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DISCOVER
AND SHARE HELENA'S UNIQUE HISTORY
Last Chance
Gulch near Sixth Ave., about 1954
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WELCOME!
This
is a commercial-free educational website devoted to
historical
images of HELENA,
MONTANA
and the surrounding area.
It is edited and published in Fremont, California
by
Kennon Baird,
a native of Helena.
HOWDY
FRIENDS
Spanning
the years from 1865 to the recent past, the images come
from numerous sources, including many private collections.
THIS
IS A CO-OPERATIVE PROJECT
~~~ A HELENA HISTORY WIKI ~~~
TO WHICH YOU MAY EASILY
CONTRIBUTE MATERIAL
The variety and depth of information
available on
this site is made possible by those who have so
generously sent in their photos, ephemera and
recollections
of the Helena that has passed.
AS OF JUNE 2008 THERE HAVE BEEN
SOME 60 CONTRIBUTORS
A
ROSTER
with
the names of those fine people
may be seen by scrolling down the page.
You'll
also find details below on how easy it is to
SHARE
YOUR HELENA-RELATED MATERIAL VIA THIS SITE.
There's
a blogger.com Helena History Blog to which interested
parties may post.
LATEST
ENTRY: Feb. 1, 2008 - Tourism Consultant VI - Uh, How
About Art?
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8/17/2008
- The
Broadwater Grocery
NOW A RESIDENCE, IT
WAS THE SCENE OF A DRAMATIC
ROBBERY AND SHOOTING IN 1939. |
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7/29/2008
- The
Colonial Supper Club
ONCE HELENA'S FINEST. |
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7/16/2008
- The
Marlow Theatre UPDATE
NORAL WHITTINGHILL'S
MARLOW THEATRE BAND - 1941. |
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6/30/2008
- The
Silver Spur Bar & Lounge UPDATE
THE OLD SIGN FROM THE
SILVER SPUR IS DISCOVERED IN A
SMALL MONTANA TOWN. PHOTOS COURTESY OF KERRY BROWN. |
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6/29/2008
- Scott's
Toys
A HELENA TOY AND HOBBY
SHOP THAT BABY BOOMERS MAY RECALL. |
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6/24/2008
- Sky-Hi
Drive-In Theater UPDATE
A LARGE VIEW OF THE
ABANDONED THEATER, TAKEN FROM CARTER DRIVE,
COURTESY OF WES AND CAROL SYNNESS. ALSO IN THE "THEATERS"
SECTION, NEW LOCATION MAPS FOR THE SKY-HI AND SUNSET DRIVE-INS,
AND A VIDEO OF A VINTAGE SNACK-BAR AD WHICH SHOULD BE
FAMILIAR TO MANY. |
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5/19/2008
- Last
Chance Gulch UPDATE
A SUMMER EVENING ON
LAST CHANCE GULCH, ABOUT 1954.
LARGE VIEW |
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5/14/2008
- The
Parrot Confectionery
UPDATE
YOU'LL
FIND A LINK TO A GREAT HISTORY OF THE PARROT ON THE MONTANA
HISTORY WIKI, PLUS A VIDEO FEATURING PARROT OWNER DAVE
DUENSING MAKING CANDY AND TALKING FOOTBALL. |
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5/08/2008
- "Montana
Heritage" 1955 Historical Society Pamphlet
A 33-PAGE
PDF DOWNLOAD OF AN INTERESTING PROMOTIONAL BROCHURE,
CONTAINING MANY EARLY INTERIOR PHOTOS OF THE CURRENT
MONTANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY BUILDING AND THE EXHIBITS
THEREIN. THEY'VE COME A LONG WAY SINCE 1955.
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5/06/2008
- The
Marlow Theatre UPDATE
PHOTOS FROM
1960-61 WHEN GENE BROWN MANAGED THE THEATER,
INCLUDING SHOTS FROM THE WORLD PREMIERE OF GARY COOPER'S
LAST FILM.
COURTESY OF KERRY BROWN. |
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4/27/2008
- The
Minute Kitchen UPDATE
A 1954 SHORT-ORDER
RESTAURANT ON EUCLID AVE.
THE BUILDING IS STILL STANDING -- ON CEDAR ST. |
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4/26/2008
- The
Peter Pan Drive-Inn
1940 BUILDING NOW
UP ON BLOCKS BEHIND WAL-MART.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF KERRY BROWN |
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4/23/2008
- The
1969 "Artisans" of Reeder's Alley Scam
HOW HELENA FELL FOR
A SMOOTH-TALKING CON MAN |
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4/22/2008
- St.
Helena School Demolition UPDATE
SCROLL DOWN FOR NEW
PHOTOS OF THE CONTINUING DEMOLITION
OF THE HISTORIC 1909 BUILDING. COURTESY OF TOM KILMER |
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4/10/2008
- Central
Park
A VICTORIAN AMUSEMENT
PARK WHERE GREEN MEADOW COUNTRY CLUB IS NOW. |
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4/08/2008
- Union
Bank & Trust Co. Christmas Party, 1949
A BEAUTIFUL
PHOTO BY LES JORUD OF CHILDREN ENJOYING THE FESTIVITIES.
DO YOU SEE ANYONE YOU KNOW? COURTESY OF MIKE MILLEGAN. |
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4/04/2008
- Frontier
Town VIDEO
UPDATE
VIEW AN EDITED VERSION
OF A 1990 REAL ESTATE SALES VIDEO
FOR A RARE GLIMPSE OF JOHN QUIGLEY'S FOLK ART MASTERPIECE
ATOP MACDONALD PASS. COURTESY OF KITTY ANN QUIGLEY TAALER |
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3/29/2008
- Pete's
Corner 1957
FOUNTAIN TREATS,
GROCERIES AND BEER
ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE UNION DEPOT |
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3/28/2008
- Union
Depot UPDATE
SCROLL DOWN
FOR SEVERAL 1957
PHOTOS OF THIS HISTORIC STRUCTURE,
PLUS A 1948 PHOTO OF PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATE THOMAS E. DEWEY AT THE DEPOT. |
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3/28/2008
- The
Cabin Cafe - 105 N. Main
SCROLL DOWN
A TICK FOR A 1957 PHOTO OF THIS LONG-GONE MAIN ST. EATERY. |
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3/24/2008
- Grand
Central Hotel 1880-1967
LAST OPERATED
AS THE HARVEY HOTEL • BURNED IN 1967 |
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3/22/2008
- Merchants
Delivery & Knapp Service UPDATE
THEY SERVE
OVERPRICED COFFEE THERE NOW. |
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3/18/2008
- "Helena
- City of Gold" VIDEO
DOWNLOAD - 27:24
A promotional film
produced in 1973 by the
Helena Chamber of Commerce.
HELENA'S HISTORY, RECREATONAL ACTIVITIES AND COMMERCE
ARE HIGHLIGHTED THROUGH THE CHARACTER OF BOB STANLEY,
ONE OF THE 'FOUR GEORGIANS' WHO DISCOVERED GOLD IN LAST
CHANCE GULCH IN 1864. STANLEY SUDDENLY FINDS HIMSELF
IN HELENA IN 1973, AND IS BOTH BEDEVILED AND AMUSED
BY MODERN LIFE.
VIDEO COURTESY OF KITTY ANN QUIGLEY TAALER.
Open with realPlayer.
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3/07/2008
- Early Helena TV
RECOMMENDED LINK
VETERAN HELENA BROADCASTER
WALLY PEEL HAS PUT TOGETHER AN EXCELLENT HISTORY OF EARLY-DAY
HELENA TELEVISION FOR THE KTVH WEBSITE.
Click
here to visit!
NOTE:
WALLY SAYS IT'S STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS, SO CHECK BACK
FOR MORE! |
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10/10/2006
- The Helena Independent
Record story about this website. |
SHARING
YOUR PHOTOS AND RECOLLECTIONS
MAIN
ST. LOOKING SOUTH, ABOUT 1913 •
COURTESY OF WES & CAROL SYNNESS
IF
YOU HAVE IMAGES OF HELENA TO SHARE
PLEASE CONTACT ME VIA
EMAIL!
Please include
the word "HELENA"
in the subject line of your first
email, so it won't be mistaken for spam and accidentally
deleted.
The emphasis
is on old photographs and other images of businesses,
schools, churches, neighborhoods, streets, events and
other subjects of
GENERAL
INTEREST.
I'm also interested
in old Helena advertising and promotional ephemera.
Because
this site is strictly non-commercial and educational
in nature, I can't offer
compensation for images sent in. I will credit all contributors
(if you so desire),
and will also add your personal recollections to the
images you send.
Website
and/or email links may also be added to your contributions.
Be
advised that your images will be in the PUBLIC
DOMAIN
when they're published here, which means they'll be
up for grabs by anyone who wants to use them. My outlook
is that it's
better for people to see, use and learn from such pictures
than it is to let them languish in drawers or old albums.
In that spirit, I've included many of my own photographs
in the site, along with numerous postcards, etc., from
my collection.
This
website is a ONE-MAN
OPERATION,
but I endeavor to add all material sent to
me in a timely manner. Occasionally, I will hold material
until I can "flesh out" the story
using newspaper archives and other resources. I stay
in contact with contributors.
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ABOUT
PHOTOGRAPHS OF PEOPLE...
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Your
Great Grandmother Viola was no doubt a beautiful person,
but please
limit submissions of photos featuring people to those
which show them in a broader
HELENA-RELATED CONTEXT.
Please, no studio portraits.
Please avoid snapshots of people which show little or
nothing of the city.
"GENERAL INTEREST"
is what to keep in mind when selecting your submissions.
THANKS! |
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February
1 2008 - TOURISM CONSULTANT VI - Uh, how about art?
AFTER COMING UP DRY, ROGER BROOKS SAYS
TEACH 'EM SOME ART
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August
22 2007 - TOURISM CONSULTANT V - Branded!
READ ROGER BROOKS' SUGGESTIONS FOR HELENA
- THEY INVOLVE SIGNS, LOTS AND LOTS OF SIGNS
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August
10 2007 - Walking Mall Kiosk Removed
COULD THIS BE THE START OF SOMETHING
GOOD?
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May
11 2007 - Tourism Consultant IV
ROGER BROOKS: FORGET HISTORIC DOWNTOWN
AS AN ATTRACTION?
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April
3 2007 - Tourism Consultant III -- Ka-ching!
ROGER BROOKS CASHES IN --
TO THE TUNE OF $75,000
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March
5 2007 - Remove The Benton Avenue Cemetery? They wanted
to in 1882
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Jan.
21 2007 - Tourism Consultant II -- Gulch = Ditch?
ROGER BROOKS BADMOUTHS "LAST CHANCE
GULCH"
ESCAPES TOWN WITH LIFE
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Jan.
12 2007 - Tourism Consultant I
ROGER BROOKS SCRUTINIZES HELENA
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Dec.
18 2006 - 1894 Williams St. Bridge to East Helena?
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Nov.
15 2006 - Stewart Homes Housing Project Was Named for
Enemy of Free Speech
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Editor's
Bio
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Kennon
Baird's pioneer Great Grandfather, Wallace Millegan,
began ranching in the Helena Valley in 1865, coming
by way of Bannack and Blackfoot City. The Millegan homestead
was the first in the Helena Valley, and 13th in the
Territory of Montana.
Ken
was born in 1950, at the old St. Peter's Hospital on
Logan St.. He lived in Helena until 1972, attending
Kessler School, C. R. Anderson School, Helena Junior
High, and Helena High School. Ken spent many years working
in Houston, Texas, where he also studied design at the
University of Houston. In 1998, Ken moved to Fremont,
California with wife Kathleen, who is a business analyst
for a biotech company.
Ken
enjoys art, history, writing, music and gardening. He's
a member of the Sons
and Daughters of Montana Pioneers and the Montana
Historical Society. Ken's home website is Lifelike
Charm.
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DID
YOU FIND AN INACCURACY?
If you spot an inaccuracy or wish
to add information, please don't hesitate to contact
me. I want this site to be as accurate as possible.
If you have questions or comments about the structure
of the site in general, please write.
Please
enjoy your visit to Helena, the Queen City of the
Rockies...as she was.
Kennon
Baird -- September 2006
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DISCLAIMER
...This
site is educational and non-commercial in nature. To
the best of my knowledge, the images presented on these
pages are either in the public domain or are used in
accordance with Fair Use practices. If you have concerns
about this, contact me.
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