Begun in 1986, this project focuses on the development of Helena businesses from World War I through urban renewal in the 1960s. Montana Historical Society staff and volunteers interviewed people who established or worked in Helena's communications, entertainment, manufacturing, service, grocery, and retail businesses.
The project consists of 25 interviews in which narrators discuss business practices, changing consumer demands, changing technologies, and the impact of the automobile. The project not only reflects changes in the economy of the "Capital City" but also sheds light on the fiscal development of towns across Montana and the West.
Researchers requesting copies of interviews should refer to the OH number when ordering.
Inventory is arranged by item, with each oral history interview listed by its unique OH number. An abstract for each interview is provided in the inventory to allow keyword searchability. The abstract includes the number of cassettes, CDs or transcript pages for the interview, as appropriate. Researchers requesting copies of interviews should refer to the OH number when ordering.
Collection is open for research.
The Montana Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library before any reproduction use. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
[OH number][Interview title] Montana Historical Society Research Center. Archives. Helena, Montana.
Interviews in the collection conducted by Montana Historical Society Staff or volunteers.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the Montana Historical Society Research Center catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search under these terms.
Bill and Freddy DeWolf discuss their parents; their father's grocery stores and meat market in Townsend and Helena; the 1930s Depression; the 1935 earthquake; buying the Union Market in Helena in 1945; the development of chain stores; customers; Chinese vegetable sellers; store operations; urban renewal related litigation; and the affects of state and federal health regulations on their businesses. Interviewed by Patti Borneman, August 21, 1986, Helena, MT.
Ward Thompson (b. 1917) and Virginia Thompson discuss Ward Thompson's early life in Butte, Montana; his family's relocation to Helena in 1938; his family's paper business; changes in the paper industry; and their marriage. Interviewed by Patti Borneman, March 23, 1987, Helena, MT.
Susan Eaker (1900-1992) discusses arriving in Helena, Montana in 1930; working as a speech and drama teacher at Helena High School; owning and operating a bookstore on North Main Street; rebuilding her business after a 1951 fire; neighboring businesses; changes in the retail book industry; types of books carried; and the effects of urban renewal. Interviewed by Loretta Lindell, September 6, 1986, Helena, MT.
Thomas C. Power (b. 1919) remembers the Power family businesses in Helena, Montana; his involvement in the transportation business including work for the Community Transit Company from 1948 to 1968. Interviewed by Laurie Mercier, September 19, 1986, Helena, MT.
Lewis Brackman (b. 1917) discusses his father's grocery business in Powell, Wyoming, and his connections with Klein and Borne Company; his family's relocation to Helena; opening a new grocery business; his work as an automobile mechanic for Capital Ford; the 1935 earthquake; entering the grocery business with his father; store operations and competitors; affects of gasoline and food rationing during World War II; labor relations; and urban renewal. Interviewed by Patti Borneman, Jan. 29, 1987, Helena, Mont.
William R. Miles discusses the immigration of his grandfather, Frederick Gamer, in 1866 from Germany to Helena, Montana; his grandfather's ownership of Gamer's Shoe Stores in Helena; his brewery partnership; his ownership of shoe stores in Great Falls; the National Shoe Retailers of America; helping establish God's Love Mission; the Helena Chamber of Commerce; and urban renewal. Interviewed by Patti Borneman, November 17, 1986, Helena, MT.
George Huber (d. 1992) discusses his recollections of Helena, Montana including his father's downtown blacksmith business, Central Garage, Helena Gas and Electric and other establishments; the 1935 earthquake; and other aspects of the city's business history. Interviewed by Laurie Mercier, November 18, 1986, Helena, MT.
Roscoe Hand (1904-1997) discusses his parents and his early life in the Wise River area; the 1930s Depression; owning and operating Rock Hand Hardware business in Helena, Montana; and recollections of various Helena business establishments. Interviewed by Laurie Mercier, March 10, 1987, Helena, MT.
Gene Brown (b. 1926) discusses his career as a musician and science teacher; and his experiences as manager of the Marlow Theater in Helena from 1959 to 1962. Interviewed by Patti Borneman, March 11, 1987, Helena, MT.
LaVerne Traufer Yuhas discusses growing up in Helena; her father's Helena grocery-business activities--such as home delivery, merchandise pricing, advertising, meat processing, types of merchandise for sale, other grocery stores, and various customers; her father's early work with the Helena Trading Company; her father's partnership with Curt Dehler. Interviewed by Loretta Lindell, January 26, 1987, Helena, MT.
John Traufer (1899-1986) discusses the pioneer activities of his family in Montana; living and growing up in Marysville; Marysville businesses; the Drumlummon Mine and recollections of Thomas Cruse. Interviewed by Loretta Lindell, April 1986, Helena, MT.
Albert Lundborg (b. 1914) discusses his early life in South Dakota; experiences during the 1930s Depression; and owning and operating Lundy's Foods, a grocery business in Helena, Montana. Interviewed by Harriett Meloy, June 13, 1986, Helena, MT.
Jean Weeks discusses the origin and business operations of the Globe Men's Store, Helena, Montana from 1890 to 1958. Interviewed by Harriett Meloy, May 18, 1987, Helena, MT.
Robert "R. B." Richardson discusses his early life in Illinois; his college education and study in actuarial science; his service with the United States Marine Corps as a sniper during World War I; relocation to Helena, Montana; Montana Life Insurance Company merger with St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance in 1957; and recollections of the 1930s Depression. Interviewed by Harriett Meloy and Clark Pyfer, May 14, 1987, Helena, MT.
Glenn Breed discusses his military service in World War II; his family; his involvement in civic activities and organizations in Helena. Eileen Breed describes; her parents ownership and operation of Redd's Grocery and other businesses in Helena; her marriage to Glenn Breed; owning and operating Rodney Street News and Confectionery; recollections of various Helena area businesses. Interviewed by Patti Borneman, September 17, 1987, Helena, MT.
Mary Friel (1912-1987) discusses her early life in Idaho; relocating to Montana; experiences during the 1930s Depression; owning and operating a gift shop in Helena; the affects of government regulations on business; and urban renewal. Interviewed by Loretta Lindell, September 18, 1987, Helena, MT.
J. Howard Retz (1911-1988) discusses his early life in Polson, Montana; his education and mortuary training; embalming and cremation in Montana; the Montana mortuary industry; Helena funeral homes; and the affects of the 1930s Depression on the industry. Interviewed by Harriett Meloy, April 20, 1988, Helena, MT.
Bernice Mitchell (b. 1902) discusses her parents and their operation of a Helena confectionary; the 1935 earthquake; the 1930s Depression; her husband's World War II military service; owning and operating Clafin's Furniture; Helena businesses; and urban renewal. Interviewed by Loretta Lindell, April 9, 1988, Helena, MT.
This is an interview with John Delano (b. 1921), a longtime Montana Legislative lobbyist. In the interview Mr. Delano discusses growing up in Billings; education at the University of Montana; selling life insurance in the 1950s for Blue Cross; work for the Girl's Vocational School Board in Helena and St. Peter's Hospital Board; lobbying for U of M, Montana Railroad Association, and his company, John Delano and Associates; work with the Timber Industry, Tobacco companies and on various environmental regulation cases. Interviewed by Paul Verdon, March 14, Apr. 9, 1996, Helena MT
Harold Paulsen describes his Norwegian parents and childhood in Helena, Montana; attendance of Intermountain College in Helena; early employment with Montana Life Insurance Company; experiences in the Air Force during World War II; work as an insurance salesman with Western Life in Helena; involvement with Helena Jaycees, Kiwanis, and Shriners; experiences as a Montana legislator; and performing as a singer at churches and community events in Helena. Interviewed by Paul Verdon, April 25, 1996, Helena Montana.
Joseph Maierle describes his Croate-Slovenian parents; childhood in East Helena, Montana, and Helena; attendance of Mount St. Charles school; employment as an engineer including work with the Montana Highway Department, the Montana Water Board, designing bridges in Iran during World War II, and his own national and international consulting business, Morrison-Maierle; design and construction of Koocanusa Bridge at Libby Dam, and the Interstate highway through Wolf Creek Canyon; environmental engineering; and work with the board of Carroll College Interviewed by Paul Verdon, April 4, 1996, Helena, Montana.
In this interview Lucy Pontet describes her experiences growing up in Helena, Montana; and her family's catering business; family ownership of Jorgenson's restaurant; her own work as waitress, cashier, and hostess in the restaurant. Interviewed by Paul Verdon, June 1998, Helena, Montana.
In this interview Chuck and Jean Jorgenson describe their experiences growing up in Helena; his father's early experiences growing up in Helena; his father's early catering and restaurant work; family ownership of Jorgenson's Restaurant in Helena from 1950s to date; World War II service; and political and social events they catered over the years in Helena. Interviewed by Paul Verdon, June 1998, Helena Montana.
Ruth Jorgenson Larson discusses her father's early work catering; her work as a young girl in the family business; later work at Jorgenson's Restaurant; major social and political events the family catered for. Don Larson briefly discusses his family's arrival in Montana; growing up in Helena in the 1930's; military service during World War II; working at Frontier Town catering; expanding restaurant into a lounge and motel; and the impact of gambling. Interviewed by Paul Verdon, July 15, 1998, Helena, Montana.
Vince Maddio discusses his childhood in Red Lodge in the 1940s and 1950s; starting a shoeshine business as a young man; moving to Helena and working in a shoeshine shop on Main, and later at Safeway; cutting hair in the Navy to supplement his income; attending beauty school in Idaho; returning to Helena and working as a barber/hairdresser; opening a beauty college Maddio's Hairstyling and Cosmetology College; fire destroying his business in 1980s; rebuilding; observations about changing hairstyles, hair products and pricing over his career; public service activities; accreditation and training requirements today. Interviewed by Harriet Meloy, June 12, 1998, Helena, MT