This art deco building at Jackson and 13th has seen numerous tenants over the decades. In this 1949 photo, we see it as Buttrey's Super Market. The structure was built in 1938 by Ellis Blumenthal, who opened his Nuway Super Market there on November 19. Less than a year later, he sold out to the Buttrey's chain, who held their grand opening in Helena on August 18, 1939 (see newspaper ad below). It was the 16th store in the Buttrey's chain.

Buttrey's was founded in 1906, and had numerous stores along northern Montana's "High Line", which is the name given to the east-west route followed by U.S. Highway 2 and the Great Northern Railway line.

In the late 1950s, Buttrey's moved to the new Hustad Shopping Center on Helena Ave., and later to a new large Buttrey-Osco store on Montana Ave. For a detailed history of Buttrey's, click here.

This building has also served as the Moose Lodge and as the bus depot.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WES AND CAROL SYNNESS COLLECTION

"The Pratts were the first owners, as far as we know. Zip Eaton and Roy Turner bought it in 1946 from Mrs. Pratt and her son George. Roy left by the 1950s, and Zip ran it until 1982 when I purchased it after working there for eight years.

I sold it in 1996 to Don Johnson, who has since moved out on Montana Ave. into a new building."

"My old showcases [the ones shown above] were moved in from Seattle in the late 20s as used showcases to replace old ones destroyed when the Gold Block burned...I sold them to an antique dealer from San Francisco when Don was moving the business."

The familiar Eaton-Turner Jewelry neon sign being removed from the Gold Block in the 1970s, as mandated by a new local ordinance which prohibited overhanging signs on the new "Walking Mall". More art and craftsmanship gone forever.

Many thanks to Linda Beattie Anderson for her photos and story!

Western Life erected this familiar building at 600 N. Park Avenue from 1954-1956. The company vacated this location on August 17, 1961, moving to St. Paul, Minnesota. Forty-four Helena employess made the move with the company. COLLECTION OF KENNON BAIRD

The KXLJ studios at 2433 N. Montana Avenue, about 1958. KXLJ (now KTVH) was the first television station in Helena, signing on the air on January 1, 1958 as an NBC affiliate. The station was part of the "XL" Radio Network, along with stations KXLF Butte, KXXL Bozeman and KXLY Spokane, Washington. KXLJ radio (1240 AM) also had studios in this building, after being located in a log cabin on 11th Ave. for many years.

Not long after KXLJ-TV signed on, Bob Magnus and two partners bought the station and changed the call letters to KBLL-TV. In 1969, former Montana Governor Tim M. Babcock bought the station and changed the station's call letters to KTCM (Television for the Capitol of Montana). Babcock sold the station to Lynn Koch in 1979, and the station changed call letters again, this time to KTVG. A few years later, Koch sold the station to Don Bradley, who again changed the call letters to KTVH (TeleVision for Helena), which remain to this day. By 1988, the station was in financial trouble and Bradley sold it to Big Sky Communications. Big Sky Communications restored the station's financial health and in 1997, sold KTVH to Beartooth Communications. (This info adapted from the Wikipedia entry about KTVH).

This great photo of KXLJ is courtesy of Wally Peel and KTVH. Mr. Peel, a longtime Helena broadcaster, is putting together an online history of KTVH for its 50th anniversary in January of 2008. To that end, Wally is interested in hearing from people with stories about the station and early Helena television. If you have a tale to share, please contact Wally via email.

Lundy's was a small Montana grocery chain headquartered in Helena. It was owned by Oliver and Albert Lundborg, and operated from the 1930s to the 1960s with stores in Helena, Townsend and Livingston.

Albert (1914-2005) and Oliver Lundborg (1912-2006) were natives of South Dakota, where their father had a general store in Alpina. Their sister Elsie had come to Helena, and was working at Intermountain College. Al and Oliver also came west, and enrolled at Intermountain.

The closing of the school after the earthquakes of 1935 sent Al back to South Dakota, where he earned a degree in accounting and economics. He returned to Helena, and along with Oliver opened Lundy's Market at the corner of Montana Ave. and 11th. in 1939.

World War II interrupted their endeavors, closing the store for a time. in 1946, Al and Oliver purchased several lots on the NW corner of Benton and Euclid and built a new Lundy's Market there. In 1950, they expanded the store into what was Helena's first "supermarket". Other family members had by then joined in the enterprise.

The expanded store, the entrance of which is shown in the rather poor-quality image above, measured 140' x 75' (10,500 sq. ft.). The parking lot had spots for 300 cars. The interior was lit by three rows of flourescent lights, and featured self-service meat and produce counters.

The Lundborgs ran their own produce trucks between Montana and the west coast, which they claimed enabled them to stock better produce at lower prices than their competitors. The supermarket was extensively remodeled in 1954. In 1963, the Lundborgs sold the food market interest to Super Save Markets and built the Lundy Center. Al operated the center for twenty years before selling it, and began devoting much of his time to the Helena community, especially to the arts.

The accused could then be convicted of sedition at trial, sent to prison for up to 20 years and fined up to $20,000. Of the 145 people charged, 78 were convicted. Of those convicted, 41 were imprisoned.

In May of 2006, thanks to the efforts of those involved in the Sedition Project of the University of Montana's School of Journalism, Governor Schweitzer signed a Proclamation of Pardon for 78 persons convicted of sedition in 1918-1919.

24. Schiff Shoes & Al Svingen Insurance

Looking south along the old Great Northern Railway right-of-way, 1999, before the development of the Great Northern Town Center. The building with the multi-peaked roof is the Helena Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank, occuping the site of the old GN depot. Untold thousands traveled over this ground. COURTESY OF JEFF SHERLOCK

Looking north along the Great Northen right-of-way at the now-demolished Euclid overpass. Beside the tracks beyond the overpass, there was once a hobo "jungle" where transients camped.
COURTESY OF JEFF SHERLOCK