Pioneer Cabin

View the interior of the cabin through a viewing window open daily. For a more in-depth tour, visit mthistory.org/tours to schedule a guided tour.

In the fall of 1864, a miner named Wilson Butts staked his claim along Last Chance Gulch by building the snug cabin with large glass windows, the first large glass windows in Helena. Butts added a room when his brother and sister-in-law (Jonas and Luanna) arrived with their three daughters to live with him.

The creek which drew Butts and other miners to Helena no longer flows, having been stopped by an earthquake in the 1930s. Before it disappeared, the creek produced over $60 million in gold.

Today the cabin is furnished to reflect the first three families who lived there; visitors can tour the cabin during the summer. When the cabin is closed, visitors can view the interior through the windows. Tours can be arranged/requested for the time you are in Helena.

The Pioneer Cabin stands as one of the last remaining structures that represents early Helena. It is the only one of its kind in the state of Montana. It also serves as the gateway to Reeder's Alley, the oldest part of Helena.

The garden next to the cabin is available for weddings and parties. Please contact the caretaker to make arrangements.