Lydia Jane English was recently widowed when she and her family moved into this substantial Italianate style residence, built in 1888. Her husband, miner Harvey W. English, was a prominent Helena pioneer who served in the territorial legislature, as chairman of schools in 1867, as county sheriff from 1871 to 1873, and was later a municipal judge and police magistrate. When Lydia died in the mid-1890s, son Charles, a postal clerk, remained here with his family until after 1900. By 1913, James Doggett owned the property. His wife, May, did dressmaking from the home. The residence is an exceptional example of the dignified Italianate style popular in Helena during the 1880s. Tall segmentally arched windows, octagonal bays, and false shutters emphasize the vertical orientation characteristic of this style. Interior features include a cherry fireplace with beveled glass and hand-crafted drawers built into the parlor wall. Tucked away on its quaint narrow street, this beautifully maintained home conveys a strong sense of the early south-central neighborhood.
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