Early entrepreneur Thomas C. Power's steamer "Helena" on the Missouri River, 1870s. Note the Block P symbol between the stacks. The "Helena" was one of several steamers operated by Power, who was initially based in Fort Benton before moving to Helena in 1873. A native of Iowa with a degree in engineering, Power first came to Montana in the early 1860s as part of a surveying party. When he arrived in Fort Benton (the head of navigation on the Missouri), he saw the potential for trade, and eventually opened a general merchandise store there.

THOMAS C. POWER

Power's interests quickly grew. In addition to building and operating trade steamers on the Missouri, he established a stagecoach line between Helena and Fort Benton in 1879. His interests diversified into banking and livestock. In 1890, along with Wilbur F. Sanders, Power became one of the first Senators from the State of Montana. His Power Block, Diamond Block , and Steamboat Block still stand in Helena.

An undated Cut Bank Pioneer Press article talks about one George Miller, who made a trip from Bismarck to Fort Benton aboard the steamer Red Cloud in 1881. The article tells Miller's tale of his memorable landing in Fort Benton:

Thirteen days after leaving Bismarck, the Red Cloud churned its way up to the landing at Fort Benton and [George Miller] was treated to his first sight of real rough stuff. The mate of the boat, a man named Star, took his station at the gangway to see that the disembarking took place without accident. It was the rule that all passengers should be ashore from the up trip before the boat received visitors or passengers from land.

A man approached the shore end of the gangway and started to come aboard, but had not gone far before the mate ordered him back. The response was a short laugh as he continued up the gangway, and faced the mate. Without a word, the mate drew a revolver from his pocket and fired it point blank in the man's face, shattering his jaw.

The wounded man was taken ashore and given medical aid and, although he recovered, his lower jaw was always distorted. His name, or rather, his nickname, was "Happy" Oakly.

THANKS TO THE WEBSITE OF CONNIE LENZEN

Stereoview of a pack train in Prickly Pear Canyon (Wolf Creek Canyon). Before the coming of the railroads in the 1880s, this toll road from Fort Benton was the main shipping route into Helena. Heavy rain and snow sometimes made the canyon road impassable; incoming freight would be held up at Wolf Creek.

Note: If you unfocus your eyes as you may have done for the popular "Magic Eye" posters, you can see stereoscope photos in 3-D without the use of a viewer.

1948 Republican Presidential candidate Thomas E. Dewey at Union Depot, Sept. 29, 1948. Standiing on Dewey's right is Montana Governor Sam C. Ford. The man standing behind Dewey, wearing pinstripes and a large campaign button, is Sidney Millegan, chairman of the Lewis & Clark Country Republican Central Committee.

Dewey's special campaign train of 17 cars stopped in Helena enroute from Missoula to Great Falls. He rode in a parade through downtown, then spoke at Hill Park.

This from the Independent Record:
"As the Dewey car led the parade south on Helena avenue and into Main street, two jeeploads of photographers cruised alongside and slightly ahead of the Dewey car. Following the lead of the parade was a car in which Gov. and Mrs. Sam C. Ford were seated, and that was followed first by a car containing United States Senator and Mrs. Zales N. Eaton and then by more than a dozen cars filled with newsmen and party workers.

Hundreds of Helena residents lined the streets to see the candidate as the parade proceeded
down the city's Main street then back, to the Main and Lawrence intersection, where the parade swung west on Lawrence and then east on Park to the Hill park stand prepared for the speakers."

Trestle in Saw Mill Canyon, near Marysville, Montana, ca. 1897. The photograph is by Charles E. Morris, a noted early Montana photographer who published postcards in Chinook and Great Falls.

The postcard was published by William H. Murgittroyd (1867-1946), who operated a drug store in Marysville from 1895 to 1900. He moved to Spokane in 1900, and by 1915 had established Murgittroyd's Pharmacy, which became a Spokane landmark. For more about Mr. Murgittroyd, click here.

The footrpint of the demolished west Empson Building, superimposed on a recent satellite image. The Empson Buildings were built by Colorado-based businessman John Howard Empson between 1917 and 1922. The east building (Park Hotel) is still standing, as seen above. The only surviving remnant of the western "Auto Row" buildings is the brick smokestack from the heating plant, which supplied heat to the entire development.

John Empson's other great Helena accomplishment was as the leader in funding the construction of the 1918 YWCA building, located at the corner of Park Ave. and Placer. But Empson is probably most remembered for founding the Empson Cannery in Longmont, Colorado -- vegetables from which were frequently seen on the shelves of Helena grocers. You can live at the cannery now if you want.

Founded by Swedish immigrant Ernest Walfrid Anderson, Sr. in 1919, Anderson Motors was one of the west's leading Chevrolet dealers for decades.

Anderson started in business in 1906-07 as a proprietor of Anderson & Steckler General Merchandise in East Helena, seen in the ca.1916 photo below...

The city of East Helena suffered a devastating fire in August of 1919. Shorty thereafter, Anderson sold his interest in the mercantile to Hrella and Maronick. J. R. Steckler continued to operate in the space.

Anderson used the proceeds from the sale to open Anderson Chevrolet in Helena. It was located at 7 & 9 Placer St., in the east Empson Building, in a space shared with the Gill Piston Ring Co.

About 1937, General Motors announced that dual dealerships had to be broken up -- you couldn't sell Chevrolet and Oldsmobile, or Oldsmobile and Buick. Clem Anderson, who was then head of the parts department at Anderson Motors, opened Placer Motors at 428 N. Main St.

World War II interrupted new auto sales, and Placer Motors closed temporarily when Clem Anderson joined the Navy.

After Clem's discharge, in January of 1946, Placer Motors reopened at 428 N. Main. By April of that year, the dealership had moved to 431 Fuller, in the Empson Building.

The A-A Garage and Equipment Co. was located in the former streetcar barns at the south end of Main St., where the former (1970s) Federal Building now stands. They offered automobile repair, storage and wrecker service. In the 1950's they were also a dealer for International Harvester trucks and appliances.

In front of the Garage is the old silver bell from the fire tower, which in 1951 was placed on display in front of the Civic Center.

These wonderful 1940s photos are courtesy of Chris Warren. His father, William L. Warren, was employed at the AA Garage, and is pictured below. Many thanks, Chris!

"After WWII, my dad returned to Helena, reopened Consumer's Service at 734 N. Main and added a Whizzer Bike dealership. This photo is likely 1945. Corner of 14th and North Main."

The view today.

Thanks, Nancy, for the great photos and story. There are more interesting shots from Nancy's collection featured elsewhere on this site.

Stereoview of Cromwell Dixon and his airplane at the Montana State Fairgounds, September 30, 1911. Dixon was a nineteen year old aviator from Columbus, Ohio. On September 30, he became the first pilot to fly across the Continental Divide. The young pilot took off from the fairgrounds at Helena and landed thirty-four minutes later in a field near Blossberg, some 17 miles to the west. Dixon wired the officals at the fairgrounds that he had landed safely, refueled his bamboo and fabric aircraft, and lifted off for his return flight to Helena.

Strong tail winds aided his return; and after circling the fairgrounds twice, he landed safely. Governor Edwin Norris proclaimed Dixon "The World's Greatest Aviator" and presented him a check for $10,000. A Helena paper said of his flight, "Hearts stopped beating, women
turned their eyes and strong men were made faint by the daring evolutions of this stripling." Dixon died just two days later when his plane crashed in Spokane, Washington.

"The Spirit of St. Louis" at the first Helena airport, located where the Bill Roberts Golf Course is now. Shortly after his solo crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, Charles A. Lindbergh made a three-month cross-country tour of America in his Ryan monoplane, sponsored by wealthy aviation enthusiast Harry Guggenheim.

On Sept. 6, Lindbergh flew from Butte to Helena via the Swan Lake Valley, Glacier National Park, and Great Falls. The trip took nearly seven hours. In Helena, Lindbergh was greeted by Montana Governor John E. Erickson and Helena Mayor Percy Witmer, then driven to the Fairgrounds where he gave a short speech and greeted the public.

The Mayor and Governor then took him on a driving tour around the city, including the Fort Harrison grounds. Lindbergh rested at the Placer Hotel before a brief evening appearance at a banquet held in the ballroom of the Algeria Shrine Temple (Civic Center).

The next day, Lindberg flew back to Butte via Billings and Yellowstone Park. The flight took six hours.

These beautiful 1938 photos of the Helena Municipal Airport terminal were sent in by Charlie Beaton, who writes: "I grew up in Helena and my Dad moved there in 1938 as a radio operator for Northwest Airlines. Here are a few photos my Dad took of the original airport terminal in 1938."

Many thanks to Charlie for sharing these images.

The north (runway) side of the Helena airport terminal, 1938. A 16'x16' glass-enclosed tower was added to the top in November of 1943. The building was demolished in April of 2006, but the tower was saved by Don and Barb Hulett, who moved it to their Lakeside home...