Acrylic Fridge Magnet: United States. Montana State Capitol, Helena

The author of the photo: Jim Bowen. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0).

Montana's State Capitol, in the City of Helena, is the Focus of This Souvenir Fridge Magnet

This attractive acrylic fridge magnet shows the dome of the Montana State Capitol, located in the city of Helena. The building was completed in 1902 and, like many government buildings around the United States, was made in an elegant Neo-Classical style; in this case, it was built of sturdy granite and sandstone. The dome is covered in copper and topped with a statue of "Lady Liberty" carrying a shield (to defend freedom), raising a torch (to light the way for those suffering under tyranny) and wearing a Phrygian Cap- a symbol of liberty dating back to the Roman Republic. The statue is reminiscent of New York's famous Statue of Liberty which - being erected in 1886 to national acclaim - was well known to the Capitol's builders. However, the tradition of depicting Liberty with a shield and cap dates back long before the New York statue, and appears on many state emblems around the United States.

Visiting Montana's State Capital, the City of Helena

The Montana State Capitol building is located within the capital city of Helena. Helena is the state's most populous city and is the perfect staging ground for expeditions into the untamed Rocky Mountains that make up the state's western edge. Nearby sites include the great western Continental Divide, Glacier National Park, the Gates of the Mountains Wilderness, the Bob Marshall Wilderness, the Elkhorn Mountains and - further away - the mighty expanses of Yellowstone National Park and its neighbor, Grand Teton National Park. Those relaxing after their expeditions might stop at one (or both!) of the city's two independent breweries: the Blackfoot Brewing Company or the Lewis and Clark Brewing Company (formerly the Sleeping Giant Brewery, after a distinctive hill located outside the city).