Dozen Distinctive Destinations
Helena, MT
Year Listed: 2005
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Known for its setting amid pristine rivers, majestic mountains and wide-open spaces, Helena is a city of extraordinary beauty. Montana's third territorial capital, today’s state capitol and seat of spectacular Lewis and Clark County, Helena became "Queen City of the Rockies" with the boom sparked by an 1864 gold strike. When the precious ore played out, the city fought off becoming a ghost town, leveraging its central location to reemerge as a territorial banking and commercial center.
Mountain views from Helena, Montana.
Credit: Paul Putz
Today, the city's glorious past can be witnessed in a treasure trove of spectacular 19th-century mansions, historic mining-era businesses and restored pioneer dwellings. The imposing St. Helena Cathedral - modeled after the cathedral in Cologne, Germany - overlooks the downtown area, its lofty towers offering a manmade echo of the stony spires of the surrounding mountains. Nearby, the original Governor's Mansion and the copper-domed State Capitol Building are popular landmarks worthy of a visit - as are the Montana Historical Museum and the shops in the downtown area known as Last Chance Gulch.
Its prime location on the Rocky Mountains Front allows Helena to offer a wide range of activities for outdoor enthusiasts. Visitors can hike along the Continental Divide Trail, through the Blackfoot Meadows or into Mount Helena City Park, with spectacular views of town from 5,460 feet. For water-sports enthusiasts, there’s fishing, water-skiing and boat tours that follow the same route Lewis and Clark took in the early 1800s. July’s Last Chance Stampede and Fair, a rodeo, carnival and livestock exhibition is a highlight of the summer season. CORPS II, a week-long Lewis and Clark exhibition, is featured this July as well. For these reasons, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the country's largest private, nonprofit preservation organization, today named Helena, Mont. to its 2005 list of America’s Dozen Distinctive Destinations, an annual list of unique and lovingly preserved communities in the United States. It was selected from nearly 80 destinations in 44 states that were nominated by individuals, preservation organizations and local communities.
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