What do I love about Helena? Well, actually there are many things. As an architect, the top of my list includes numerous structures that have piqued my interest in the history of Helena and its founders. The discovery of gold on Last Chance Gulch was certainly the eureka moment responsible for the establishment of many historic landmarks that fascinate me today.
While every community has an interesting story, no other city in Montana can match Helena in this regard. In past Nuggets articles, I have written about some of these gems, which include the state Capitol, many of the buildings along Last Chance Gulch and elegant homes built by our founders on the westside of Helena. Obviously, there are many more, such as the Cathedral of St.
Helena, the Civic Center and the Power Block to name a few. Not all the Nuggets have been grand, noticeable buildings. Shaw's Best Factory is a very small, well-designed structure tucked quietly off an alley near Hawthorne School that produced pancake flour for many years.
In short, while the gold was long ago extracted from Last Chance Gulch, there are still many gems scattered throughout the city for all of us to enjoy. I'm guessing each of you has a favorite. As I was thinking of a subject for today's Nugget, I wanted a gem that best represented the foresight of our founders as they struggled to develop this new town named Helena.
The bigger and more prominent structures seemed like obvious choices but it felt like there was a better, more ob.
