Wesleyan University

Wesleyan University

Montana Wesleyan University, a Methodist-sponsored college, opened in the Helena valley in 1889. The campus moved to Helena Avenue in 1899, establishing its offices and student gynmasium at 643-649 North Ewing Street and 839 North Warren (now Helena Body and Paint Inc.). The school moved again in 1912 and established its campus across from the present Capital Hill Mall. 1539 11th Avenue, currently home to the Department of Corrections, was once part of the complex. The campus out in the valley became the Montana Deaconess School in 1909. The 1935 earthquakes damaged the school and the empty shell of the Van Orsdel Building, newly opened when the earthquakes struck, still sits off Montana Avenue. After the earthquakes, the Deaconess School moved into the 11th Avenue campus. Montana Wesleyan University merged with the Presbyterian College of Montana in 1923 and became the Intermountain Union College. In 1947 IUC merged with several other protestant groups to become today's Rocky Mountain College at Billings.

Sources at Lewis & Clark Library

Paladin, Vivian, and Jean Baucus. Helena: An Illustrated History. Helena, Montana: Montana Historical Society Press, 1996. 53, 155. [Shelfmark M 978.6615 P]
Campbell, William C. From the Quarries of Last Chance Gulch. Vol. 2. Helena, Montana: Bell-Arm Corp., 1964. 169, 198, 228, 236, 239. [Shelfmark M 978.66C v.2]
Lewis and Clark County. Twentieth Century Souvenir, Lewis and Clarke County, Being a Part of a Volume Soon to Be Issued Called 20th Century Souvenir of Montana, History and Exposition. A. D. Raleigh, 1901. 50. [Shelfmark M 978.6615 R]
Burlingame, Merrill G. The Montana Frontier. Helena, MT: State CO., 1942. 315. [M 978.6 B]

Sources at the Montana Historical Society Research Center

Paladin, Vivian, and Jean Baucus. Helena: An Illustrated History. Helena, Montana: Montana Historical Society Press, 1996. 53, 155. [REF 978.6615 P17H 1996 ]
Campbell, William C. From the Quarries of Last Chance Gulch. Vol. 2. Helena, Montana: Bell-Arm Corp., 1964. 169, 198, 228, 236, 239. [REF 978.6615 C15F V. II ]
Burlingame, Merrill G. The Montana Frontier. Helena, MT: State CO., 1942. 315. [REF 978.6 B925M ]
"Montana Wesleyan University, Helena, MT," Vertical File.
"Intermountain Union College, Helena, MT," Vertical File.
Walter, Dave. "More From the Quarries of Last Chance Gulch." Helena Independent Record, November 8, 1996. p. 1C, 2C.
Buhl, Marjorie Carter. Open Doors (History of Higher Education in Montana, 1893-1958: On Occassion of the 75th Anniversary). Billings, Montana: Rocky Mountain College., 1958. [378.786 B867op]
Paladin, Vivian. Valleys of the Prickly Pear: A History of the Valleys of the Prickly Pear. Helena, Montana: Little Red Schoolhouse., 1988. [978.6615 V24]
Capital City Collegian. Helena, Montana: Associated Students of Inter-Mountain Union College. [Z317.8974 C17]
Annual Catalogue of Montana Wesleyan University. 1890-1923[378.786 M786C]
Intermountain Union College. The . . . Prickly Pear. (Yearbook) 1923-1934 [Z 371.8976 P93 ]
Burdick, N. H. and Harry G. Humphrey. Historical Statement Concerning Intermountaion Union College. Helena, Montana. n.d. [378.786 In8b]

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