{"id":747,"featured":0,"modified":"2026-04-17 19:40:09","latitude":46.5862168999999965990355121903121471405029296875,"longitude":-112.03976019999998925413819961249828338623046875,"title":"St. Louis Block","subtitle":"Helena Historic District","fullsize":"https://historicmt.org/files/fullsize/abab1f9e17a15eb90e068a1b8142a60a.jpg","address":"17-21 South Last Chance Gulch, Helena, Montana","all_locations":[],"zoom":17,"creator":["Montana National Register Sign Program"],"description":"Once connected to the old St. Louis Hotel on Jackson Street, this 1882 building in the heart of Helena’s original downtown displays the metal cornices and banded, pedimented windows typical of Italianate style architecture of the time. Pioneer businessman Frederick Gamer’s boot and shoe shop, founded in 1867, was located here for many years. The St. Louis Block also housed a bank, a vaudeville house, a saloon, and a bowling alley. It is probably best remembered, however, as “Big Dorothy’s,” which, until 1973, was the last in a long and colorful succession of Helena’s red-light district brothels.","sponsor":null,"accessinfo":"Private","lede":"","website":"","related_resources":["<a href=\"https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/3fca4448-c79e-4066-a62a-fe552a5d23e2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Read about the Helena Historic District</a>","<a href=\"https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/d8c79c92-0567-4c6d-8d35-cf378fb0b7ce/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">See photos of the Helena Historic District</a>"],"factoids":[],"files":{"https://historicmt.org/files/fullsize/abab1f9e17a15eb90e068a1b8142a60a.jpg":{"id":3241,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"St. Louis Block","description":"St. Louis Block. Front to side view of the building, facing southeast on South Last Chance Gulch. The Boston Block is featured in the background to the right in the photograph. Digital photograph. | Montana Historical Society | Jan. 2020 | Michael Connolly","thumbnail":"https://historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/abab1f9e17a15eb90e068a1b8142a60a.jpg"},"https://historicmt.org/files/fullsize/3f57b9814df458e27f1c6755a48918b2.jpg":{"id":3242,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"St. Louis Block","description":"St. Louis Block. Front view of the building, facing east on South Last Chance Gulch. Digital photograph. | Montana Historical Society | Jan. 2020 | Michael Connolly","thumbnail":"https://historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/3f57b9814df458e27f1c6755a48918b2.jpg"},"https://historicmt.org/files/fullsize/b4ec9e154644d93abdb16d05c423e413.jpg":{"id":3243,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"St. Louis Block","description":"St. Louis Block. Front view of the building, facing northeast on South Last Chance Gulch with the Boston Block in the foreground to the right in the photograph. Digital photograph. | Montana Historical Society | Jan. 2020 | Michael Connolly","thumbnail":"https://historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/b4ec9e154644d93abdb16d05c423e413.jpg"}}}