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Turret of the
Bluestone House
Old Federal building Reeders Alley subdivision
Helena Fire Tower
Mount Helena city park
Scratch Gravel Hills
The Walking Mall (we're
going there next) The Placer Hotel
Now you can see "The Sleeping Giant" on the horizon. |
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62603 The west view
from the "Helena Fire Tower." (Please
scroll to the right to see the view.) |
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The Fire Tower on
Watchtower Hill has become the emblem for Helena. Three major fires had
consumed large |
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blocks of Helena's
business district by 1874. After the 1874 fire, a large Fire Tower was
built with a room on |
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top for the watchman.
A 2,200 pound bell was installed to sound the alarm when a fire ignited.* |
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Let's
explore Helena's "Walking Mall" |
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The Atlas Building |
The Placer Hotel |
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Built in 1888 at a cost of
$40,000. |
The seven story brick hotel was completed in 1913.
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Can you see the
salamanders at the |
The kiosk on the left is one of two
remaining |
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very top of the building? |
towers from the "Novelty Building" built
in 1888. |
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They were intended to help protect the
building from fire. |
During the construction of the "Novelty
Building" |
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(See
below) |
a 7.5 ounce gold nugget was unearthed. |
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The "Novelty Building gold nugget" was
one |
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of the largest "nuggets" ever to come |
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out of Last Chance Gulch.* |
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(Click on any of the pictures to
see a larger image.) |
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The Securities Building - Built
in 1886. |
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This building reflects the
Richardson Romanesque style |
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so popular in
the 1880's. |
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The builders used granite of local
origin |
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and brown sandstone from
Bayfield, Wisconsin. |
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The original corner metal tower
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was removed
after the 1935 earthquake. |
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In front of the building stands
the "Bullwhacker" |
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by Smithsonian museum artist
&
sculptor John Weaver. |
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"It is a reminder of men like C.A.
Broadwater who came |
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west to seek gold, was a bullwhacker, and
built up the |
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Diamond R Freight Line, the largest
single enterprise |
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in Montana Territory at the
time."* |
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*Building information from: BAUCUS, JEAN
Gold in the Gulch |
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Bar Wineglass Publications; Helena, Montana : 1981 |
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