Montana State Capitol, Government building in Helena, United States.
The Montana State Capitol is a neoclassical building of Montana sandstone and granite in Helena, with a copper-clad dome topped by a statue called Montana. Its rotunda carries four circular paintings on the pendentives depicting a Native American, an explorer and fur trapper, a gold miner and a cowboy.
A design competition in 1896 chose George R. Mann, but the commission was disbanded in 1897 over a funding scheme and a second contest went to Bell & Kent of Council Bluffs, Iowa. Construction began in 1899 and finished in 1902; Mann's rejected plan later served as the basis for the Arkansas State Capitol. Two wings by Link & Haire were added between 1909 and 1912.
Inside the building, a large painting by Charles Russell shows the moment when the Lewis and Clark expedition met Native Americans in 1805. This work stands among the art pieces that visitors can see during their time in the halls.
The main (north) entrance faces a bronze equestrian statue of General Thomas Francis Meagher, cast in Chicago in 1905; he governed Montana Territory from 1865 to 1867. Inside, the rotunda sits at the centre of the plan, with the House and Senate chambers reached from it. The building stands at 1301 East Sixth Avenue in Helena.
The dome is covered with copper that has developed a green patina over time and now shapes Helena's skyline. A Liberty statue stands on top, looking over the city and visible from several points when the weather is clear.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,783 contributors worldwide.
