Overview
Helena, the state capital located 225 mi/360 km northwest of Billings, began in the 1860s as a gold-rush boomtown.
Today, it's home to the old Queen Anne-style governor's mansion, the Greek Renaissance-style state Capitol (with a dome of copper mined in Montana) and The Cathedral of St. Helena, which is an imposing part of the city's architectural history.
Last Chance Gulch, the historic downtown's walking mall, offers a wide range of art galleries, shops, restaurants, music and craft fairs (in the summer months). Great Northern Town Center in north downtown features a beautiful carousel and ice-cream parlor, a children's science center (Exploration Works) and great dining opportunities.
Also downtown, you'll find the Holter Museum of Art, with new shows every six weeks. The Grandstreet Theater presents classic and modern plays, and The Montana Shakespeare Company holds outdoor shows in Performance Square.
Sightseeing
Southeast of Helena is the Elkhorn Wildlife Management Area in Elkhorn State Park, with 129,000 acres/52,200 hectares of wildlife (including big game). Elkhorn also has a ghost town featuring frontier architecture from the silver boom of the 1880s. Tizer Botanic Gardens and Arboretum, near the Elkhorn Mountains in Jefferson City, was originally planted to control the spread of weeds, but it now features thousands of flowering plants, seven themed gardens, trails and a restored gold mining homestead.
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