On February 1, 2017, it was announced that Helena’s historic Fire Tower is going to be demolished and rebuilt according to its original historic beauty.

Helenahistory.org reports that the Fire Tower was installed to watch over Helena for the frequent fires accustomed to the area in the 1800s. It “has been repaired and restored several times over the years. The 1935 earthquakes damaged it, [causing the] 1886 bell [to be] taken down and put on display… until 1939, when it was placed back in the tower. [Then] [i]n 1950, a lightning fire weakened the structure.” This bell was one of several bells that have resided in the Fire Tower that have been cracked by unfortunate circumstances, increasing the tower’s structural weakness.

KTVH reported that the decision to demolish the tower was made after officials determined “the structural instability… [is] too great to preserve.”

In August of 2016, the Fire Tower, which is over one hundred forty years old, was the victim of arson which was the cause of to the structure’s instability. After it was determined as unsafe, Amy Teegardan, Director of Helena City Parks and Recreation, in an interview with KTVH, said the decision was made to “demolish and replace the entire structure.”

The structure will be replaced with completely new materials. Teegardan additionally, said that “The option of replacing and restoring the fire tower with new materials does meet the historic preservation requirements.”

Logan Dutton, a senior, comments that “It’s a historical site that ought to be preserved. I think restoration would be the more authentic approach.” Teegarden shared those sentiments saying, “I think regardless of [if] you live in Helena or visit Helena, the view of the first is a remembrance of Helena’s history and a symbol of the history that was so important to Helena.”

As for the Fire Tower’s cupola, KTVH reported that Teegardan said that it “is still in good shape and could possibly [be] salvage[d].”

Regardless of the methods to restore or replicate, Helena will still have the Guardian of the Gulch in some form or another.