Archives West Finding Aid

The predecessor of the Helena Free Public Library was founded in 1868 as a subscription library by a committee composed of Judge Cornelius Hedges, Colonel Wilbur Sanders, J.W. Whitlatch, and Ben Stickney, Jr. This body became the Helena Library Association, and its collections of books were housed in the Whitlatch Building under the care of librarian Ben R. Dittes. In 1870 the library was moved to a building owned by A.M. Holter and Cornelius Hedges, and W.A. Edges succeeded Ben Dittes as librarian. A major fire swept through the downtown area in 1874 destroying numerous buildings including the library, its 2,500 volumes, and early records. On August 24, 1874, the Board of Directors of the Helena Library Association convened for the purpose of planning reconstruction. The Helena Free Public Library was organized on May 8, 1886, and the Helena Library Association turned over its 2,000 books to the new institution. In 1892 the library was moved to the city auditorium complex. During the next four years librarian Frank Patten increased the library holdings from 9,000 to 16,000 volumes. The library remained in the same location until the building was damaged during the earthquake of 1935. Soon thereafter it was moved to the former First Unitarian Church building. In November 1974, a referendum authorized Lewis and Clark County and the City of Helena to share the cost of operating the library. The new Lewis and Clark Library was built on Last Chance Gulch and was occupied in August 1976.