, Sr. is seen shaking hands in the center, wearing a light-colored coat. Ernest W. Anderson, Jr. ("Ernie") is to his right. The others are unidentified. It was around this time that Ernie Anderson (1907-1973) took over the operation of the dealership. E. W. Anderson, Sr. then devoted more time to civic affairs, and to his hobby of thoroughbred race horses, which ran with great success on tracks throughout the west, and even in Cuba.

• • •

Placer Motors

COURTESY OF CAROL ANDERSON & CHARLIE ANDERSON
Carl Clemon "Clem" Anderson
1913-1996

About 1937, General Motors announced that dual dealerships had to be broken up -- you couldn't sell Chevrolet and Oldsmobile, or Oldsmobile and Buick. Clem Anderson, who was then head of the parts department at Anderson Motors, opened Placer Motors at 428 N. Main St. World War II interrupted new auto sales, and Placer Motors closed temporarily when Clem Anderson joined the Navy. After Clem's discharge, in January of 1946, Placer Motors reopened at 428 N. Main. By April of that year, the dealership had moved to 431 Fuller, in the Empson Building.

 

COURTESY OF CAROL ANDERSON & CHARLIE ANDERSON

Clem Anderson is on the right in this 1958 photo taken in front of the dealership on Fuller Ave. Placer Motors is still an Anderson family business. After Clem Anderson retired, he sold the dealership to his son Dave. Dave is now retired and Erick Anderson is in charge. You can visit the dealership website here.

• • •

Anderson Motors Sold - 1961

In May of 1961, long-time Montana auto dealer George Vucanovich (1914-2003) purchased Anderson Motors. Vucanovich was the founder of Northwest Motors in Helena in 1946, and also had a Chevy/Cadillac dealership in Livjngston, Montana. Vucanovich sold Anderson Motors and retired in 1977.

COURTESY OF CAROL ANDERSON & CHARLIE ANDERSON
CLICK ON IMAGE FOR A LARGER VIEW IN A NEW WINDOW
Anderson Motors employees, 1961

 

Knapp Service Station, about 1930


COURTESY OF CHUCK JEZICK

A beautiful ca. 1930 photograph of the Knapp Service Station, on the NW corner of N. Main and Neill Ave. Previously, this building was the Merchants Delivery barn, housing the horses and wagons used to deliver merchandise around Helena. The building was destroyed by fire in 1965.

Merchants Delivery, ca. 1911

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

The building was damaged by fire around 1915.

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

Shown in front of Merchants Delivery in 1894 is the decorated carriage in which rode William Andrews Clark, when Helena was selected as the State Capital.

 

Merchants Delivery Building, 1920s

COURTESY OF SEAN LOGAN • CLICK ON IMAGE FOR A BIG VERSION IN A NEW WINDOW

 

Knapp Service Station, 1930s

COURTESY OF PAUL DANIELS

 

COURTESY OF PAUL DANIELS

THANKS TO SCOTT NELSON

The same corner, September 2006. Is this an improvement?

A-A Garage

The A-A Garage and Equipment Co. was located in the former Helena Electric Railway Company streetcar barns at the south end of Main St., where the former (1970s) Federal Building now stands. The A-A Garage was co-founded by Otto Krieg in 1928, following the liquidation of the Helena Electric Railway Company. They offered automobile repair, storage and wrecker service. When the earthquakes of 1935 destroyed the nearby City Hall, police and fire operations were housed in the A-A garage for the next three and a half years. In the 1950's A-A became a dealer for International Harvester trucks and appliances. These wonderful circa 1939 photos are courtesy of Chris Warren. His father, William L. Warren, was employed at the AA Garage, and is pictured below. Many thanks, Chris!

COURTESY OF CHRIS WARREN

COURTESY OF CHRIS WARREN

From 1935 to 1939, the 1886 bell from the fire tower was displayed in front of the A-A Garage while the tower was undergoing repairs from earthquake damage.

 

COURTESY OF CHRIS WARREN

COURTESY OF CHRIS WARREN

Owner Otto Krieg, left, and A-A Garage employees. William L. Warren is second from the right. Can anyone help identify the other two?

COURTESY OF CHRIS WARREN

 

 

The A-A Garage damaged by earthquakes, 1935.

 

A-A Garage Junior League Football Team, 1933
Courtesy of the David Poor Collection

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A-A Garage and Otto Krieg, 1940s
Courtesy of Sean Logan

Walker's Garage

COURTESY OF ROWENA CLARKE FULK

Walker's Garage, 11 North Davis St., just after the 1935 earthquakes.
In the car are Mildred Getts Clarke, wife of J. Howell Clarke, and his mother Blanche Howell Clarke.

A Recent Google Maps View of the Building

 

1926 Newpaper ad for Walker's Garage.

 

Consumer's Oil Co.

The original Consumer's Service, 900 block of N. Main, late 1930s. Gene Goodspeed (1918-2004) operated this and two other locations just prior to World War II. This and the three following photos are from Gene's daughter Nancy Goodspeed, who tells us the history behind these images from her collection...

"Right out of high school in 1937, my Dad went into the gas station business and before leaving for service in World War ii, he was operating three locations."

Gene Goodspeed

"Consumer's Service Gas Station, 11th Ave. & Hoback, late 1930s. The original building still stands."

2015 View, 11th & Hoback

COURTESY OF PAM ATTARDO

 

734 North Main

"734 N. Main - Consumer's Oil Co. and gas station. After returning from WWII, my mom and dad added onto this building to the north and south, along with an apartment upstairs. Over the years my parents had a gas station, Whizzer bike dealership, fishing tackle shop, and rental store at this location. Today the building houses Danzer's Paint."

 

2015 View

COURTESY OF PAM ATTARDO

 

 

"700 block of N. Main St. (corner of 14th & Main) looking north - late 1930s. On left is Consumer's Service gas station."

 

 

"After WWII, my dad returned to Helena, reopened Consumer's Service at 734 N. Main and added a Whizzer Bike dealership. This photo is likely 1945. Corner of 14th and North Main."

Anderson Motors' OK Used Car Lot

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Anderson Motors' OK used car lot, 444 Fuller Ave., August 6, 1951. From the collection of Kathryn Fehlig, this view shows a Helena Sand & Gravel crew applying Alamga-Pave asphalt paving to the lot.

From 1931 to 1933, the site that would become the OK Used car lot was home to The Tiny Tim Miniature Golf Course, which evidently sported a type of artificial grass. The short-lived course was replaced in 1933 by two municipal tennis courts, which served until the Beattie Memorial Courts were opened on Getchell near the Civic Center in 1936.

 

Walker Auto Parts

Walker Auto Parts, 115 W. Lawrence, 1951. Opened by pioneer Helena Buick dealer Ed Walker in May of 1951, this enterprise was located right behind what is now the Grandstreet Theatre. The building had already seen many tenants before Mr. Walker arrived. It was originally known as the Brazier Block, and was the factory for the Brazier Candy Company. It also served as a fence company, a laundry, a creamery, a Hudson dealership and a U. S. Forest Service warehouse. The location is now a parking lot.

 

Red Langley's Husky Station

PHOTO BY JEAN O'BLENIS • COLLECTION OF KENNON BAIRD

Red Langley's Husky Service, Neill Ave. at Getchell, June 24, 1957. No longer standing, this charming art deco service station, located just east of the Civic Center, was built around 1935; it was known then as "Higgin's Gasatorium". In 1948, it was "Dick's Hi-Power", operated by Dick Tillo. North Carolina native Luther "Red" Langley (1921-2000) was the operator by 1952, first selling Hi-Power gasoline, then Husky by 1956.

The footprint of Red Langley's superimposed on a recent satellite image.

 

McGaffick's

George McGaffick's Steamboat Block, 1940s. The building was originally the offices of early Helena entrepreneur Thomas C. Power, builder of the Power and Diamond Blocks.

McGaffick's Husky Service, N. Main at Lyndale, 1950s

The station was constructed 1950-51. Just visible on the far left is the Richardson Root Beer sign atop Gertie's Drive-In.

Sign for McGaffick's Husky Service, placed by Bompart Bulletins Advertising.

 

McGaffick's Husky Service calendar, 1958.

 

Three-Car Wreck at Broadwater, Dec. 18 1961

The Clark and Batch Cars

PHOTO BY ARNIE ROGERS • COURTESY OF PATRICIA ROGERS GLISSON

The Clausen Car

PHOTO BY ARNIE ROGERS • COURTESY OF PATRICIA ROGERS GLISSON

 

Holets Sued Batch, Nearly Two Years Later...

The case was apparently settled out of court.

 

 

Highways 10 and 91, East of Helena, 1953

CLICK ON IMAGE FOR A LARGE VIEW IN A NEW WINDOW

ROAD: Resource of Outdoor Advertising Descriptions On-Line Project Outdoor Advertising Association of America Archives John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History Duke University Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/paverjohn_PAV0203/

 

Interstate Highway Construction, Early 1960s

COURTESY OF DARCY O'DELL
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Aerial photo looking north from the site of the Capitol interchange, probably 1960. Here we see the old "Butte turnoff" east of Helena, and the beginning phase of local Interstate 15 construction. The railroad overpass was well under construction, and grading of the future roadway between Boulder Ave. and Highway 10 had begun.

 

 

COURTESY OF DARCY O'DELL

Aerial photo of the Boulder Ave. railroad overpass, 1960.

 

 

COURTESY OF DARCY O'DELL

Looking south from atop the Boulder Ave. railroad overpass, 1960.

 

 

 

COURTESY OF DARCY O'DELL

The Capitol interchange during construction, probably early 1961. It was officially opened on November 12, 1961, well before the Cedar St. interchange. The first auto accident on the tricky Capitol interchange happened on December 20, 1961, when Henry Schaeffer of East Helena went over the side...