Montana State Capitol
Near Helena, Montana
Montana's capitol building stands on a rise at the east end of Sixth Avenue, its copper dome visible from most of the city. Construction began in the late eighteen nineties and the building opened in nineteen oh two, with east and west wings added between nineteen oh nine and nineteen twelve. The dome is clad in Montana copper, a deliberate choice that honored the mining industry that funded the state.
Inside, the House chamber displays a massive canvas by Charles M. Russell, the cowboy artist who became Montana's most celebrated painter, depicting Lewis and Clark meeting the Flathead Indians at Ross's Hole. The capitol survived the nineteen thirty-five earthquakes with damage to its exterior but structural integrity intact.
Guided tours are available, and the building remains an active legislative chamber.
