View taken about 1870, overlooking Last Chance Gulch from the southwest.

 

 

Fourth of July parade, corner of Ewing and Fifth, ca. 1875. Going south on Ewing are equipment and men of the Helena Fire Department. In the background is Central School.

 

View looking north from above State St., ca. 1890s.

 

 

Looking west from Sugarloaf hill, ca. 1900.
THANKS TO DON CORNISH FOR LOCATION INFO

 

 

View looking east from Mount Helena, 1919. Click the photo to view a larger image.

 

 

View looking west across Park Ave., ca. 1910. Possibly taken from the roof of the Gold Block on Last Chance Gulch. The ornate building center-right is the Homer Block, an upscale apartment building. It was demolished in the 1970s.

 

Looking west from the Helena High School grounds, ca. 1910

 

 

An unusual ca. 1908 postcard view taken from atop the Power Block, looking NE across the intersection of Sixth and Main, and over the Horsky Block. Notable buildings, from the top left: Helena High School, Central School, the Public Library and Auditorium. COLLECTION OF KENNON BAIRD

THE VIEW FROM ST. JOHN'S HOSPITAL, 1908

A ca.1908 postcard view taken from the old St. John's Hospital, looking north across Broadway. The building with the gabled roof is the Merchants Hotel (later the Monticello Apartments), located on the NW corner of Broadway and North Warren. The hotel saw the first meeting of both houses of the Montana legislature in 1895. Legislative sessions were also held there in 1897, 1899 and 1901. The building was razed during Urban Renewal in the 1970s. COLLECTION OF KENNON BAIRD

The postcard seen above was published by Fred W. Hill (1859-1937). Hill, a native of Milwaukee, came to Montana in 1878 and enlisted as a scout in Custer's old command, which had been famously decimated at the Battle of The Little Big Horn in 1876. Hill came to Helena after his discharge from the army, and made his home there until his death in 1937. He was involved in the wholesale and retail cigar business (as well as postcard publishing), and was associated for many years with the Louis F. Cohn wholesale cigar concern of Butte. At one time he owned and operated what became Higgins Cigar Store at 24 N. Main street, selling the business to Jack Higgins in 1916.

 

View of downtown, ca. 1915. COLLECTION OF KENNON BAIRD

 

Similar view, about 1990. COLLECTION OF KENNON BAIRD

 

 

Looking south from the 300 block of N. Main, ca. 1913. COLLECTION OF WES AND CAROL SYNNESS

 

Detail of the Helena Meat Co. sign. Sorry, no elephant meat to be had; it's only posters for the circus coming to town.

 

 

 

The intersection of Fuller and Lawrence, looking SW, ca. 1913. The vacant corner lot is the future site of the Y. M. C. A. building, which was demolished in the 1970s. COLLECTION OF WES AND CAROL SYNNESS

 

 

 

Fuller and Lawrence, looking west, ca. 1913. The building in the center is the 1875 Bonneville Apartments. Around 1926, this building was remodeled in the popular Mission style. It stood until the 1970s. COLLECTION OF WES AND CAROL SYNNESS

 

Detailed view showing the Sanford & Evans enterprise, 404 Fuller Ave.

 

 

Placer Ave. intersecting Park Ave., ca. 1913. The Y. W. C. A. would be built on the vacant corner lot. COLLECTION OF WES AND CAROL SYNNESS

 

 

View of Hill Park from Women's Park, looking west, ca. 1915. COLLECTION OF KENNON BAIRD

 

 

 

Looking east from Hill Park, ca. 1920. This appears to be a parade making the turn at Neill Ave. and Fuller. THE WES AND CAROL SYNNESS COLLECTION

A detailed view.

 

 

Downtown f ire, probably 1920s. Although there was a huge fire on Last Chance Gulch in 1928, this fire appears to be further north than that blaze. It's difficult to tell if this fire is on Last Chance Gulch or Fuller. Any additional information appreciated.

 

 

 

Looking north from S. Rodney St., date unknown. The brick building is the Lissner Elementary School, on the corner of S. Rodney and Pine. It was named for Marcus Lissner, an early Helena entrepreneur. THE WES AND CAROL SYNNESS COLLECTION

 

Mount Helena from the Capitol Building, about 1900

 

 

Mount Helena from the Capitol Building, 1949. COURTESY OF TOM KILMER

 

 

Aerial view of Helena, 1935.

 

Mount Helena and the west side, about 1935. Taken near the site of C. R. Anderson School
COURTESY OF CHARLIE BEATON

 

1930s "colorized" postcard view, looking north down Last Chance Gulch.

 

 

 

1942 aerial view, looking NW, showing the 800 block of Helena Ave. At center-left is the Shodair Crippled Childrens' Hospital. At the top can be seen the Armory under construction at the corner of N. Main and Lyndale. Click on the photo to open a larger view in a new window. THE WES AND CAROL SYNNESS COLLECTION

 

Aerial view of the Capitol area, looking south, about 1958.

 

 

View looking west on Lawrence St. from the steps of St. Helena Cathedral, 1940s.

 

 

 

Looking west on Lawrence, December 1980. COLLECTION OF KENNON BAIRD

 

 

 

A late afternoon view from the 1950s. The grass is green on Firetower Hill, so it was probably June. Note that the old St. John's Hospital building is still standing on Catholic Hill. It is gone in the following photo.

 

 

 

Looking north from S. Last Chance Gulch, 1950s.

 

 

 

Similar view, 1950s. Can you spot the Sunset Drive-In Theater? Hint: It's across the road from the orphanage.

 

 

Looking north, 1960. COURTESY OF SCOTT NELSON - THE BRIDGEWORKS CONSERVANCY

View taken from the Helena Apartments on Grand St., 1969. COLLECTION OF KENNON BAIRD

 

A popular 1960s postcard view, looking east. The house with the blue roof can be seen on the left-hand side of the photograph below. COURTESY OF TOM KILMER

 

 

Looking north from the east flank of Mount Helena, 1972. COLLECTION OF KENNON BAIRD

 

 

Looking north from near 6th and Park, 1980. COLLECTION OF KENNON BAIRD

 

 

 

A great view of the Great Northern Town Center under construction, taken from the Civic Center minaret. COURTESY OF JEFF SHERLOCK