Helena Things to Do

For those interested in Montana history, this is the place to go.
From Native artifacts to painting, from firearms to tools used in mining, farming, ranching, from gems to costumes, this Museum covers a lot of grounds.
The cow head skeleton gracing the entrance, is the work of a Native artist.

There is also a Library and research center.

Opening hours:
May 1 through September 30
Monday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Thursday evenings until 8:00 p.m.
Closed Sundays and Holidays.
October 1-April 30
Monday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Thursday evenings until 8:00 p.m.
Closed Sundays, and Holidays.

Entrance Fee:
$5 per adult
$1 per child
$12 per family
Members Free
Group tours by reservation only.

Ride the Last Chance Tour Train and experience Helena's colorful past. From its beginning, spurred by the discovery of gold in Last Chance Gulch to the present. You'll hear wonderful stories as you sit back, relax and enjoy the ride through the "Queen City of the Rockies". Operating season Memorial Day week-end through September 15th.

Ever heard the saying, "Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes right to the bone?" That is the best way I can describe Montana's state capitol building in Helena. No, I don't have a picture to prove it (camera broke on my trip...), but take my word for it. The outside of the building is really pretty and nice! The inside, however, is painted this pinky-coraly type color, and it was a big disappointment. The colors had nothing to do with Montana as I saw it. Maybe a deep green or sky blue would have done better. As soon as I go back, I'll take a picture to show on here.

I would have really liked to spend more time into this cathedral! Modelled after the Dom of Cologne and the Votive Church of Vienna, this gothic style cathedral is a beauty!
You cannot miis it! The twin spires are 230 feet high.
The building was open for Christmas of 1914.

When I was there, there was a very important funeral about to begin so, we only had a glimpse of the inside but it is really majestic with imposing columns, marble, gold leafs and stained glasses imported from Bavaria.

The St. Helena Cathedral is open year-round, from 10:00am - 4:00pm. Daily Mass is held in the Day Chapel on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 8:00am; and on Tuesday and Thursday, 5:20pm. Pre-arranged guided tours take 1 hour.

Like many capitols in the US, Helena has its Lady Liberty atop the building but the story of how it got there is really strange. During the "Capital fight", the people responsible for the plans ran off with all the papers and records.
During construction, a statue of a Goddess of Liberty arrived from back East with no indications about who ordered it and for what use. The company who made the statue had all their records lost in a fire and no one claimed the abandonned goddess. The builders wanted such a statue for their building and they used it.

On top of Tower Hill, lies one of Helena's landark. The Fire Tower. From that vantage point of view, the tower has served as a guardian of the city. There's been a tower since 1869 but this one dates from 1884.

Helena's main street is located where the Last Chance Creek stood. This is where the “Four Georgians” (John Cowan, Daniel Jackson Miller, John Crab, and Reginald, or Robert Stanley) found gold in 1864. The claim was staked and named “Last Chance Gulch.” The group worked there until 1867 and then went back East, now rich.
Nowadays, North Last Chance Gulch is a pedestrian mall filled with historical buildings, saloon, restaurants, shops, coffee houses...
Along the mall, you will find many works of arts representing the heritage of Helena: cow-boy, train, mining, the press (Helena owes it to have won the capital title)...
A very enjoyable walk indeed!

The first thing you'll notice in the building is the big painted rotunda with medallions representing important people in the history of Montana at the times : Cow-boy, Natives, Explorer and Miner . The tones are warm red and yellow with touches of green.
A grand stairways goes up from the lobby and you'll be bathed in a golden light coming from stained glass overlooking the gardens in the back and covering this aisle of the Capitol.
All three powers were housed in the building: the House and Senate of Montana, the Governor's office and the Supreme Court (now in another building close by but the Old Supreme Court remains).

The building is filled with paintings depictiung important moment in Montana's history. The most important one being : "Lewis and Clarck Meeting The Indians" At Ross Hole as a remembrance of the moment when the two explorers' party met with Salish Indians and asked them for the best way to cross the moutains and reach the Pacific.
It is also filled with statue, one of which is Jeanette Rankin, the first woman to be elected in the US House in 1916. You can see it in the House room, above the Speaker's chair. Talking about that, the House and Senate floors are pretty neat. The dark woods and paintings give it a stately and solemn air that's guaranteed to make you take the State's business seriously. The Senate and Old Court are located at the second floor (If I'm not mistaken) around the Rotunda while the House is at the third floor in another part of the building.
The Governor's Office is on the first floor, at the end of the aisles starting from the lobby (the other side is the State Secretary Ofiice).

According to Justin, it was the beautifullest Capitol he had ever seen.

For more pictures, visit the travelogue!