Early settlement and gold rush Helena, Montana

helena, montana in 1870

by 1800s people of european descent united states , british canada began arriving work streams of missouri river watershed looking fur-bearing animals beaver, undoubtedly bringing them through area known helena valley. yet native peoples none of them stayed long.

gold strikes in idaho territory in 1860s attracted many migrants initiated major gold rushes @ grasshopper creek (bannack) , alder gulch (virginia city) in 1862 , 1863 respectively. many people came federal government created new territory called montana in may 1864. these miners prospected far , wide new placer gold discoveries. on july 14, 1864, discovery of gold prospecting party referred 4 georgians , in gulch off prickly pear creek led founding of mining camp along small creek in area called last chance gulch.

the original camp named last chance 4 georgians. fall, population had grown on 200, , thought name last chance crass. on october 30, 1864, group of @ least 7 self-appointed men met name town, authorize layout of streets, , elect commissioners. first suggestion tomah, word committee thought had connections local indian people. other nominations included pumpkinville , squashtown (as meeting held day before halloween). other suggestions name community after various minnesota towns, such winona , rochester, number of settlers had come minnesota. finally, scotsman named john summerville proposed helena, pronounced /həˈliːnə/ hə-lee-nə in honor of helena township, scott county, minnesota. caused uproar former confederates in room, insisted upon pronunciation /ˈhɛlɪnə/ hel-i-nə, after helena, arkansas, town on mississippi river. while name helena won, pronunciation varied until approximately 1882 when /ˈhɛlɪnə/ hel-i-nə pronunciation became dominant , has remained present. later tales of naming of helena claimed name came variously island of st. helena, napoleon had been exiled, or of miner s sweetheart.

the townsite first surveyed in 1865 captain john wood. however, many of original streets followed chaotic paths of miners, going around claims , following winding gulch. result, few city blocks consistent in size; rather have irregular variety of shapes , sizes.

in 1870, henry d. washburn, having been appointed surveyor general of montana in 1869, organized washburn-langford-doane expedition in helena explore regions become yellowstone national park. mount washburn, located within park, named him. members of expedition included helena residents: truman c. everts - former u.s. assessor montana territory, judge cornelius hedges - u.s. attorney, montana territory, samuel t. hauser - president of first national bank, helena, montana; later governor of montana territory, warren c. gillette - helena merchant, benjamin c. stickney jr. - helena merchant, walter trumbull - son of u.s. senator lyman trumbull (illinois) , nathaniel p. langford, former u.s. collector of internal revenue montana territory. langford helped washburn organize expedition , later helped publicize remarkable yellowstone region. in may 1872 after park established, langford appointed department of interior first superintendent.