Page 126 - 2020 Russell Catalogue

151
CHARLES FRITZ
Last Chance Gulch in 1890 oil
25 x 30 inches
$12,000–14,000
Helena was chosen as the Montana Territorial capital in 1875. Fueled by gold, it quickly became a city bustling with activity, commerce, wealth and promise. Helena’s residents enjoyed the amenities usually found only in larger, more cosmopolitan centers. An electric powered trolley system and beautiful architecture, crafted by talented masons, transformed the once rickety and raucous, “Last Chance Gulch” into an island of civility between St. Paul, Minnesota a thousand prairie miles to the east, and Seattle, Washington many mountainous miles to the west.
—Charles Fritz