Montana Historical Society
Archives
MC 250
Helena First, Inc.
Helena First, Inc. records
1965-1991
4.5 linear feet of shelf space
Helena First, Inc. was incorporated in 1967 with the goal of
promoting and participating in the economic development of Helena. The records (1965-1990)
consist of correspondence, minutes, project and subject files, and organizational materials.
The major project of the organization was the building of the TraveLodge Motel (later Park
Plaza Hotel).
13:1-7
English
Helena First, Inc. was incorporated on September 21, 1967, with the goal of promoting and
participating in the economic development of Helena. Its membership consisted of owners of
Helena businesses. The organization hired Alex Cunningham, a local insurance and property
management consultant, as manager. Ward Shanahan served as legal counsel. Helena First, Inc.
cooperated with the Helena Urban Renewal office in planning for the economic revitalization
of downtown Helena. The major project of the organization was the building of a motel and
convention center in the downtown area. This eventually led to the construction of the
TraveLodge on Last Chance Gulch (currently the Park Plaza). The motel was leased to Pearson
Enterprises, Inc. of Salt Lake City, Utah, with an option to buy. When the lease expired the
Pearsons declined to exercise the option and the hotel was sold to Eric Myhre in June 1980.
Myhre's purchase contract was cancelled in October 1982 and a new contract made with Don
West. West, however, was unable to complete the purchase and the property was sold to
DeTienne Associates. In 1983 the name was changed to the Park Plaza. The negative side of
Helena's Urban Renewal was the razing of many historic buildings on the Gulch in downtown
Helena. These included the Wheat Building (formerly the Union Bank Building), the Wallace
grocery building, the Holter hardware building, and several small rooming houses in the
first block north of Broadway, as well as many other buildings throughout the downtown area.
Helena First, Inc. officially dissolved itself in the fall of 1991.
Records. 1965-1990. 4.5 linear feet. Records of Helena First, Inc. include general
correspondence (1965-1975), consisting primarily of interoffice correspondence between Alex
Cunningham and board members Ward Shanahan and John Schroeder, and photocopies of
Cunningham's outgoing correspondence sent to Shanahan and Schroeder for reference purposes.
Later correspondence (1975-1991) is among the various board members and between them and
other parties. Also included are legal case files (1983-1988) kept by Ward Shanahan as
attorney for Helena First, Inc.; financial records (1967-1991) including annual financial
audits, tax records, and invoices; legal documents (1967-1984); maps of downtown Helena;
minutes (1967-1991); organizational records (1967-1991), including articles of
incorporation, by-laws, and stockholder lists; and reports (1965-1988) consisting primarily
of feasibility studies for the planned hotel. Subject files (1966-1987) concern the Helena
Urban Renewal program, acquisition of the needed properties, and the building and operation
of the hotel, including Jacobson & Shope's architectural plans for the hotel. In
addition there are miscellaneous items, including a sketch of the Securities Building, and
minutes (1967-1983) of several other organizations concerning property transfers.
Arranged by series. Some material housed in Archives Map Case. See inventory below for
more information.
Collection open for research.
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical
Society. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collection.
In some cases permission for use may require additional authorization from the copyright
owners. For more information contact an archivist.
Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers.
Montana Historical Society Research Center, Archives, Helena, Montana.
Acquisition information available upon request.
Additional material on Helena's Urban Renewal program is contained in Holter Family Papers
(MC 80, Box 112, Folder 15)
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the Montana Historical Society
Archives catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places
should search under these terms.
Helena First, Inc.
Helena (Mont.)
Motels
Montana
City Planning
Detailed Description of the Collection
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection
General Correspondence
1 / 1
TraveLodge Corporation (correspondence of Alex
Cunningham, Inc. prior to incorporation of Helena First, Inc.)
1965-1966
1 / 2
Miscellaneous (includes Montana Secretary of State,
Union Bank and Trust Company, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission)
1967
1 / 3-4
Miscellaneous (includes interoffice, City of Helena,
Richard Shope, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, U.S. Small Business
Administration, Wellington Rankin Estate)
1968
1 / 5-9
Miscellaneous (includes interoffice, Capri Motels,
Helena Urban Renewal, Lewis and Clark County, Montana Club, Montana Power Company,
Morrison-Maierly, Richard Shope, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, U.S. Small
Business Administration)
1969
1 / 10-11
Miscellaneous (includes interoffice, Helena Urban
Renewal, Lewis and Clark County, Montana Power Company, Pearson Associates, Richard
Shope, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission)
1970 January-June
2 / 1-2
Miscellaneous (includes interoffice, Helena Urban
Renewal, Montana Power Company, Montana Investment Commissioner, Pearson Associates,
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission)
1970 July-September
2 / 3-6
Miscellaneous (includes interoffice, Helena Urban
Renewal, Montana Power Company, Montana Liquor Control Board, Pearson Associates,
Irwin "Shorty" Shope, Richard Shope, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Watters
Construction Company)
1971
2 / 7-8
Miscellaneous (includes interoffice, Helena Urban
Renewal, Montana Liquor Control Board, Pearson Associates, Richard Shope, U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission, Watters Construction Company)
1972
2 / 9-10
Miscellaneous (includes interoffice, Helena Urban
Renewal, Pearson Associates, Richard Shope, TraveLodge, U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission, Watters Construction Company)
1973
2 / 11
Miscellaneous (includes interoffice, City of Helena,
Pearson Associates, Richard Shope, TraveLodge)
1974-1976
2 / 12
Miscellaneous (includes interoffice, Helena Urban
Renewal, Pearson Associates, Richard Shope, TraveLodge)
1977
3 / 1
Miscellaneous (includes interoffice, City of Helena,
Pearson Associates)
1978-1979
3 / 2
Miscellaneous (includes interoffice, Anderson
ZurMuehlen & Co., Eric Myhre, Myhre Advertising, Pearson Associates)
1980-1981
3 / 3
Miscellaneous (includes interoffice, Anderson
ZurMuehlen & Co., Capri Motels, Eric Myhre, Myhre Advertising, Park Plaza Hotel)
1982
3 / 4
Miscellaneous (includes interoffice, Anderson
ZurMuehlen & Co., Park Plaza Hotel, Don West)
1983-1984
3 / 5
Miscellaneous (includes interoffice, Anderson
ZurMuehlen & Co., DeTienne & Associates, Patrick Melby, Park Plaza Hotel)
1985-1987
3 / 6
Miscellaneous (includes interoffice, Anderson
ZurMuehlen & Co., DeTienne & Associates, Patrick Melby, Western Federal
Savings, Bob White)
1988-1991
Case Files
3 / 7
Helena First, Inc. vs. City of Helena (re quieting
title on property)
1987
3 / 8
Helena First, Inc. and DeTienne Associates vs. Dept.
of Revenue of State of Montana (re tax appeal on Park Plaza Hotel)
1983-1988
RESTRICTED
3 / 9
Helena First, Inc. vs Donald J. West d/b/a Park Plaza
Hotel (re default on mortgage payments)
1984
3 / 10
Anna Lukanish vs. Helena First, Inc. (re injury
claim)
1983-1985
Financial Records
3 / 11
Balance sheets
1968-1989
3 / 12
Bank books
1977-1985
4 / 1-2
Bank statements
1983-1991
4 / 3-5
Corporate income tax returns
1968-1990
RESTRICTED
4 / 6-8
Financial statements and audits
1969-1988
RESTRICTED
4 / 9
Financial statements: JMJ Properties, Inc.
1983
4 / 10
Financial status estimates
1970-1972
4 / 11
Insurance materials
1980-1988
4 / 12
Invoices
1981-1984
5 / 1
Invoices
1985-1991
5 / 2-3
Property taxes
1967-1991
RESTRICTED
5 / 4
Recapitulation of Alex Cunningham's management costs
1968-1970
5 / 5
Report of gross sales: TraveLodge
1972-1981
5 / 6
Miscellaneous
1967-1991
Legal Documents
5 / 7
Agreements: City of Helena
1970-1978
5 / 8
Agreements: liquor licenses
1970
5 / 9
Agreements: Don West (re Park Plaza Hotel)
1982-1984
5 / 10
Deeds: Hartwig property
1937, 1970-1971
5 / 11
Deeds: Harvey Hotel, Inc.
1968
5 / 12
Deeds: Holter Building
1968
5 / 13
Mortgages: Home Building and Loan Association
1967-1976
Maps
5 / 14
Plats of Last Chance Gulch and surrounding area (show
building occupants and uses)
undated
Minutes
5 / 15
Board of Directors and Stockholders meetings
1967 September- 1973 March
6 / 1
Board of Directors and Stockholders meetings: drafts
(includes some material not in official minutes)
1968-1972
6 / 2
Board of Directors and Stockholders meetings: drafts
(no official set of minutes exists for this period)
1973-1991
6 / 3
Board of Directors and Stockholders meetings:
agendas, notes, meeting notices, etc. [scattered]
1967-1991
Organization
6 / 4
Articles of incorporation and amendments
1967-1970
6 / 5
Bylaws
1967, 1970
6 / 6
Corporate directors lists
1970-1991
6 / 7
Corporation annual reports [incomplete set]
1967-1989
6 / 8
Mailing list
1987-1991
6 / 9
Registration with Montana Investment Commissioner
1970
6 / 10
Stock offering
1970-1971
6 / 11
Stock pledges: correspondence
1967-1974
6 / 12
Stock pledges: not paid
1970-1971
6 / 13
Stock pledges: partially paid
1970-1973
6 / 14
Stock register
1967-1974
6 / 15
Stockholder and subscription lists
1968-1974
7 /
Stockholder card file
undated
Printed Material
8 / 1
"Reclaimed stakes on Last Chance Gulch" (brochure re
Urban Renewal)
1973
Reports
8 / 2
"An appraisal of the Park Plaza Hotel on the Walking
Mall, Helena, Montana," by C. Robert White
1988
8 / 3
"Economic feasibility study for a proposed motel and
related facilities in Helena, Montana," by Urban Research and Development Company for
E.W. Chaffin
circa 1965
8 / 4
"Market, site and economic feasibility study for a
proposed motor hotel in downtown Helena, Montana," by Harris, Kerr, Forster and
Company for Helena First, Inc.
1969
8 / 5
Park Plaza Hotel expansion project report
1985
8 / 6
Richard Shope conceptual plan for hotel
undated
8 / 7
"Specifications for motor hotel, phase 1, Helena
First, Inc., Helena, Montana," by Jacobson and Shope, Architects
1970
Subject Files
8 / 8
Helena Urban Renewal and City-County Planning Dept.:
correspondence
1971-1973
8 / 9
Helena Urban Renewal (includes public information
bulletin, redevelopment plan, HUD handbook)
1970-1972
8 / 10
Helena Urban Renewal (re purchase of property from
Helena First, Inc.)
1970-1971
8 / 11
Jacobson and Shope, Architects: correspondence
1970-1972
8 / 12
Jacobson and Shope, Architects: contract
1970
8 / 13
Montana Investment Commissioner (registration of
stock salesmen)
1969-1973
9 / 1
Montana Power Company garage site acquisition
1968-1970
9 / 2
Park Plaza Hotel: balance sheet and five-year
operating performance sheet
1983-1987
9 / 3
Park Plaza Hotel: Victor and Soren DeTienne /
DeTienne Associates purchase
1984-1987
9 / 4
Pearson Enterprises: correspondence
1970-1972
9 / 5
Pearson Enterprises: financial statements
1976
9 / 6
Pearson Enterprises: general information
circa 1976
9 / 7
Pearson Enterprises: legal documents
1970-1980
9 / 8
Pearson Enterprises: legal documents re sale of hotel
to Eric Myhre and Myhre Advertising
1980-1982
9 / 9
Pittsburgh Block: deed and minutes of Pittsburgh
Block Company authorizing sale
1969
9 / 10
Rogene's of Helena, Inc.: stock certificate and
minutes
1971-1974
9 / 11
Saddleback Inns of the Americas (re proposal for
Helena hotel)
1969-1970
9 / 12
Irwin "Shorty" Shope (re proposed mural for hotel)
1971
9 / 13
TraveLodge on Last Chance Gulch
1972-1984
1
TraveLodge on Last Chance Gulch: architect's drawing
and plans [Oversize: See Archives Map Case]
1971-1973
9 / 14
TraveLodge on Last Chance Gulch: financial statements
1977
9 / 15
TraveLodge on Last Chance Gulch: inventory
1972
9 / 16
TraveLodge on Last Chance Gulch: repairs
1981
9 / 17
TraveLodge on Last Chance Gulch: swimming pool
1973
9 / 18-21
United States Securities and Exchange Commission (re
listing of stock issue)
1969-1973
9 / 22
United States Small Business Administration
1966-1971
10 / 1
Watters Construction Company: correspondence (re
building of TraveLodge motel)
1970-1973
10 / 2
Watters Construction Company: legal documents
1971-1972
10 / 3
Watters Construction Company: payment certificates
(includes lists of jobs completed)
1971-1972
10 / 4
Wheat Building (formerly Union Bank Building):
correspondence and 1959 brochure offering building for sale
1959, 1968-1969
10 / 5
Wheat Building (formerly Union Bank Building): legal
documents
1969
Miscellany
10 / 6
Helena Housing Authority Development Program status
report
1971
10 / 7
Minutes of other organizations (includes Harvey
Hotel, Inc.; First National Bank and Trust Company; ad hoc group interested in
downtown business district)
1967-1983
10 / 8
Sketch of Securities Building
undated
Clippings
10 / 9
Miscellaneous (re TraveLodge, Urban Renewal,
railroads)
1969-1987