HELENA — On Sunday, a historical monument dedicated to the Four Georgians was resurrected and restored in the Gulch.
The sign is a significant reflection and representation of Last Chance Gulch and the men who claimed and discovered its gold nearly 155 years ago.
Standing originally at Fuller and Neil, it was unveiled on Cruse and Last Chance.
It was founded by the Four Georgians Chapter of E Clampus Vitus, Chapter 4681. E Clampus Vitus is a non-profit organization, dedicated to the preservation of Big Sky and western heritage of the American West, founded in 1857.
Their clan is as rich with pride as their founding fathers, putting in efforts to renovate the sign, working long weekends and hours after work trying to get all the woodwork and stones replenished.
The renovation of the sign began in March and took nearly five months longer than anticipated due to the abnormally wet summer.
The leader of 4681, Alex Tyhurst, told MTN, “This signifies a culmination of lot of hard work on my part as well as all the members of our Outpost, and now chapter. This signifies the last outpost monument and from here into the future, our chapter will be erecting monuments.”
Four Georgians would like to thank all their sponsors and members for their hard work and efforts to preserve the sign and all they stand for.
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(MARCH 26, 2019) The monument honoring the Four Georgians is missing from its usual location on the intersection of Neill Avenue and Fuller Street.
However, it is just being relocated to a new home down the road.
The sign was taken down on the afternoon of March 25 by the Four Georgians Outpost #4681 of E Clampus Vitus.
The text on the monument recounts the establishment of Last Chance Gulch and mining in the area by John Cowan, D. J. Miller, John Crab, and Reginald Stanley.
The members of E Clampus Vitus who are removing the monument said it is being relocated because the city is looking to redevelop the area.
Four Georgians Outpost local humbug Alex Tyhurst said it’s important they preserve the decades-old sign.
“It’s not so much of just putting up a new sign saying this stuff used to be here. This sign has stood for 45 years as far as we can tell and to us that is important,” said Tyhurst.
Tyhurst added the group hopes to have the sign installed at its new home at the corner of Last Chance Gulch and Cruse Avenue by the end of April.
E Clampus Vitus is a fraternal organization dedicated to the preservation of American West heritage, especially the history of gold mining.
