HELENA — One of six historically Jewish cemeteries in the Treasure State sits on quiet land behind Capital High School in the West Helena Valley. The Hebrew Benevolent Society of Helena founded the Home of Peace cemetery in 1867. It has existed for almost 160 years and is the oldest active cemetery in Helena and the oldest active Jewish cemetery in Montana.

Some are working to preserve the site's history and share its significance.

Patty Dean became involved with Home of Peace Cemetery in 1976 as a history student at Carroll College. She was interested in the site because she attended Sun Haven School, now Capital High. For her undergraduate thesis she researched the Jewish community in Helena at the time, including the cemetery.

“The fence extends quite away, and the entrance here is a bit off-center because of all the tombstones and plots, and there aren’t any on the left side; you can see that only half of it was developed and utilized. To me, it symbolizes the hope and optimism early Jews had for Helena and Montana, but at the same time, because of economic depression and struggles and what have you, they weren’t able to make that dream come true."

Now Dean gives historical education tours of the site. She shared a few of the prominent people in our city’s history who rest here, including Norman Weinstein and Belle Fliegelman:

“Norman came out from New Haven, where he had fallen in love with Belle Fliegelman. Belle was working as Jeannette Rankins' secretary, the first woman elected to Congress. Of course, they fell in love on Capitol Hill and moved here. Norman eventually became CEO of the New York-based department store Fliegelman’s, where Ten Mile Creek Brewery now is. They were exemplary people; they were very extroverted, and they were very warm to others”.

Phil Grossberg is President of the cemetery's board and says it has become a place of solace for community members regardless of religion.

“The nice thing about Home of Peace cemetery is how tranquil and welcoming it is; we have many people who visit the cemetery that aren’t Jewish and enjoy the solitude and peace of the cemetery,” said Grossberg.

According to the cemetery's board, approximately 217 people have been buried at the site, including 13 since 2005.

As of 2022, Montana had an estimated 1,500 residents who identified as Jewish, 100 of whom lived in Helena.

No grave markers from the site’s early years remain. However, the oldest surviving tombstone is thought to be from 1873 - just six years into the cemetery's existence.

Thirty-four burials listed in records are unmarked, have tombstones lost or removed, and some graves were never marked at all.

The site was entered into the National Register of Historic Places on May 24, 2006. Click here to read the registration form.