Helena, Montana

We arrived in Helena on Friday afternoon and after setting up the trailer we drove the six miles into Helena to see where the various historical sites were located so today we would know where we were going.

This morning we took the one-hour train tour of the historical sites and got ideas of other places to revisit after the train tour. The train tour would have been more helpful if the people sitting right behind us would have listened to the tour info instead of planning their lunch, the kids' naps, the best friend's problems, etc. Very rude! I don't think Jack and I heard but perhaps of what was said. :-(

From the train we drove over to the old Governor's Mansion for a tour of the house. Very nice house -- we saw all 3 floors of the house, and heard the history of the first governor to live there. It seems the first 5 governors were very wealthy and had their own mansions, so the state had to scramble to find this house when a middle class governor was elected who didn't have a house suitable for the entertainment that would be required. The house was occupied by the governors until 1959 when a new mansion was built.

We went downtown to the walking mall and ate lunch at a place called Parrots. It's been in business since 1922 and they make their own ice cream and dip their own chocolates. They have a soda fountain, so I enjoyed a chocolate soda and Jack had a huckleberry malt. YUM.

Attended Mass at the Cathedral of St. Helena tonight and were awed by the beauty of the church. After Mass we went back in and took pictures.