Helena, Montana Helena, Montana Helena is the state capital of the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County. Helena was founded as a gold camp during the Montana gold rush, and was established in 1864. Over $3.6 billion of gold was extracted in the city limits over a duration of two decades, making it one of the wealthiest cities in the United States by the late nineteenth century. The concentration of wealth contributed to the city's prominent, elaborate Victorian architecture. At the 2010 census Helena's population was 28,190, making it the fifth least populous state capital
Geology of Saint Helena Geology of Saint Helena The geology of Saint Helena resulted from the long-running volcanic activity of the Saint Helena hotspot. Most of the island was formed beginning 14 million years ago. Volcanism on the island ceased seven million years ago, leading to long-running erosion and the formation of deep, v-shaped valleys along with steep coastal cliffs. Some geochemists have observed significant trace element variations between South Atlantic islands and proposed that deep-ocean sediments may have mixed into the magma which formed Saint Helena. Saint Helena is comprised, almost universally of mafic basalts. The breccia and basalt lava flows of the