Capitol History

• About About About Home Montana Heritage Center Visit Event Spaces Rental Board of Trustees History, Goals, & Authorizations Employment Donate Our Blogs Staff Heritage Keeper Awards
• Shop Shop Shop Home Staff
• Museum Museum Museum Home About Montana's Museum Museum Collections Museum Tours Historic House Museums Montana Women's Mural Online Collections Staff
• Research Research Research Home Research Collections Online Collections Visiting the Reference Room Montana History Compass Research Request Services Copies and Reproductions Potential Donations Fellowships FAQs About the Library & Archives Staff
• Publications Publications Publications Home Montana The Magazine of Western History --Index to Articles --Subscribe --Change of Address Montana Historical Society Press Staff Submit a Manuscript
• Join+Give Join+Give Join+Give Home Membership Donate Support Field Trip Grants Donor Recognition Subscribe Change of Address Staff
• Education Education Education Home Community Events Conferences & Workshops Resources for Educators Resources for Students Interpretive Signs Montana Centennial Farm and Ranch Program Tours Volunteer Opportunities Hands on History Footlockers Montana: History of our Home Montana: Stories of the Land Montana and the Great War Montana Women's History Resources Professional Development Staff
• Preservation Preservation Preservation Home About Historic Preservation Archaeology Community Preservation and CLG Program National Register of Historic Places Review and Compliance Historic Architecture & Tax Credit Programs Cultural Records Forms and Documents Staff Submit and Access Data News and Events

1. Education
2. Capitol
3. Capitol History

Timeline of the Montana Capitol's History

 

The Montana Territory is established under the Organic Act. Governor Sidney Edgerton convenes the legislature in Bannack.

1864  

Virginia City becomes the territorial capital.

1865  

The territorial capital moves from Virginia City to Helena.

1875  

Montana becomes the 41st state on November 8. The decision of the capital’s permanent location is left for the voters to decide; Helena continues its role as temporary capital.

1889  

An election is held to determine the capital’s location. Out of the seven cities on the ballot, Helena and Anaconda are the top vote-getters, but neither wins a decisive majority. A runoff is called for.

1892  

Helena wins the runoff election and becomes the permanent state capital.

1894  

Montana’s Fourth Legislative Assembly authorizes the formation of a five-member Capitol Commission to oversee the design and construction of a Capitol building.

1895  

A ground-breaking ceremony is held for the new Capitol.

1896  

The Capitol Commission is accused of corruption, and State Representative Fred Whiteside leads the Fifth Legislative Assembly’s investigation. When State Architect John C. Paulsen dies before he can testify, the prosecution is left without its key witness. Without Paulsen, both the Assembly and the Lewis and Clark County Grand Jury find the evidence inconclusive but Governor Robert Smith removes the implicated commissioners.

1897  

A new Capitol Commission resumes work on the Capitol, selecting Charles Bell and John Kent’s architectural firm and Joseph Soss’ Butte construction company to complete the building. Bell and Kent relocate to Helena from Iowa to meet the legislature’s demand that the architect of the Capitol be a resident of the state.

1898  

The Capitol’s cornerstone is laid on the Fourth of July.

1899  

F. Pedretti’s Sons, an Ohio art firm, is chosen to design the Capitol’s interior.

1901  

The Capitol is dedicated on July 4.

1902  

The Northern Pacific Railroad Company presents Amédée Joullin’s Driving of the Golden Spike to the state as a gift, and the mural is installed inside the arch at the end of the Grand Stairway’s barrel vault.

1903  

A bronze plaque honoring veterans of the Spanish-American War is installed.

1904  

The Thomas Francis Meagher monument is installed on the Capitol’s north lawn.

1905  

The Eleventh Legislative Assembly authorizes construction of additional east and west wings to the Capitol building. A special session of the legislature provides for selection of Montana granite for facing of wings.

1909  

Granite from T. Kain and Sons’ quarry at Clancy is chosen over other Kain quarries and other bidders.

1910  

Three Montana artists—Ralph E. Decamp, Edgar S. Paxson, and Charles M. Russell—are chosen to paint murals in the new locations of the Law Library, House of Representatives Lobby, and House of Representatives Chamber, respectively.

1911  

The Capitol’s new additions and artworks are completed.

1912  

The bronze statue of Wilbur Fisk Sanders is completed and installed in the Rotunda.

1913  

Capitol building bonds are issued to build an annex on the Capitol’s grounds for the State Board of Health.

1919  

Capitol building bonds are issued to construct a vault for the State Treasurer’s Office.

1925  

A bronze plaque honoring General John Logan’s Memorial Address is installed as a tribute to Civil War veterans.

1926  

Additional paintings by Ralph Decamp are commissioned for the Law Library.

1927  

The marble bust of Senator Thomas Walsh is installed in the Rotunda.

1930  

The Civil Works Administration does renovation work on the Capitol building.

1933-1934  

A series of earthquakes hits the Helena area. The Rotunda’s original glass floor, as well as the walls’ plaster and fresco designs, are damaged.

1935  

Works Progress Administration laborers finish repainting the interior of the Capitol building. A faux ashlar design now covers the original Pedretti decorative schemes in much of the Rotunda and second-floor hallways.

1936  

The planning phase of a state building program is initiated as part of a postwar planning commission program.

1947  

The north entrance on the Capitol’s first floor is constructed.

1955-1956  

The Helena firm of Morrison-Maierle and Associates begin work on plans for modernizing the appearance of the Capitol’s interior.

1962  

The first stage of modernizing work on the Capitol’s interior is complete.

1964  

Stage Two of modernization begins. The Grand Stairway’s stained-glass barrel vault is removed to accommodate the placement of a new fourth-floor hearing room. Joullin’s Driving the Gold Spike is moved to the Rotunda’s west wall.

1965  

The west wing is remodeled.

1968  

F. A Constitutional Convention produces a new Montana constitution. The bust of former Governor Joseph K. Dixon is installed in the Rotunda.

1972  

The bust of former Senator and U.S. District Attorney Burton K. Wheeler is installed in the Rotunda.

1977  

The life-size statue of Jeanette Rankin is installed in the south hall of the Rotunda.

1980  

Restoration work returns the Capitol’s interior to its original appearance.

1999-2000  

The statue of Maureen and Mike Mansfield is installed on the third floor’s south landing.

2001  

The bronze relief We Proceeded On is installed in the senate chamber.

2006  

The Women Build Montana murals are installed on the third floor’s south landing.

2015 Visit | Staff Directory | Contact | Feedback

© Montana Historical Society. All rights reserved. 225 North Roberts, P.O. Box 201201, Helena, MT 59620-1201, 406-444-2694