Helena, Montana, 1885

Beginning in the 1870s, prior to Montana statehood, Jewish merchants settled in Billings, Butte, Glasgow, Great Falls, Havre, Helena, and Missoula. They established benevolent societies, cemeteries, B'nai B'rith chapters, and synagogues. Several Jews were mayors. Butte newspaper editor Charles C. Cohan authored the lyrics to "Montana," the state song. Joseph Soss built the capital building in Helena, completed iin 1902. The Jewish population increased with the discovery of oil in 1950 but declined by the late 1970s.