Helena High School state football champions, 1902.
A period newspaper account states that Helena won 5-0 over Missoula by a field goal in the final minutes of the game. Helena High finished the season without a team scoring against it.
The game was played, "at the ball park", but just where that was is proving difficult to determine. Any insights appreciated. There was an early ball park in the Seymer Park Addition, west of town and about a quarter-mile north of the Broadwater Hotel. An 1893 newspaper item touted Nick Kessler's plan to build a ballpark in a field east of his brewery's ice house, which would today be at the south end of Spring Meadow Lake.
There's a newspaper clipping in the comments below which names the lads on the championship team. Those things around their necks are nose protectors.
Photo courtesy of Merrill RiChey Meredith...
A colorized 1910 view of the Helena Cab Co., which was on the northeast corner of Park and Edwards.
This Moorish Revival livery stable and garage was built in 1907 by Joseph Murray and Jacob Fischer, both notables in the Helena livery business.
It was an up-to-date facility, advertising a horsey-odor-free experience for customers, along with other modern conveniences such as a separate waiting room for women.
From the start, plans were in place to dedicate part of the facility to the repair and servicing of automobiles, which was ultimately its function over the decades.
This building was last known as the Porter Garage, and was demolished in 1968, at the start of Helena's Urban Renewal projects.
Elements of the Moorish Revival design of the building are certainly reminiscent of the 1921 Helena Civic Center, but I'm unsure if the same architect was involved.
The illustration is from the souvenir booklet of the 26th Annual Encampment of the Montana Grand Army of the Republic ...
A then-and-now view of Neill Avenue, highlighting Eck's Toys and Hobbies in 1974. Eck's was a happy destination for many Helena kids and hobbyists.
Norm and Elaine Eck originally opened the shop at 15 Placer St. in October of 1959. It was moved to the Neill Ave. location, a former garage, in October of 1963. Eck sold the business to Joe and Arlene King in 1974.
Vintage photo courtesy of Janet Eck Bloom.
The earthquake-shattered 1890 Montana National Guard Arsenal, 1029 (now numbered 1025) N. Warren St. The rear of the building was also badly damaged.
Guard equipment continued to be stored in the wrecked Arsenal until it was finally demolished in the spring of 1939. The lot remained vacant until at least 1955.
For more about the Arsenal, please take the link in the comments below...
