Lewis & Clark County - MT - Historical Society

07/09/2026

Montana wrote its own rulebook — and it's more radical than you'd think.

As part of America's 250th, join us for The Montana Constitution Road Show, presented by Upper Seven Law. In 1972, everyday Montanans sat down and built a constitution that still shapes your daily life — from environmental protections found nowhere else in the country to a Bill of Rights that goes further than the federal one.

Admission is free! Join us!

06/26/2026

🚶‍♀️ Historic Helena Walking Tours
This Sunday, June 28th at 4:00 PM — last chance to catch the June tour, Historic Last Chance Gulch–Old Main Street! Meet at the Lewis & Clark Library, 120 S. Last Chance Gulch (Downtown Walking Mall). $5 suggested donation (kids free). Wear comfortable clothes and shoes.

Coming up in July: Lost Glories, Living Legends — explore Helena's early Upper West Side before the mansions arrived. Sundays, July 5, 12, 19 & 26 at 4:00 PM. Park in the north lot on Lawrence St. and meet at the NW corner of the City-County Building, 316 N. Park Ave.

And in August: Mansions & Millionaires, Helena's West Side — see the largest concentration of architecturally significant historic homes in the city. Sundays in August at 4:00 PM. Meet at the corner of Madison & Stuart Streets.

📍 All tours, all summer — your guide to Helena's history, one neighborhood at a time, sponsored by the Lewis and Clark County Historical Society and the Helena/Lewis and Clark County Heritage Tourism Program.

06/26/2026

We need ONE MORE FOLLOWER to reach the magic 100! Can you help us meet this milestone?

06/19/2026

Helena's Historic Walking Tours! During June, every Sunday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. meet at the Lewis and Clark Library for Last Chance Gulch/Old Main Street Walking Tours.

Wear hats, sunblock, and comfortable shoes for this tour sponsored by Lewis & Clark County Historical Society and Helena/Lewis & Clark County Heritage Tourism Program. Cost is $5 per person, children free.

See you there!

Send a message to learn more

06/19/2026

🏛️ FREE MEETING SPACE — HELENA'S LEWIS & CLARK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY 🏛️
Need a place to meet? Our space at 618 Helena Avenue is free to use — reservation required! Holds up to 40 people.
Perfect for community groups, workshops, or gatherings, all with a touch of local history.
📩 [email protected]
📞 (406) 422-0546
💬 Or just DM us!

06/12/2026

Second Tuesday programming June 9th: The League of Women Voters presented the Suffrage Timeline to a full house! Please exercise your right to vote, and join us every second Tuesday at 7:00 for excellent programs!

06/11/2026

Dennis McCahon Art Gallery Dedication, June 6, 2026

06/05/2026

Dedication of New Dennis McCahon Memorial Gallery!

The Lewis and Clark County Historical Society (LCCHS) will dedicate the new Dennis McCahon Memorial Gallery at 2:00 PM, Saturday, June 6, 2026 at the LCCHS History Center located in the downtown Steamboat Block, 618 Helena Avenue.

Dennis McCahon was a prolific, creative and very detailed artist. His art featured Helena’s historic buildings, done to scale, and including the smallest detail. He created wonderful balsa wood models, colored pencil, and pen and ink art that show individual bricks and stonework, decorative trim, and intricate, historically accurate design features. Also the historian, Dennis included a written description of each piece. His ultimate balsa wood model, highlighting downtown Helena before the disastrous 1929 fires, is displayed in the Power Block lobby. He was a founding member of LCCHS and a life-long member.

A former land use planner, Dennis also wrote about a variety of Helena area topics: weather, geology, history, philosophy, and sense of place. He walked from his west side home to and throughout downtown almost daily, discussed the importance of pedestrian scale, and encouraged the public to enjoy the many historic buildings up close. His ultimate artistic piece was the creation of Helena’s Sesquicentennial Mural in downtown’s Performance Square in 2014.

LCCHS president John Shontz said, “The dedication and opening of the Society’s gallery is in keeping with Dennis’s passion for history and art, and will provide an opportunity for Lewis and Clark County artists and organizations to display and sell their work to the public.”

The History Center ‘s new expanded hours are Thursday and Friday from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM, and Saturday from 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM, as well as by appointment.

06/05/2026

Montana League of Women Voters Suffrage Timeline

The Helena Chapter of the Montana League of Women Voters will present an interactive, high-energy program titled: The Suffrage Timeline. This program tells the story of how women in Montana gained the right to vote in 1914 and then how women across the country gained that right in 1920. A great story for young women today to know and understand. This free program starts at 7 p.m. Refreshments will be served.

Location is the Lewis & Clark County History Center at 618 Helena Avenue in the Steamboat Block downtown Helena.

Date: June 9, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM

06/04/2026

🎨 Calling all Helena-area artists!

Are you a local artist who creates beautiful, small-scale work? We're looking for talented makers in the Helena area to be featured in our museum gift shop on a commission basis!

We're especially interested in giftable, handcrafted items such as:

🖼 Prints, cards & miniature paintings
🏺 Small pottery & ceramic pieces
💍 Handmade jewelry
🪵 Wood carvings & small sculptures
🧶 Fiber arts, weavings & textile items
🪨 Montana stone & metalwork
✨ Any unique, locally inspired keepsakes!

We love showcasing the rich artistic talent right here in our own backyard, and our visitors are always eager to bring home a piece of Montana made by Montana hands.

📩 Interested? Send us a direct message or email us at [email protected] with a few photos of your work and a brief description. We'd love to connect!

Please share this post — you never know who in your circle has a hidden talent! 🤍