1950 Map of Helena

About this map

Fort William Henry Harrison and the Veterans Administration Center stand as prominent landmarks west of the state capital in this mid-century portrait of the region. The map details a landscape transition from the urban density of Helena to the industrial and mining roots of the surrounding gulches. To the south, settlements like Unionville and Park City sit among the terrain of the Helena National Forest, while the tracks of the Northern Pacific railroad navigate the complex topography through Birdseye and toward the continental divide. This survey, compiled for the Bureau of Reclamation, captures the area's social infrastructure through numerous cemeteries such as Forest Vale Cemetery and Resurrection Cemetery, as well as the St Joseph Orphan Home. The presence of several mines and the State Nursery reflects a diversified local economy driven by both extraction and land management at the start of the 1950s.