Thirty-eight illustrated essays explore the history of Helena, Montana, and the surrounding area in this second collection of the popular Independent Record weekly newspaper column. The nine historians present stories of people, places, and events, and raise questions dating from the beginning of Helena--where was that first gold strike really located? And what happened to the underground ''river of gold''?--to the devastating 1935 earthquakes that reshaped the city's appearance. Readers will meet a little girl's wistful ghost, a gang of Depression-era bank robbers, and their murdered gun moll. Here are the stories of the beginnings of Canyon Ferry, East Helena, Unionville, and Rimini. Longtime residents, newcomers, and visitors will find treasures throughout this anthology. Published by the Independent Record.