Helena in Lewis and Clark County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
Lewis and Clark County Courthouse
Photographed by Jimmy Emerson, July 13, 2009
1. Lewis and Clark County Courthouse Marker
Inscription.
Lewis and Clark County Courthouse. . Much Montana history unfolded within this magnificent landmark which served as both territorial capitol (1887-1888) and state capitol (1889-1902). Here in 1889 officials received word of statehood, and three hours later J. K. Toole was sworn in as Montana's first governor. St. Paul architects Hodgson and Stem drew heavily upon the Romanesque Revival style as influenced by H. H. Richardson, creating a masterpiece that rivaled eastern counterparts. The well-laid granite walls boast exceptionally fine Bayfield brownstone trim from Wisconsin (the same brownstone of New York's Fifth Avenue fame) and the interior appointments are also extraordinary. The building's splendid Norman clock tower presided over Helena until 1935, when earthquakes humbled its grandeur. The tower, fourth-story gables and a heavy stone. cornice, adornments of little use during the Depression era, were not replaced., this property contributes to the Helena Historic District - Listed in the National Register of Historic Places by the United State Department of Interior in cooperation with the Montana Historical Society
Much Montana history unfolded within this
magnificent landmark which served as both
territorial capitol (1887-1888) and state capitol
(1889-1902). Here in 1889 officials received
word of statehood, and three hours later J. K.
Toole was sworn in as Montana's first governor.
St. Paul architects Hodgson and Stem drew heavily
upon the Romanesque Revival style as
influenced by H. H. Richardson, creating a masterpiece that rivaled eastern counterparts. The well-laid granite walls boast exceptionally fine
Bayfield brownstone trim from Wisconsin (the same brownstone of New York's Fifth Avenue fame) and the interior appointments are also
extraordinary. The building's splendid Norman
clock tower presided over Helena until 1935,
when earthquakes humbled its grandeur. The
tower, fourth-story gables and a heavy stone.
cornice, adornments of little use during the
Depression era, were not replaced.
this property contributes to the Helena Historic District - Listed in the National Register of Historic Places by the United State Department of Interior in cooperation with the Montana Historical Society
Location. 46° 35.176′ N, 112° 2.162′ W. Marker is in Helena, Montana, in Lewis and Clark County. It is on North Ewing Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 104 North Ewing 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.
courtesy Historical Society of Montana / Library of Congress (HABS)
3. Lewis and Clark County Courthouse
Credits. This page was last revised on July 23, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 22, 2026, by Jimmy Emerson of Dalton, Georgia. This page has been viewed 7 times since then. Photos:1, 2. submitted on July 22, 2026, by Jimmy Emerson of Dalton, Georgia. 3. submitted on July 23, 2026. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
