Helena in Lewis and Clark County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
221 Spencer Street
Helena South-Central Historic District
Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, July 16, 2021
1. 221 Spencer Street Marker
Inscription.
Jacob T. Gove, a miner and assayer, developed the Bonanza Chief gold mine near Montana City in 1883, netting over $9,000 from three carloads of ore. With his small fortune, he opened an assay office, built the house next door at 229 for his family, and this brick home as a rental property. Residential land was in short supply during Helenas heady 1880s, as evidenced by the proximity of the north neighbor. Attorney J. M. Clements, later a well-known district court judge, lived here in 1889. The Goves lived here from 1890 until 1891 when they sold both houses to Julia Otto for $5,000. Mrs. Otto lived next door with boarders and rented this house to tenants, including office clerks, cooks, and in 1900, bartender John Milch and his wife Ida. In 1914, German immigrant William E. Mundt purchased both houses. Mundt worked for the A. M. Holter Hardware Co. for fifty years. He applied stucco to the brick walls, most likely following Helenas devastating October 1935 earthquakes. Although stucco covers the original brick, the tall windows and interior fir floors are original.
Location. 46° 34.913′ N, 112° 2.214′ W. Marker is in Helena, Montana, in Lewis and Clark County. It is on Spencer Street near Pine Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 221 Spencer Street, 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 Ruperts Land and also the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: 229 Spencer (a few steps from this marker); English House (within shouting distance of this marker); Ingram House (within shouting
Credits. This page was last revised on January 10, 2025. It was originally submitted on December 13, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 313 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on December 13, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.
