Helena in Lewis and Clark County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
229 Spencer
Helena South-Central Historic District
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, July 16, 2021
1. 229 Spencer Marker
Inscription.
229 Spencer. Helena South-Central Historic District. Mining required back breaking labor and, after the easy pickings were gone, substantial capital. How did prospectors decide whether to continue working particular veins? They brought ore samples from their claims to an assay office, where they were weighed and tested for purity. In 1888, Helena boasted a federal assay office as well as three private assay companies. Among the private enterprises was the Utah Assay Office, whose owner, Jacob Gove, advertised “Fifteen Years’ Practical Experience in Utah, Colorado and Nevada.” Gove first came to Helena as a miner, and circa 1884 he built this two-story gable front-and-wing house on Spencer Street Alley. In 1891, Julia Otto purchased the residence, which she ran as a small lodging house. The widowed German immigrant would not have had trouble finding tenants; housing was scarce in Helena during this period. Over the years her renters included two cooks, a teacher, and a clerk. Renting rooms or running boarding houses were among the few occupations available to women like Otto, who continued to live here until 1914.
Mining required back breaking labor and, after the easy pickings were gone, substantial capital. How did prospectors decide whether to continue working particular veins? They brought ore samples from their claims to an assay office, where they were weighed and tested for purity. In 1888, Helena boasted a federal assay office as well as three private assay companies. Among the private enterprises was the Utah Assay Office, whose owner, Jacob Gove, advertised “Fifteen Years’ Practical Experience in Utah, Colorado and Nevada.” Gove first came to Helena as a miner, and circa 1884 he built this two-story gable front-and-wing house on Spencer Street Alley. In 1891, Julia Otto purchased the residence, which she ran as a small lodging house. The widowed German immigrant would not have had trouble finding tenants; housing was scarce in Helena during this period. Over the years her renters included two cooks, a teacher, and a clerk. Renting rooms or running boarding houses were among the few occupations available to women like Otto, who continued to live here until 1914.
Location. 46° 34.903′ N, 112° 2.222′ W. Marker is in Helena, Montana, in Lewis and Clark County. Marker is on Spencer Street near Pine Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 229 Spencer Street, Helena MT 59601, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 13, 2021. It was originally submitted on December 13, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 88 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on December 13, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.
