This 125 Year Old Montana Statue Is Coming Down For Good
The Woman On Top Of Montana's Capitol For 125 Years
If you've ever looked up at the Montana State Capitol in Helena, there's a good chance you noticed the woman standing on top of the dome.
She's been up there for 125 years, or at least she was until this past August.
READ MORE:
The $790,000 Plan To Replace Montana's Capitol Statue
The statue, officially called "Montana," was created back in 1901 and has spent more than a century enduring pretty much whatever Montana weather could throw at her. She's about 15 feet tall and weighs roughly 2,200 pounds.
Now she's staying down for good.
Back in August, the statue was removed from the Capitol dome as part of a major restoration project. However, once she was down and preservation experts got a closer look, they found rust, corrosion, cracks, and other damage.
There was some consideration given to restoring the original, but ultimately, it was decided that replacing her would be the better long-term option. The replacement won't be cheap, though. It's expected to cost nearly $790,000.
What Happens To The 125-Year-Old Montana Capitol Statue?
There are plans for the future, though. The new statue will be built using an interior stainless-steel structure with molded copper on the outside. The goal is for the new statue to last as long as the original, if not longer.
Before you start an email campaign to keep her on the Capitol, just know the original isn't being thrown away. She's headed to her new home at the Montana Historical Society, where she'll eventually become part of the permanent collection.
Of course, all of this is part of a much larger Capitol restoration project that was approved at more than $28 million, with crews also working on the dome and roof.
There aren't many things in Montana that can say they've been standing in the same spot for 125 years, so her replacement definitely has some big shoes to fill.
Inside the Montana State Capitol: Stunning Photos You Have to See
Gallery Credit: Traci Taylor
PEEK INSIDE THE MONTANA LDS TEMPLE IN HELENA
Gallery Credit: Tammie Toren
KEEP SCROLLING: Cathedral Of St. Helena Is Montana's Most Beautiful Building
Gallery Credit: Nick Northern