Quick! Name the largest state (by area, not by population). Alaska! (Piece of cake.) The next two are pretty easy, too, although I confess I sometimes transpose them: 2) Texas; and 3) California. Number Four, however, keeps a much lower profile than the first three. It’s kind of a shame, because Montana (Big Sky Country, Land of Wide-Open Spaces, The Treasure State) is full of surprises.
Montana State Capitol
We only caught a glimpse of this huge state. Driving north from Idaho, we got the sense that we were entering it right at the point where the Great Plains begins to get acquainted with the mountains. Along I-15 from the border to Butte, the terrain takes some twists and turns. In some spots, it’s the midwest. In others, it’s all mountains. There are evergreen stretches with babbling brooks that seem like the Pacific Northwest. Other parts feel a bit desert-like. Every bit of it is beautiful.
I confess that we didn’t develop an appreciation for Butte’s charms. It was lunchtime, we were hungry and in no mood to linger on the scenic route. I saw several references to it being America’s Largest National Historic Landmark District, which is impressive. No doubt it’s pretty, up there in the mountains, and its copper mining history gives it a hardscrabble feel. But we were in a hurry to get to Helena.
Known back in the gold mining days as Last Chance Gulch, Helena is now the Queen City of the Rockies. It’s a very pretty and appealing little western town. We knew it would not be the most sumptuous stop on our week-long trek; and it was not. But as long as you’re content with Hampton Inn accommodations and brew-pub dining (in fact, I believe there are nicer and more interesting restaurants… we just didn’t take advantage of them), you’ll be fine.
If you approach the Montana State Capitol from the north, there’s a point at which the dome is perfectly set against the mountains. In the setting sun, it was breathtaking. The building is perfectly suited for the state’s western roots. The copper dome is quite unique. Once inside, while standing in the middle and looking up, I noticed that the proportions of the dome aren’t as high as in some other capitols. The building is pretty but not too fancy. We really loved it, especially because of Jane, who was just about the best capitol docent I’ve ever had. There’s a Charles M. Russell painting in the House chambers of Lewis & Clark’s expedition through Montana that’s pretty spectacular. You can see more of Russell’s work at Montana’s Museum next door. I give the museum a solid “C.” Other western states do it better, like Wyoming and South Dakota.
I asked Jane, a native Montanan, about the state’s other cities and how they differ from each other. She told me that in Billings, people view Missoula residents as damn Commies. In Missoula, people view Billings residents as rabid right-wingers. I’m looking forward to a return trip to Montana so I can see for myself.
In the meantime, I have memories of our trek from Helena down to West Yellowstone. The Madison Valley, as the region is known, is such a refreshing combination of mountains, trees and water. The town of Ennis, charming as all hell, is the fly-fishing capital of the universe. I am one with the city and not so much the “country,” but boy, I get its (and for that matter, Montana’s) appeal.
Tags: Helena, Montana, Montana State Capitol
