Montana State Capitol, Helena Photos

The Montana State Capitol in Helene (1896-1902) was designed by Charles Emlen Bell & John Hackett Kent. The dome is capped in copper, a major mining product of Montana. The building of the Capitol involved a scandal, with two sets of architectural plans being used in an attempt to swindle an extra $2 million during the construction. Prior to this Capitol, the town of Bannack served as capital after Montana became a territory in 1864. After less than a year, the legislature moved to Virginia City. Political intrigues got the capital moved again to Helena in 1894. The legislature sat for 20 years in what is now the present Helena courthouse.

See also: Montana, Helena, U.S. State Capitols

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Montana State Capitol with Thomas Francis Meagher statue.	Montana State Capitol (1896-1902). Architect: Charles Emlen Bell & John Hackett Kent. On National Register.	Stonework carvings on facade of Montana State Capitol.	Dome of Montana State Capitol with Montana liberty statue.

Details of copper covered dome of Montana State Capitol.	Statue of Montana, symbol of liberty, (1900) by Edward J. Van Landeghem atop Montana State Capitol.	Thomas Francis Meagher statue (1905) by Charles J. Mulligan at Montana State Capitol.	Statue of Thomas Francis Meagher, Irish Revolutionary & Union Army Officer who twice served as Territorial Governor of Montana at Montana State Capitol.

Interior of dome of Montana State Capitol.	Central stained glass details of interior of dome of Montana State Capitol.	Arches of rotunda of Montana State Capitol.	Colored rotunda interior of Montana State Capitol.

Indian Chief mural (1902) by F. Pedretti's Sons in rotunda of Montana State Capitol.	Cowboy mural (1902) by F. Pedretti's Sons in rotunda of Montana State Capitol.	Trapper mural (1902) by F. Pedretti's Sons in rotunda of Montana State Capitol.	Prospector mural (1902) by F. Pedretti's Sons in rotunda of Montana State Capitol.

Rotunda details at Montana State Capitol.	Details of Rotunda decoration at Montana State Capitol.	Stairway of Montana State Capitol.	Newel post & lamp standard in Montana State Capitol.

Driving the Golden Spike (1883) for Northern Pacific Railroad Transcontinental Line mural by Amédee Joullin at Montana State Capitol.	Driving the Golden Spike (1883) mural features President U.S. Grant at Montana State Capitol.	Stained glass windows in Montana State Capitol.	Mike & Maureen Mansfield statues (2001) in Montana State Capitol.

Statue of Mike Mansfield, longtime leader of U.S. Senate in Montana State Capitol.	Old State Supreme Court at Montana State Capitol.	Stained glass ceiling of Old State Supreme Court at Montana State Capitol.	Paintings on ceiling of Old State Supreme Court at Montana State Capitol.

Historic murals in Old State Supreme Court at Montana State Capitol.	Historic murals in Old State Supreme Court at Montana State Capitol.	Historic murals in Old State Supreme Court at Montana State Capitol.	Lewis' First Glimpse of the Rockies mural by F. Pedretti in Old State Supreme Court at Montana State Capitol.

Signing the Enabling Act mural by F. Pedretti in Old State Supreme Court at Montana State Capitol.	Proclamation of Statehood mural by F. Pedretti in Old State Supreme Court at Montana State Capitol.	Gates of the Mountains mural by F. Pedretti in Old State Supreme Court at Montana State Capitol.	Emigrant Train Being Attacked by Indians mural by F. Pedretti in Old State Supreme Court at Montana State Capitol.

Chase of the Buffalo mural by F. Pedretti in Old State Supreme Court at Montana State Capitol.	Farewell to the Buffalo mural in Old State Supreme Court at Montana State Capitol.	Senate chamber of Montana State Capitol.	Lewis & Clark bicentennial bronze mural in Senate chamber of Montana State Capitol.

We Proceeded On bronze mural (2006) by Eugene Daub in Senate chamber of Montana State Capitol.	Detail showing Lewis & Clark on bronze mural in Senate chamber of Montana State Capitol.	Detail showing Sacagawea with baby on back on bronze mural in Senate chamber of Montana State Capitol.	Louisiana Purchase mural showing Jefferson & Napoleon by F. Pedretti in Senate chamber of Montana State Capitol.

Lewis & Clark at Three Forks mural by F. Pedretti in Senate chamber of Montana State Capitol.	Old Fort Benton with Pierre Choteau & Andrew Dawson mural by F. Pedretti in Senate chamber of Montana State Capitol.	Custer's Last Battle mural by F. Pedretti in Senate chamber of Montana State Capitol.	Prospectors at Nelson Gulch mural by F. Pedretti in Senate chamber of Montana State Capitol.

Old Fort Owen with Fathers Ravalli & DeSmet mural by F. Pedretti in Senate chamber of Montana State Capitol.	Stained glass ceiling in Senate chamber of Montana State Capitol.	Salamanders on ceiling in Senate chamber of Montana State Capitol.	House chamber of Montana State Capitol.

Lewis & Clark Meeting Indians at Ross' Hole painting (1912) by Charles M. Russell dominates House chamber of Montana State Capitol.	Detail of Indians on horseback in Charles M. Russell's painting of Lewis & Clark in House chamber of Montana State Capitol.	Detail of Core of Discovery in background of Charles M. Russell's painting of Lewis & Clark in House chamber of Montana State Capitol.	Charles M. Russell's signature on painting of Lewis & Clark in House chamber of Montana State Capitol.

Desks in House chamber of Montana State Capitol.	Ceiling detail in House chamber of Montana State Capitol.	Bronze plaque showing Montana State Capitol.