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Stories in Stone: Tour of Forestvale Cemetery
Historic Photo: Dodge touring car on the top of Mount Helena
Entrance of Forestvale Cemetery
Step through the stone archway of Forestvale Cemetery and you enter one of Helena’s most quietly revealing historic landscapes. Founded in 1890 and shaped by the “rural cemetery” movement, Forestvale was deliberately designed as a park‑like retreat, where curving paths, trees, and open lawns created a place not only for mourning but for reflection and community gathering. Its original layout, complete with an artificial lake and lush plantings, was meant to offer a space for reverence and reflection.
Today, Forestvale remains a living archive of the Queen City’s growth and character. More than 14,000 people are buried across its 150 acres, representing Helena’s miners, merchants, railroad builders, politicians, missionaries, and community leaders along with families whose names never made the headlines, but whose lives shaped the fabric of the region just as deeply.
Forestvale also carries the marks of Helena’s more turbulent moments. The 1935 earthquakes shook the capital for months, toppling chimneys, damaging buildings, and leaving subtle but lasting traces here in the cemetery. Even today, a few monuments lean at odd angles, a quiet reminder of the night the ground rolled beneath the city’s feet.
As evening settles over the grounds, Forestvale takes on an especially atmospheric quality. Visitors speak of unexpected cold pockets on still days, or the sense of someone just out of sight along a shaded lane. Whether folklore or imagination, these stories reflect the natural mystery of a place where more than a century of Helena’s history converges. In low light, it’s easy to feel the presence of the past close at hand.
This tour lets you explore Forestvale in any direction you choose. Move freely, take your time, and let the landscape guide you. Every pathway reveals another chapter of ambition and hardship, of community and change, of individuals whose lives helped shape Montana’s capital.
Be mindful: here, time has a way of slipping. What begins as a simple walk often becomes something deeper. An unexpected conversation with the past, carried quietly on the wind between the trees.
Remember to check out the live version of this tour on Adventure Lab at https://labs.geocaching.com/goto/8ea45554-cd69-4c21-8694-613215a4878f.
Photo: Col. C. A. Broadwater of Helena, Montana
Charles Arthur Broadwater rose from frontier tradesman to one of Montana’s most influential early power brokers, building a fortune through shrewd business moves, relentless ambition, and a knack for positioning himself at the heart of the Territory’s economic development.
Born in St. Charles, Missouri in 1840, Broadwater arrived in Montana during the early 1860s gold rush and began trading livestock and goods in Bannack. From there, he expanded into freighting, becoming superintendent of the Diamond R Freighting Company, which dominated shipping across Montana before the railroads arrived.
His work with military outposts earned him a reputation... and a nickname. Though he was never an officer, Broadwater frequently traded with frontier forts and became known informally as “Colonel,” a title that followed him throughout his public life. The moniker added a sense of authority and polish that fit his growing status as a businessman and political influencer.
The 1870s and 1880s marked the peak of Broadwater’s rise. He allied himself with railroad titan James J. Hill, becoming president of the Montana Central Railway, the line connecting Helena, Great Falls, and Butte. His influence extended far beyond transportation: he opened the Montana National Bank in Helena, held extensive real estate across the region, lobbied successfully for the creation of Fort Harrison, and became one of the Democratic Party’s famed “Big Four,” alongside Marcus Daly, William A. Clark, and Samuel Hauser.
But Broadwater’s greatest dream was his luxurious Broadwater Hotel and Natatorium. Built near the mouth of Ten Mile Canyon, the resort was conceived as a world‑class destination, aimed at attracting elite travelers from across the country. Construction began in 1888, and when the hotel opened the following year, it was widely celebrated for its elegance, innovation, and ambition.
The hotel's crowning attraction was the vast indoor Natatorium, covered by a striking arched roof and boasting what was then considered the largest indoor swimming pool in the world. The pool, fed by nearby hot springs, glimmered beneath ornate architectural details and became the resort’s signature feature.
Broadwater poured immense resources into the hotel, advertising it as Montana’s premier luxury retreat. Yet the visitors he had hoped to entice never materialized in the numbers he envisioned.
Despite its beauty and grandeur, the hotel struggled financially almost from the moment it opened. The mining fortunes that had fueled Montana’s brief era of lavish spending proved fickle, and transporting wealthy tourists to the remote West remained a challenge. When Broadwater’s health began to fail in the early 1890s, the hotel’s fate darkened with his own. He died of influenza in 1892, in a suite at the resort he had built with such optimism. More than 5,000 people attended his funeral, and he was laid to rest at Forestvale Cemetery
Today, Charles Broadwater’s legacy is a mixture of bold vision and poignant ambition. His ventures helped shape Helena’s infrastructure and economy, and his grand hotel—though ultimately doomed—remains one of the most evocative symbols of early Montana’s dreams of grandeur.
Historic Photo: Workers bottling beer at Kessler Brewing Co.
Nickolas Kessler
Nickolas Kessler and his family stand as enduring pillars of Helena’s early entrepreneurial spirit, leaving a legacy built from both brick and beer. Born in 1833 in Luxembourg, Kessler emigrated to the U.S. in 1854, voyaging through the Midwest and Colorado before arriving in Montana in 1863 amid the gold rush. He quickly pivoted from prospecting to launching a brewery.
By 1868, Kessler had bought out his partner and rebranded the enterprise as the Kessler Brewery. This brewery became a central hub: producing namesake lagers and the beloved "Lorelei Beer," its presence expanding through late 19th-century Helena. But Kessler’s vision didn’t stop at brewing.
He established a nearby brickyard—Kessler Bricks—that supplied the raw material shaping much of the city’s-built landscape. This dual operation embodied a keen understanding of local needs: quality beer for thirsty miners and durable bricks for a rapidly growing settlement plagued by fire.
Kessler’s brickyard proved more than a commercial venture; it seeded future arts and industry. The Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts traces its origins directly to the bricks used and knowledge developed at Kessler’s yard on the west end. Meanwhile, bricks from his operation helped construct schools, churches, businesses, and homes; quietly embedding the Kessler name into Helena’s architectural identity
Throughout his lifetime, Kessler was remembered as “friendly and honest,” a quality that endeared him to the community. His impact extended beyond commerce: he played a civic role in supporting local education (Kessler Elementary school stands near the brewery today) and community-building efforts.
His later years saw the expansion of his brewery, which persisted in various incarnations until its closure in 1958. Despite shifting tastes and economic cycles, including prohibition and recovery, Kessler’s operations endured for nearly a century thanks in no small part to his son Charles.
Today, the original brewery site remains the last standing historic brewery building in Helena. Though it no longer brews beer, its physical presence is a tribute to its founders. The legacy extends beyond the building, as brick structures and breweries are still common sights around the capital city.
Photo: Kessler Brewing Co., Helena, Montana, 1900.
View of Kessler Brewing Company brewery employees posed for a group portrait in front of a brick building in Helena, Montana. Identification of most of the individuals is given on a page that was attached to the verso of the print. Print made by Jorud probably in 1952 when identification was done by C. N. Kessler.
Historic Photo: Actress Myrna Loy
Myrna Loy
Myrna Adele Williams, known worldwide as Myrna Loy, was born on August 2, 1905, in Helena, Montana, before her family later lived near Radersburg. Her father, David Franklin Williams, was a rancher and Montana legislator. Myrna showed early artistic interests, dancing on Helena’s little stages before the family moved to Los Angeles following her father's death during the 1918 influenza pandemic.
Arriving in L.A. as a teenager, Loy trained as a dancer and auditioned for films. She adopted the stage name Myrna Loy in the mid-1920s and began her career in silent films, often playing exotic vamps or mysterious characters. Her breakthrough to mainstream success came in 1934 with The Thin Man, where she portrayed witty, urbane Nora Charles opposite William Powell. This role firmly established her as Hollywood royalty, earning her the reputation as the industry’s “Queen of the Movies”.
Over the next two decades, Loy showcased her remarkable versatility across film genres, from comedy to drama, with memorable roles in Manhattan Melodrama, The Best Years of Our Lives, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, and Cheaper by the Dozen.
She devoted herself to support during World War II through Red Cross efforts and later championed educational, humanitarian, and civil-rights causes. Her activism continued in the postwar period, including serving as a U.S. representative to UNESCO and advocating for political figures like JFK and Eugene McCarthy.
Despite never earning a competitive Oscar nomination, Loy was awarded an Honorary Academy Award in 1991 in recognition of her distinguished career and humanitarian service.
Her long-standing connection to Helena was honored locally with the creation of The Myrna Loy Center for the Performing Arts—a vibrant community and arts venue located in a historic former jailhouse—not far from where she lived as a girl.
When Loy passed away in New York City on December 14, 1993, at the age of 88, her ashes were returned to Helena and interred in Forestvale Cemetery, her childhood homecoming in death. Her grave lies near those of her parents in the Valley View section, bearing a simple granite marker that reads “Myrna Loy 1905–1993”.
Myrna Loy’s story blends the excitement of Hollywood stardom with heartfelt commitment to society and enduring pride in her Montana roots.
As you stand at her gravesite, you’re not just honoring a beloved screen icon—you’re reminded of the broad influence of one of Helena’s own: an actress, activist, and bridge between rural beginnings and global impact.
Historic Photo: John H. Ming, Sr.
John H. Ming
John Hollins Ming, born February 6, 1831, in Lynchburg, Virginia, was an early builder of Helena, shaping the city’s economic, cultural, and civic frameworks through a blend of entrepreneurship, public service, and community-minded vision.
Ming moved with his family to St. Louis in his youth, then ventured west during the mid-1800s California gold rush, working as a miner. By 1858, he operated a grocery store in Denver, before making his way to Virginia City, Montana Territory. There, in 1863, he entered the mercantile trade.
In 1868, Ming relocated to Helena and partnered with C.K. Wells to open a bookstore specializing in books and stationery. Under Ming’s guidance, the business became a cultural hub for residents, nurturing an informed and literate community. Ming later diversified his holdings, investing in ranching, mining projects, and real estate, a reflection of his entrepreneurial range and forward-thinking approach.
His influence extended prominently into public service. Ming served as Montana Territorial Treasurer in 1866, appointed by acting Governor Thomas Francis Meagher, and later became one of Helena’s aldermen. A respected figure in town, he held a directorship at the First National Bank and was actively involved in the Democratic Party, along with civic groups such as the Odd Fellows, Masons, and the Episcopal Church.
Perhaps the most distinct legacy he built was Helena’s first opera house, Ming’s Opera House. Built and opened in 1880 on Jackson Street, the famous structure was heralded by local papers as "Montana’s first pretentious theater."
Offering everything from Shakespearean drama and opera to vaudeville, burlesque, and hypnotists, the theater was a vivid symbol of Helena’s cultural maturation. Ming’s Opera House attracted touring companies moving along the Northern Pacific Railway, sparking a new era of live entertainment in the city.
Despite its cultural value, Ming’s Opera House faced financial challenges. After Ming’s death in 1887, the venue was remodeled in 1888 yet ultimately sold under receivership in 1898. It continued under new management as the Helena Theatre, until finally being replaced in the 1910s.
Ming passed away on December 27, 1887, and was buried in Forestvale Cemetery. His multifaceted legacy—spanning commerce, banking, governance, and arts—lives on in Helena’s civic memory. His papers, archived at the Montana Historical Society, document the breadth of his enterprises and influence.
Today, John H. Ming is remembered as a Renaissance man of Helena’s frontier era. His vision helped elevate Helena from mining outpost to a center of commerce and culture. For these reasons, Ming's exploits were defining in Helena's transformation from a gold mining camp to an esteemed capital city.
Anton Martinius Holter, born June 29, 1831, in Norway, was one of Helena’s most influential early businessmen. Holter arrived in the United States in 1854, working first as a carpenter in the Midwest before following the lure of the West. By 1860 he had reached Colorado, and in 1863 he pushed farther north into Montana, arriving in Alder Gulch at the height of the gold rush.
Holter’s earliest Montana ventures centered on sawmilling. His first mill near Virginia City met the immediate needs of a booming mining region desperate for building materials. He quickly expanded, establishing additional lumber operations, including one near Helena, and soon became a major supplier of timber throughout the Territory.
His business acumen allowed him to diversify, and mining, real estate, ranching, and hardware sales all became part of his commercial portfolio. In Helena, the A.M. Holter Hardware Company, founded with his brother Martin, evolved into one of the Northwest’s most respected hardware firms, operating until 1958 and becoming central to Helena’s commercial life.
Holter’s success was matched by a deep commitment to community-building. He was a member of Montana’s first territorial council and legislature, helping define the political and civic framework of the young Territory. He also served on Helena’s first school board, shaping early education in the growing city. His family’s name remains woven into the texture of Montana through places like Holter Lake, Holter Dam, and Helena’s Holter Museum of Art, later named in recognition of the family’s continuing support for arts and culture.
Holter’s businesses did more than generate wealth, they supported the physical construction of Helena. His lumber fed the needs of miners and merchants; his hardware supplied homesteaders and builders; his investments strengthened the foundations of a growing regional capital.
Yet Holter’s story is also one of personal resilience. Having emigrated alone from Norway, he carved out a life through steady work, bold decision-making, and an unwavering sense of opportunity. He married Mary Pluberg in 1867, raised a family, and built an intergenerational legacy carried onward by his sons Norman, Aubrey, and J. Edward; each active in business, law, or civic life in Montana and beyond.
Holter died on July 16, 1921, at the age of 90, leaving behind an empire of industry and a city shaped by his labor. Today, his resting place in Forestvale Cemetery marks not only the end of a long life but the foundation of many institutions and landscapes still vital to Helena.
Historic Photo: Wilbur Fisk Sanders
Wilbur Fisk Sanders
Wilbur Fisk Sanders was a defining figure in Montana’s early history as an uncompromising lawyer, pioneering vigilante, territorial leader, and one of the state’s first U.S. Senators.
Born May 2, 1834, in Leon, New York, Sanders was named after the prominent Methodist educator Wilbur Fisk. Early on, he showed a strong moral compass and intellectual drive. After teaching and studying law in Ohio under his uncle Sidney Edgerton, who would become Montana’s first territorial governor, Sanders was admitted to the bar in 1856.
He joined the Union Army during the Civil War, serving as a first lieutenant and adjutant in the 64th Ohio Infantry with whom he fought at Shiloh before resigning in 1862 for health reasons.Drawn to the opportunities of the West, Sanders traveled to Bannack and Virginia City in 1863. Lawlessness was rampant, as “road agents” harassed stagecoaches and mining camps. With no functioning courts, miners took matters into their own hands.
Sanders stepped in as prosecutor in the George Ives case, the first vigilante trial in the territory, helping bring "order without law" and symbolically laying the groundwork for local justice. He was a key member of the Alder Gulch Vigilance Committee, a group that enacted swift and often final justice in the absence of formal legal structures.
Throughout the 1860s and 1870s, Sanders became a pivotal civic builder. A staunch Republican, he served four terms in the territorial legislature beginning in 1872. He also held roles such as territorial treasurer, city alderman, and regional counsel for the Northern Pacific Railroad, leveraging his legal skills to shape governance, infrastructure, and finances in a burgeoning Montana Territory.
Arguably the defining legacy of Sanders' life was his rivalry with Montana's second territorial governor, Thomas Francis Meagher (see the statue in front of the state capitol building). Whether fair or not, rumors persist that Sanders had a hand in Meagher's untimely death in 1867 when he fell into the Missouri River in Fort Benton, Montana.
When Montana achieved statehood in 1889, Sanders was chosen by the legislature to be one of its first U.S. Senators. He held office from 1890 to 1893, during which time he helped legitimize Montana’s status on the national stage, though his unclear stance on silver politics cost him reelection.
Beyond his offices and courtroom victories, Sanders was a devoted family man, married to Harriet P. Fenn, with whom he had several children. He was also a passionate chronicler of the era’s frontier history, preserving letters, speeches, and records of early Montana, which the Montana Historical Society now holds.
Sanders passed away in Helena on July 7, 1905. His grave in Forestvale Cemetery marks the conclusion of a trailblazing life—from the unruly mining camps to the chambers of the U.S. Senate. Today, his memory evokes the complexities of frontier justice, the building of institutions, and the forging of civic identity in Montana.
Historic Photo: John X. Beidler, 1862.
Few figures from Montana’s territorial period loom as large as John X. Beidler, a man whose life blurred the line between myth and memory. Born August 14, 1831, in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, Beidler moved steadily westward as a young man, eventually finding himself in the turmoil of “Bleeding Kansas,” where he joined the antislavery followers of John Brown. A wound from that conflict left him with a lifelong limp; a physical reminder of the turbulent and uncompromising world that shaped him.
Beidler never had a middle name; the famous “X” was a childhood invention. Tired of his older brothers stealing his Sunday shirt, he marked it with a large coal‑black X so bold no one dared claim it again. The mark stuck, first as a clever solution, then as a personal emblem of sorts.
When Beidler arrived in Alder Gulch on June 10, 1863, Montana was deep in a crisis of law and order. An organized gangs of thieves and murderers known as "Road Agents" preyed on travelers and miners, and the territorial government had yet to establish reliable courts.
Into this vacuum stepped the Vigilance Committee, a citizen-led response to escalating violence; usually with a tree and a noose. Beidler joined this group to bring order to a place without law.
What set Beidler apart from other vigilantes was not simply his participation, but his temperament. He was reliable, calm under pressure, and possessed of a dry humor that disarmed both allies and adversaries. While others in the Committee drifted into political controversy or struggled to shake their reputations, Beidler emerged as something rarer: a vigilante who maintained the public’s admiration long after the hangings ended.
And Beidler’s service didn’t end when the vigilante period faded into folklore. He transitioned into formal law enforcement, serving variously as an early deputy sheriff, deputy U.S. marshal, and territorial officer. In these roles, he demonstrated that his commitment to justice extended beyond the rough necessities of frontier punishment.
He remained visible in civic life, attending public events, giving interviews, and often being invited to speak on the early history of the Territory. Over time he became something of a living monument: the approachable eyewitness to Montana’s roughest chapter.
Stories about Beidler multiplied as he aged. Some were true, others embellished, and still others pure tall tale, but even the exaggerations reveal something essential. Beidler came to embody the qualities Montanans admired: courage, loyalty, humility, and humor in the face of hardship.
Beidler died in Helena on January 22, 1890, reportedly from pneumonia during a widespread influenza season. Originally buried in Benton Avenue Cemetery, his remains were moved to Forestvale Cemetery in 1903 at the expense of attorney James U. Sanders, himself the son of fellow vigilante Wilbur Fisk Sanders.
John X. Beidler represented the transition from fear to stability, from disorder to rule of law.
Historic Photo: Fanny Sperry Steele, World Champion Lady Broncho Rider on Snowball.
Fannie Sperry Steele was born on March 27, 1887, in the Prickly Pear Valley just outside Helena, Montana, to Rachel and Datus Sperry, hardworking ranchers who made their home along Seven Mile Creek and later on the Hilger Ranch. Her mother taught Fannie to ride almost before she could walk, mastering horses by her teens and quickly earning a reputation as an exceptional bronc rider.
Fannie's public career began in 1904 at the Montana State Fair in Lewis and Clark County, where at just age 17 she rode in a relay race sponsored by Helena’s Capital Stock Food Company. She, along with companions dubbed the “Montana Girls,” went on to compete across the Midwest in 1905. By 1907, she had turned her talents to bucking-horse competitions and became Helena’s woman champion.
The year 1912 marked Fannie’s rise to international fame. At the inaugural Calgary Stampede, she rode the wild bronco Red Wing, a formidable challenge especially after the horse had recently killed another rider. Undeterred, Fannie’s fearless performance earned her the title “Lady Bucking Horse Champion of the World.” She defended her honor the following year at the Winnipeg Stampede, claiming another world championship title.
What set Fannie apart wasn’t just her skill but her daring. Unlike many women riders who tied their stirrups—called “hobbling”—for added stability, Fannie rode “slick,” relying solely on balance and raw strength. That commitment to skill and authenticity captivated audiences and cemented her legendary status in rodeo history.
In April 1913, Fannie married fellow rodeo star and clown William “Bill” Steele. Together they performed with top Wild West shows like Miller Brothers’ 101 and Irwin Brothers, and in 1916 joined Buffalo Bill Cody’s final Chicago performance. Their dynamic partnership, mixing rodeo thrills and showmanship, sustained Fannie’s public presence until the late 1920s.
Beyond the arena, Fannie blazed new trails. She was among the first licensed female packers in Montana, guiding hunters on horseback deep into the backcountry. In 1927, she and Bill purchased a dude ranch near Lincoln, keeping her close to the outdoors she loved. Even after Bill’s death in 1940, Fannie ran the ranch and remained active in Montana’s horse and outfitting community into her late seventies.
Recognition followed her accomplishments. In 1975, she became the first Montana woman inducted into the National Rodeo Hall of Fame; in 1978, she was among the inaugural inductees in the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame; and in 2009, she was honored by the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame.
Fannie Sperry Steele lived to see nine decades of sweeping change. She retired from riding only in 1974 and passed away in Helena on February 11, 1983, at the age of 95. Her ashes rest in Forestvale Cemetery, among the region she helped define.
Historic Photo: Van Orsdel, William Wesley
William Wesley “Brother Van” Van Orsdel was the indefatigable heart of Montana’s frontier faith as an empathetic circuit rider, institution-builder, and trusted companion to settlers, cowhands, and Indigenous communities alike.
Born in Pennsylvania on March 20, 1848, Van Orsdel felt the call to ministry early. In 1872, he traveled by steamboat down to Fort Benton, Montana, arriving by pitching in and singing aboard the Far West where his impromptu ministry even included a conversation with future legend of the old west Buffalo Bill Cody.
From that moment, he began a ministry that would span nearly five decades across Montana’s unsettled landscapes.
As a Methodist circuit rider, Van Orsdel traversed vast distances by horse, bringing spiritual comfort into remote camps, saloons, and Native American encampments. He could be found preaching to cowhands, blessing homesteaders, and offering solace and song to aching families; his respect for those he ministered to earned him the affectionate title “Brother Van”.
Many Indigenous communities honored him with the name “Great Heart,” a recognition of his heartfelt engagement and sincere advocacy.
Beyond his rural circuit, Brother Van played a pivotal role in founding Montana’s earliest public institutions. He helped establish more than 100 churches and parsonages across northern and central Montana, but his vision extended further, facilitating the creation of hospitals in Great Falls and Bozeman, Montana Wesleyan University near Helena, and the Montana Deaconess Preparatory School in 1909.
Many of these institutions later evolved into landmarks such as Rocky Mountain College and continue to serve communities today.
His ability to move fluidly between the rugged and the refined defined his influence. Whether delivering hymns in the prairie, bringing ministers into mining camps, or sitting down with wealthy patrons and territorial governors, Brother Van spoke plainly and sincerely, embodying his faith through action. His persuasive clarity helped raise funds and goodwill for healthcare and education when Montana lacked both.
Recognized during his lifetime as a leader in state-building, Van Orsdel cemented a lasting legacy when he died on December 19, 1919, in Great Falls. His interment at Forestvale Cemetery places him among Montana’s pioneers and civic architect.
Historic Photo: 'Joe,' Ming's Cook, Helena, Montana
Set apart behind a tall fence on the northwestern edge of Forestvale Cemetery lies one of Helena’s most significant but least accessible historic spaces: the Chinese section, often called China Row. Unlike the curving, park‑like roads of the main cemetery, this section occupies ground outside the formal cemetery plat, reflecting early patterns of segregation within Helena’s burial practices
The separation underscores a difficult truth: Helena’s Chinese residents, though deeply embedded in the city’s development, were often excluded from its civic and social institutions, even in death.
Between 1900 and 1956, more than 200 Chinese individuals were buried in this corner of Forestvale, forming one of the largest and most archaeologically valuable Chinese cemetery sites in Montana. A number of headstones remain, inscribed in a mixture of Chinese and English characters. Some bear hometowns from Guangdong Province; others were erected by family associations or the Chinese Masons. Scattered across the surface are intact and broken funerary artifacts—small ceramics, coins, joss paper remnants—left behind from traditional rites meant to honor and aid loved ones in the afterlife.
A remarkable relic still stands within the fenced area: a brick funerary burner, once used to burn offerings during ceremonies, especially during Qingming (Tomb-Sweeping Day). This structure is rare in Montana and remains one of the most tangible connections to the spiritual lives of Helena’s Chinese residents.
Today, China Row is largely inaccessible, fenced off for preservation and safety reasons. The lack of public access, however, also obscures a community that played a vital role in Helena’s founding era.
Chinese immigrants built businesses, worked long hours in service industries, ran laundries and restaurants, constructed sections of the Northern Pacific Railroad, and contributed to mining operations in Last Chance Gulch and beyond. Their labor kept Helena functioning through boom and bust, yet their stories often faded behind stereotypes.
Contrary to the sensational myths repeated in later decades that include stories of sprawling gambling halls, secret tunnels, and opium dens dominating Helena’s Chinatown, historical research shows that these depictions were exaggerated or invented outright. Helena’s Chinese quarter did include social clubs and small gambling rooms (as many immigrant neighborhoods did), but the majority of residents lived quiet, working‑class lives. Their businesses were ordinary: grocers, herbalists, tailors, boarding houses, cobblers, and community kitchens.
The so‑called “underground tunnels,” often invoked in folklore, were more likely steam‑heating ducts, storage basements, or simple infrastructural spaces later romanticized into legend.
In reality, Helena’s Chinese community demonstrated resilience, adaptability, cultural richness, and civic contribution and their resting place at Forestvale is a testament to those lives. Though the Chinese section is set apart, it remains a sacred landscape of memory.
Bibliography
Archives West. “John H. Ming Papers, 1852–1895.” Montana Historical Society, Library and Archives. Accessed June 2026. https://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv82085.
Archives West. “Ming’s Opera House Records, 1891–1902.” Montana Historical Society, Library and Archives. Accessed June 2026. https://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv45149/pdf.
Archives West. “Wilbur Fisk Sanders Papers, 1856–1905.” Montana Historical Society, Library and Archives. Accessed June 2026. https://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv86873.
Big Sky Treasure. “Brother Van: The Itinerant Heart of Early Montana.” Accessed June 2026. https://www.bigskytreasure.org/history/people/william-van-orsdel.
Brookston Beer Bulletin. “Historic Beer Birthday: Nicholas Kessler.” May 26, 2025. https://brookstonbeerbulletin.com/historic-beer-birthday-nicholas-kessler/.
Find a Grave. “Anton Martinius Holter (1831–1921).” Accessed June 2026. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/106974614/anton_martinius-holter.
Find a Grave. “Myrna Loy (1905–1993).” Accessed June 2026. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/2635/myrna-loy.
Find a Grave. “Wilbur Fisk Sanders (1834–1905).” Accessed June 2026. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7129799/wilbur_fisk-sanders.
Google Books. Lind, Robert W. From the Ground Up: The Story of “Brother Van,” Montana Pioneer Minister, 1848–1919. Papamoa Press, 2019. https://books.google.com/books/about/From_the_Ground_Up.html?id=8lyLDwAAQBAJ.
Helena History. “Charles Arthur Broadwater.” Accessed June 2026. http://www.helenahistory.org/charles_arthur_broadwater.htm
Helena History. “Forestvale Cemetery.” Accessed June 2026. http://www.helenahistory.org/forestvale-cemetery.htm.
Helena History. “Kessler Brewing Company.” Accessed June 2026. http://www.helenahistory.org/kessler_brewing_company.htm.
Historic Montana. “Forestvale Cemetery.” Accessed June 2026. https://historicmt.org/items/show/803.
Kessler Family Papers. Montana Historical Society, Research Center Archives. Accessed June 2026. https://mhs.libraryhost.com/repositories/2/resources/1191.
Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame & Western Heritage Center. “Fannie Sperry Steele.” Accessed June 2026. https://montanacowboyfame.org/inductees/2009/8/fannie-sperry-steele.
Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame & Western Heritage Center. “William Wesley Van Orsdel (‘Brother Van’).” Accessed June 2026. https://montanacowboyfame.org/inductees/2011/5/william-wesley-van-orsdel-brother-van.
Montana Historical Society. “Fannie Sperry Steele (1887–1983): Montana’s Lady Bucking Horse Champion.” Accessed June 2026. https://mhs.mt.gov/education/Montanans/FSperrySteelePanel.pdf.
Montana Kids. “Myrna Loy.” Updated March 4, 2026. https://montanakids.com/cool_stories/Famous_Montanans/loy.htm.
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. “Fannie Sperry Steele.” Accessed June 2026. https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/collections/awards/national-rodeo-hall-of-fame/inductees/fannie-sperry-steele/.
Old Breweries Database. “Kessler Brewing Co. – MT 34e.” Accessed June 2026. http://www.oldbreweries.com/breweries-by-state/montana/helena-mt-10-breweries/kessler-brewing-co-mt-34e/.
The Myrna Loy Center. “Our History & About Myrna Loy.” Accessed June 2026. https://themyrnaloy.com/about/our-history-about-myrna-loy/.
University of Montana. “China Row at Forestvale Cemetery.” Accessed June 2026. https://www.umt.edu/chinese-in-montana/statewide-database/forestvale-cemetery.php.
Photo Credit
Montana Historical Society Library and Archives
University of Montana Mansfield Library
