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

Alex C. Johnson Home

Helena Historic District

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, July 15, 2021

1. Alex C. Johnson Home Marker

Inscription. Senator T. C. Power met A. C. Johnson in Chicago and, taking a liking to the young man, offered him a job out west. The nineteen-year-old came to work as chief clerk at Power’s Fort Benton Mercantile in 1879. Power and Johnson became friends and both moved to Helena in 1890. Johnson rose to direct Power’s American National Bank and its successor, the First National Bank of Montana. Admiringly dubbed the “dean of Montana bankers,” Johnson believed a banker’s responsibility was to those who trusted him with their money. His home, built in 1892, mirrors the image Johnson cultivated for his financial institutions: strong, fortresslike, and invincible. The home’s Romanesque style, with its castle-like tower, round-arched entryway, and rough granite blocks, well reflects Johnson’s intention. Banker Henry Hale Piggott and his family, in residence by 1927, raised their three daughters here. In 1956, the Episcopal diocese purchased the residence. It became the home of several Episcopal bishops. The “9 Cross” in the wrought ironwork on the porch, the registered livestock brand of the Episcopal diocese, recalls this past owner.

Erected by Montana

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Historical Society.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce • Religion & Religious Structures. In addition, it is included in the Montana National Register Sign Program series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1879.

Location. 46° 35.723′ N, 112° 2.756′ W. Marker is in Helena, Montana, in Lewis and Clark County. It is at the intersection of Harrison Avenue and Stuart Street, on the left when traveling north on Harrison Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 724 Harrison 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: Tatem-Young Residence

Alex C. Johnson Home and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, July 15, 2021

2. Alex C. Johnson Home and Marker

(about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Samuel T. Hauser Mansion (about 400 feet away); Edward C. Babcock Mansion (about 400 feet away); George Grossberg Residence (about 400 feet away); Tracy-Power Residence (about 500 feet away); Palmquist Residence (about 600 feet away); Gilpatrick/Root House (approx. 0.2 miles away); Boyer/Hawkins Residence (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Helena.

Regarding Alex C. Johnson Home. This property is located in Helena's historic Mansion District.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 12, 2024. It was originally submitted on December 8, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 497 times since then and 40 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 8, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.