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

Samuel T. Hauser Mansion

Helena Historic District

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, July 15, 2021

1. Samuel T. Hauser Mansion Marker

Inscription. The history of this magnificent home, one of the earliest of the great mansions built on Helena’s west side, is finely interwoven with the history of Montana. Pioneer entrepreneur and financier Samuel T. Hauser built the twenty-nine-room residence in 1885, the same year President Cleveland appointed him territorial governor. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Helena purchased and presented the home to Bishop John P. Carroll in 1913. After Bishop Carroll’s death in 1925, three succeeding bishops occupied the mansion. When the 1935 earthquakes displaced the Sisters of Charity in Helena, the home became the convent of this long-established teaching order. The bedrooms were at this time partitioned into thirty-two sleeping rooms. In 1969, the Diocese sold the home to former Governor Tim Babcock and his wife, Betty, who completely restored the stately home to its former grandeur. Gables, dormers, and porches embellished with carved wood and windows with stone trim of locally quarried porphyry highlight the fine design. Interior appointments include black walnut wainscoting and parquet floors of cherry, walnut, and oak. An intricately

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carved oak stairway graces the grand hall and one of the nine fireplaces features a ceramic hearth depicting Hauser family scenes. Two exquisite stained glass panels, crafted in Germany by the designer of the St. Helena Cathedral windows and installed by Bishop Carroll in 1915, remain intact. In 1975, the mansion received a Burlington House Award for American Homes on the basis of taste and ingenuity in interior furnishing.

Erected by Montana Historical Society.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Government & Politics • 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 1885.

Location. 46° 35.717′ N, 112° 2.663′ W. Marker is in Helena, Montana, in Lewis and Clark County. It is at the intersection of Madison Avenue and Stuart Street on Madison Avenue. This property is located in Helena's historic Mansion District. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 720 Madison Avenue, Helena MT 59601, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally,

Samuel T. Hauser Mansion and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, July 15, 2021

2. Samuel T. Hauser Mansion and Marker

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: George Grossberg Residence (within shouting distance of this marker); Palmquist Residence (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Alex C. Johnson Home (about 400 feet away); Tatem-Young Residence (about 400 feet away); Edward C. Babcock Mansion (about 500 feet away); Tracy-Power Residence (about 600 feet away); Gilpatrick/Root House (approx. 0.2 miles away); Western Life Insurance Company (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Helena.

Credits. This page was last revised on December 4, 2024. It was originally submitted on December 8, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 394 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 8, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.