Helena in Lewis and Clark County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)

The Founding of Helena

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, July 14, 2021

1. The Founding of Helena Marker

Inscription. In 1864 four miners passed through this valley on their way back from an unsuccessful prospecting trip. Discouraged they decided to take one "last chance", filling their pans a few hundred yards south of here they struck pay dirt. Another boom town was born; prospectors poured into the gulch.
Fortunes were made with the gold pan, but the aristocrat of the camp was the miner who had a "rocker made of boards or a "sluice box". As larger gulch sections were worked huge mechanical dredged churned up the valley in search of deep lying deposits.
Much of the city is built on previously rich placer diggings and traffic down Main Street now wheels over what once lured men into the (frenzied ?) rush for wealth.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers.

Location. 46° 35.079′ N, 112° 2.552′ W. Marker is in Helena, Montana, in Lewis and Clark County. Marker can be reached from South Last Chance Gulch near East Broadway Street. This portion of Last Chance Gulch is a pedestrian mall and is closed to vehicular traffic. The marker is located in Pioneer Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 120 South Last Chance Gulch, Helena MT 59601, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Broadwater Resort (within shouting distance of this marker);

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Pioneer Cabin on Last Chance Gulch (within shouting distance of this marker); Pioneer Cabin (within shouting distance of this marker); Caretaker's Cabin (within shouting distance of this marker); Reeder's Alley (within shouting distance of this marker); "The Pioneer Cabin" (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Reeder's Alley (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Reeder's Alley Survived the Test of Time (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Helena.

Also see . . . The History of Helena, Montana -- Big Sky Fishing.com. The name Helena for the new town did not arrive overnight. Initially, the new town had a less-than-inspiring name of Crabtown, named after one of the four Georgians who found gold. Soon, though, other names were bounced around, including Pumpkinville and Squashtown. (Submitted on November 26, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, July 14, 2021

2. The Founding of Helena Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on November 26, 2021. It was originally submitted on November 26, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 250 times since then and 6 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 26, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.