Haunted Helena

With news of gold in Grasshopper Creek, the gold rush officially began in Montana in the summer of 1862. It was gold that drew thousands to Montana and established some of the region’s most prominent towns. On July 14, 1864, four men (known today as the Four Georgians) set up camp along Last Chance Gulch – so named as the men were giving themselves one last chance to strike it rich before returning to the Alder Gulch Area empty handed. Their claims on Last Chance Gulch would be the beginnings of Helena, Montana’s Capital City.

Unlike many of the towns that mushroomed into existence during Montana’s Gold Rush, Helena today is no ghost town. It has always been a booming town, and one of the centers of Montana life. It is, however, a ghost story town, a city brimming with hauntings and visitations, with unexplained sightings and things that go bump, or in some cases chirp, in the night. Hardly surprising considering the sorts of shenanigans gold rush towns got up to.

The best way to experience the Queen City’s haunted past is on The Foundation for Montana History’s Ghost Gulch tours!

THE TOUR ITSELF

In years past, this tour starts and ends at the Myrna Loy Theatre. These tours will run weekdays through September and October. The tour takes place aboard Bert and Ernie’s Pub Trolley, which is outfitted with a clear wrap around curtain to ensure guests stay warm during the tours! As you wind your way through downtown Helena, you will be met with a variety of ghost stories from the Capital City. Along the tour, you’ll see the Myrna Loy Theatre, nearby mansions, Reeder’s Alley, remnants of Helena’s red light district, the popular walking mall, and the site of the old hanging tree. Many of the ghost stories told on this tour have been collected and recorded by the late Montana Historian, Ellen Baumler.

As a long-time historian at the Montana Historical Society and a prolific author Ellen spent her career collecting stories of Montana history–many of the spookiest found their way into her books including Spirit Tailings, Beyond Spirit Tailings, and Montana Chillers, not to mention her long-running blog and her study of Montana cemeteries, The Life of the Afterlife in the Big Sky State.

These stories are gristly and sometimes sweet, often surprising, and always humane–in a ghostly sort of way. They’ll make you see Montana’s capital city in a new light and are an essential ingredient to a Montana fall.

A TASTE OF THE TOUR

As you pedal your way through Helena, you’ll soon see there is no shortage of hauntings. All of the hauntings recounted on the tour can be tied directly back to Montana history. One such story is that of Helena’s hangman tree. The gnarled ponderosa pine stood at the top of dry gulch, today that would be between Davis Street and Blake Street. At least 10 men were hanged at this site between 1865 and 1870. The final recorded hanging was that of Arthur Compton and Joseph Wilson. These men had been found guilty of the robbery and attempted murder of George Leonard by a group of nearly 1500 and on April 30, 1870, they were hanged. A rope would be attached to one of the trees knotted branches, a noose fastened around the accused’s neck, and they would balance on the back of a horse. When the time came, those in charge of the hanging would slap the rear of the horse, sending the horse running and the perpetrator to his death.

There have been countless unexplainable events recorded from the area. From ghostly sightings to the inexplainable thundering of hooves through the area, there are enough accounts to make you wonder. The tree of death, as it was referred, was chopped down in 1875 by the Methodist minister Shippen who owned the lot. When the tree was cut down, a crowd gathered and took splinters of the tree as souvenirs. Two such pieces can be found at the Montana Historical Society.

This is just one of the stories you may hear on your tour, and with two hours, you’ll hear plenty.

TIPS TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR EXPERIENCE

• These tours are popular and only available throughout September and October. Make sure to get your tickets early!
• This is an incredible tour that will leave you wanting to dig deeper into Helena’s history. Why not plan a couple days in the Capital City! Book a hotel or bed & breakfast in the area and make sure to add the Montana Historical Society, the Myrna Loy Center, the Original Montana Governor’s Mansion and Elkhorn Ghost Town to your itinerary.
• Be ready to ask questions and really dig into the stories!
• If you are looking for a place to grab dinner or drinks before the tour, consider heading downtown early and resting your feet at Blackfoot River Brewing, Brooklyn Pizza, the Mediterranean Grill, On Broadway, or the Windbag Saloon.
• Make sure to thank your host and drivers. This is an incredible opportunity, and we would love to see this tradition continue for years to come!

Already looking to dig deeper into Southwest Montana’s haunted history? We worked with Ellen in years past to add a small collection of Montana ghost stories to our site, check them out here. Maybe you are ready for a second tour. Butte offers a Spooks & Spirits tour that is not for the faint of heart but is another great addition to a haunted Montana itinerary!