Helena’s past still present
A grizzly bear chases a bobcat, which chases a bison, right in the middle of Montana’s capital city, Helena.
To the delight of kids large and small, the hand-carved wooden creatures romp around the Great Northern Carousel to the tune of “Georgia on My Mind,” a carousel classic.
“It’s a dinosaur,” says a toddler who is straddling a 4-foot-tall rabbit.
“It’s a triceratops,” says carousel assistant manager Victoria Barrett. “Kids love to take a second ride, and it seems like they always ask if it can go faster. There’s only one speed.”
And it only costs $1.
The old-fashioned amusement is just one gem in and around Helena, a city born out of gold fever and sustained by the surrounding forests, rivers, rolling grasslands and clever creations like the carousel creatures.
Traveling what’s called Gold West Country, a state tourism distinction, includes a must-stop in Helena for the historic treasures, recreational outlets and possibly the West’s best cherry phosphate.
Helena spreads east from the base of the Rocky Mountains and below the Continental Divide and Roger’s Pass, famous for a record low temperature of minus 69.7 degrees Fahrenheit in January 1954. Fortunately, summer daytime temperatures are in the comfortable mid-80s with an occasional thundershower to cool off evenings.
Helena sits where it does because in 1864, gold miners – the four Georgians – decided to make one last effort at searching for gold when they struck it rich in what they named Last Chance Gulch. A year later, 3,000 people had relocated to Helena. It’s said that $15 million in precious metals was extracted from the area during the late 1800s.
As boomtowns go, Helena became home to miners who became millionaires. The legacy remains in elegant Victorians and bold spires, which poke the sapphire sky above the Cathedral of St. Helena.
Some of the best of early Helena is along the Last Chance Gulch Walking Mall, a comfortable cobblestone couple of blocks. Several buildings declare their 19th century heritage: the Atlas Building, the elegant Placer Hotel (now an apartment building) and a former bordello, home to the fashionable Windbag Saloon and Eatery – an appropriate name for a restaurant in the state’s capital.
Live music echoes here on Wednesday evenings during the summer’s Alive@Five concert series. Weekends are festive with music and craft fairs on the walking mall.
At the north end of Last Chance Gulch is the Wells Fargo Bank, which houses a collection of gold nuggets. In the middle is a delightful play area for the youngsters, a statue of an early-day “bull whacker” driving cattle to Montana’s grasslands and very possibly the West’s best Italian soda at Parrot Confectionary.
For the full scoop on Helena history, the Last Chance Tour Train offers an hour of colorful past. The $6.50 tour begins outside the Montana Historical museum at the corner of Sixth and Roberts, just east of the Capitol building. Tours depart on the hour daily, but the tour service is closed on Sundays.
“People always ask if there’s still gold here,” tour guide Lucas Christensen tells visitors. The answer is “maybe,” but the real gem is in the tour itself.
Adds Christensen: “My favorite part of the tour is past the mansion district on the west side of Helena. I especially like the mansion built by the Territorial Governor Samuel Hauser as a wedding gift for his daughter.”
While Helena is a top-hat-and-tails town, the wilds remain as close as a snug fur collar on the well-heeled of the city’s yesteryear.
Celebrated at the carousel are Montana’s big outdoor names: the river otter, the antelope, bighorn sheep and, of course, the grizzly bear, which roams nearby in the 10-million-acre wilderness complex out Helena’s back door.
Out the front door are numerous recreational options. Hikes lead from town at the 620-acre Mount Helena City Park, 5,468 feet above sea level and about 1,300 feet above the Last Chance Gulch. Short hikes appeal to families and visitors who like views with their exercise.
Several trails wrap the grassy and evergreen-cloaked peak, including a local’s favorite, the 1906 Trail. It skirts the base of limestone cliffs en route to the top.
One popular carousel creature, the native cutthroat trout, reminds riders to find summer splashing in nearby lakes and streams. The Missouri River brought the Lewis and Clark expedition near today’s Helena 200 years ago. Now the Canyon Ferry Dam creates a 25-mile reservoir, which features two dozen fishing, boating and swimming sites.
After the recreation, the history, the splashing and the music, it’s relaxing to sit in the Great Northern Carousel’s chariots and check out the galloping otters, horses and even a dinosaur before enjoying a scoop of Painted Pony Ice Cream and watching as a grizzly bear chases a bobcat, which chases a bison.