Helena, Montana Visitors Guide
Like many of Montana’s cities, Helena began as a mining town. It was the site
of one of the state’s largest gold rushes. Helena, originally
called Last Chance Gulch, produced more than $20 million
in gold and soon became known as the “Queen City of the
Rockies”. Today it is Montana’s fourth largest city and
the state capital. It is home to artisans, sports enthusiast,
and naturalist.
In Helena you can spend a day touring art museums, admiring
historic architecture or communing with nature. There is
fine dining at eateries like On Broadway and the Stonehouse
and warm and welcoming lodging such as The Sanders Bed and
Breakfast (www.sandersbb.com).
Helena Museums
The Holter Museum of Art has permanent and temporary displays of contemporary and historic pieces from local, regional, natural and international sources. Founded in 1865, the Montana Historical Society Museum and Mackay Gallery is home to one of America’s most important collection of cowboy art.
Helena Historical Sites
For an overview of the state’s history, visit the state capital building. This impressive structure is a magnificent example of the Greek Renaissance. You will see C. Russell’s famous painting Lewis and Clark meeting the Flathead Indians at Ross Hole along with paintings by E.S. Paxton, which show the state’s history.
 At
the original 1888 Governor’s Mansion, you
will find 20 rooms and 7 fireplaces. The mansion was home
to 9 former Montana governors and has been restored to turn
of the century beauty and furnished with antiques.
The St. Helena Cathedral is patterned
after the Votive Church of the Sacred Heart in Vienna, Austria,
Its Geometric Gothic architecture combined with stained
glass windows, white marble alters and statue along with
gold leaf make it an impressive place to visit.
The Reeder’s Alley is Helena’s oldest
intact piece of piece of history. It portrays the lives
of the miners, the influence of the Chinese, period building
methods and the common people who came looking for wealth.
At the base of Reeder’s Alley is the Pioneer Cabin with
its authentic furniture that gives you a brief glimpse of
life in the 1860s.
Helena Arts and Entertainment
For music, theatre, dance companies, festivals, films, and conferences visit the Myrna Loy Center. The Center is located in the historic Lewis and Clark County jail. Alternatively, for live theatre productions go to Grandstreet Theatre.
Helena Tours
 To
hear stories of Helena’s past, book your space with the Last
Chance Tour train. This 1 hour covered train tour
begins in front of the Historical Society and is available
from June 1 to September 15. For an incredible view of the
Missouri River take a ride on one of the commercial boats
on the Gates of the Mountains, the name given to the region
by Meriwether. There are 3 tour boats the "Pirogue" named
after the boats used by the Expedition, the "Sacajawea"
named after the only women and indigenous person on the
Expedition, and the "Hilger Rose" named after Nicholas Hilger,
who began the tours in 1886 on a vessel named "Rose of Helena."
As you ride down river you will see towering walls of limestone, as well as bighorn sheep and mountain goats climbing the rocks high above the water. Flying above and around are ospreys, eagles (bald and golden), vultures and falcons (peregrine and prairie). The canyon is also home to otters, deer, squirrels, ermine, beaver, mountain lions, black bears and other wild creatures. The life list for bird species is over 120.
The route follows that of Lewis and Clark stopping at the Meriwether Picnic area for approximately 15 minutes. You can opt to leave the boat for a picnic and spend the part of the day out next to the Gates of the Mountains Wilderness Area and the Missouri River swimming, fishing, and hiking then catch a ride on one of the trips later that day. The cruise is 12 miles long and takes 2 hours.
Family Fun in Helena
The rustic pioneer village at Frontier Town is built with massive logs and solid rock. You can enjoy a meal at its restaurant and take in the unobstructed 75 mile view of the Continental Divide.
For light hearted fun, visit the Great Northern Carousel which has 37 animals and 2 chariots, and then head over to the Painted Pony Ice Cream Parlor where you can choose from 30 flavors of homemade ice cream.
For skating fun, go to Helena Skate Park near the YMCA where you can enjoy the ledges, banks and quarter pipes on your board or roller blades. For water fun, go to the Centennial Waterslide Park where the temperature controlled water offers fun for the whole family.
Outdoor Helena adventures
Located high above downtown Helena, the Mount Helena City Park has 800 acres filled with outdoor fun. You can bring along your mountain bike for rides along the southwest edge of town. There are 6 hiking trails, one of which is the 1906 Trail up to the summit (5,468 ft.), which connect to longer ones in the Helena National Forest.
The Helena National Forest offers a plethora of recreational activities. You can enjoy fishing, boating, and mountain biking, and hiking. Especially of interest are the Scapegoat Wilderness Area and the Gates of the Mountains Wilderness Area.
At Spring Meadows Lake State Park, you can go swimming, scuba diving and fishing for trout, bass, and sunfish. There is also and .8 mile long self guided nature trail which leads around the lake.
At Canyon Ferry Reservoir, you will find boating, fishing, camping, sightseeing, picnicking, hiking, hunting, waterskiing, swimming, and nature studies.
Other great fishing, boating and camping spots include Holter Lake or Black Sandy State Park.
 Climate
- Helena gets 13 inches of rain per year. Snowfall is 45
inches. The number of days with any measurable precipitation
is 97. On average, there are 189 sunny days per year. The
July high is around 83 degrees. The January low is 11.
Population- As of 2007, population is 27,885 people. Since
2000, it has had a population growth of 8.17 percent.
Economy / Cost of Living - The unemployment
rate is 1.70%, with job growth of 2.27%. Future job growth
over the next ten years is predicted to be 26.25%.
Helena sales tax rate is 0.00%. Income tax is 10.00%. The
income per capita is $23,167. The median household income
is $39,639. Compared to the rest of the country, Helena's
cost of living is 6.84% Lower than the U.S. average.
Education - Helena schools spend $5,167
per student. There are 18 pupils per teacher, 589 students
per librarian, and 1,182 children per counselor.
Real Estate / Housing - The median home
value in Helena is $260,300.Home appreciation is 4.15% over
the last year. Renters make up 40.55% of the population.
4.80% of houses and apartments are unoccupied.
Photo Credits: Helena Mountains by Jason
Gulledge; Cowboy Statue by Justin Brockie; Helena pan by
Rich Farmbrough; Helena overview by Savannah Grandfather
|
