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

Pioneer Cabin

Helena Historic District

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, July 15, 2021

1. Pioneer Cabin Marker

Inscription. Wilson Butts followed the stampede to Last Chance Gulch in 1864, staked his claim here, and built a serviceable one-room cabin. The following spring his brother Jonas arrived with a wife and three young daughters. Jonas added a front room and porch onto the bachelor cabin and there the family lived until 1867. But the rowdy gold camp was no place to raise the girls. When music of a nearby dance hall filtered into the cabin, the Buttses fled the gulch. Stephen and Luella Fergus Gilpatrick then moved into the cabin and their first son was born soon thereafter. Although neighbors laughed when Luella planted two locust seedlings brought from Wisconsin, the trees thrived and grew to parent many others. From 1904, George Mitchell ran a wood, coal, and poultry business from the cabin. The Last Chance Restoration Association acquired the property in 1939 soon after Mitchell’s death. Restored and furnished with period pieces including items of the cabin’s early residents, the community treasure is Helena’s only unaltered remnant of the great gold rush.

Erected by Montana Historical Society.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Settlements & Settlers.

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

In addition, it is included in the Montana National Register Sign Program series list.

Location. 46° 35.096′ N, 112° 2.585′ W. Marker is in Helena, Montana, in Lewis and Clark County. It is on South Park Avenue near Reeder's Alley, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 208 South Park Avenue, Helena MT 59601, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in andspecifically entral Montana in Gold West Country. It is also in the American Mountain West

and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Rocky Mountains,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Rupert’s Land

and also the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Pioneer Cabin on Last Chance Gulch (here, next to this marker); Caretaker's Cabin (a few steps from this marker); Reeder's Alley (a few steps from this marker); "The Pioneer Cabin" (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Reeder's Alley (within shouting distance of this marker); Reeder's Alley Survived the Test of Time (within shouting distance of this marker); Stone House at Reeder's Alley (within shouting distance of this marker); Morelli Bridge (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Helena.

Pioneer Cabin and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, July 15, 2021

2. Pioneer Cabin and Marker

Pioneer Cabin, interior view image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, July 15, 2021

3. Pioneer Cabin, interior view

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, July 15, 2021

4. Pioneer Cabin, interior view

Pioneer Cabin image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, July 15, 2021

5. Pioneer Cabin

Credits. This page was last revised on December 27, 2024. It was originally submitted on December 3, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 288 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on December 3, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.