How to Tour the State Capital of Montana

The capital city of Montana is the only city to have been part of the Gold Rush, thanks to the gold found in Last Chance Gulch, now Helena. Started in 1864, Last Chance Creek brought thousands of people to the area looking for gold. “Pumpkinville” and “Squashtown” were considered as names for the area, but Helena was the final choice and the capital was moved to Helena in 1875. Helena today has experienced a modest but steady growth because its economy relies mostly on government and industries providing goods and services.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Listen to the Helena Symphony. The first symphony in Helena was started in the 1890s and was called the Ming Opera Orchestra. In 1955, the Helena Symphony Orchestra was founded. The orchestra reaches out to the community by conducting classes.
2. Take an hour or take a day at Spring Meadow Lake State Park and bring the family for swimming, scuba diving, fishing and birding. Bring your binoculars to observe the wildlife on a nature trail tour. In addition to approximately 50 species of birds, you can see mink and mule deer.
3. Tour the Bob Marshall Wilderness area located very near Helena. There are 1,800 miles of trails which will take you all the way to Glacier National Park.
4. Spend some time at the Montana Historical Society, started in 1865. The historical society is the oldest historical society west of the Mississippi. Become educated about the history of Helena and the state of Montana here.
5. Visit the Archie Bray Foundation, founded in 1951 to help inspire creativity and encourage people to learn how to work with ceramic arts. The Archie Bray Foundation is on the National Register of Historic Places. Located at a former factory at the foot of the Rocky mountains, it is internationally recognized by those interested in the art of ceramics.

Tips & Warnings

• Bring comfortable shoes for hiking the trails to Glacier National Park.