Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/Helena (Montana)

HELENA, a city of Montana, and county-seat of Lewis and Clarke co., near Prickly Pear creek, and on the Great Northern, and the Northern Pacific railroads. It is the commercial center of Montana, northern Idaho, and eastern Washington, and has abundant water power from the Missouri river. It has numerous smelting and reduction works, blast furnaces, foundries, machine shops, granite and sandstone works, and does considerable business in mining, farming, and stock-raising. It is the seat of Montana Wesleyan University, Mount St. Charles College, State Capitol, Federal Buildings, Assay Office, St. Vincent's Academy, Orphans' Home, St, Peter's and St. John's Hospitals. The city has electric lights, and electric street railroads connecting with surrounding towns, daily and weekly newspapers, public library, 2 National banks. Pop. (1910) 12,515; (1920) 12,037.