The 1889 Hotel Helena (known after 1912 as the Helena Apartments) was a solid five-story brick building in the heart of downtown. It was located on Grand Street, which connected Jackson St. with North Warren. Grand Street and all the formidable Victorian buildings on it were demolished in the 1970s during "Urban Renewal".

The Hotel Helena was damaged by a fire in 1912, but the walls were strong and it was possible to rebuild within them. The building was modified at that time into an apartment house, and remained so until it was demolished in 1972.

The engraving above shows awnings in the south-facing windows. Other representations and photographs of the building I've seen do not show awnings. If the hotel ever really had them is open to question.

Your host lived on the fifth floor of this building in 1969-70. It was quite serviceable then, and would no doubt be a coveted address today.

Samuel Clemens, "Mark Twain", stayed at the Hotel Helena during his 1895 international speaking tour. He spoke at the nearby Ming Opera House on Jackson Street. Portions of the Ming auditorium still exist as part of the Consistory Shrine Temple.

For an account of Twain's Helena appearance, plus other stops in Montana and elsewhere on the 1895 tour, please visit this excellent site.

Henry C. Barth (1871-1952) was a long-time proprietor of the Hotel Helena, overseeing conversion of the building into apartments after the 1912 fire.

"The American Plan" referred to in the ad means that the quoted rate includes three meals a day, provided by the hotel dining room.

A view of the February 1912 fire, taken from Main St. On the left is the Securities Building, still standing today. On the right is a corner of the Thompson Block, which would be demolished in 1914 to make way for the Placer Hotel.

The Hotel Fowlie at 108 Grand would later become the "Helena Hotel", but it had no connection with the Hotel Helena. That building was also demolished during Urban Renewal. Available online newspaper archives show nothing for a Hotel Fowlie, although there was a prominent Fowlie family in the White Sulpher Springs area.