Home of Peace Cemetery, Helena

Home of Peace is a Jewish cemetery in Helena, Montana, founded in 1867 by the local Hebrew Benevolent Society, which formed on December 9, 1866. The Society formally purchased the land in 1875. The Home of Peace Cemetery Association now maintains the grounds. It is the oldest active cemetery in Helena and the oldest active European ethno-religious cemetery in Montana. There are three major sections of land owned by the Association: the cemetery, undeveloped adjacent land, and land leased to the Helena School District since 1975. The portion leased by the school district is a practice football field for Capital High School and contains unmarked graves from the earliest days of the cemetery. The original wrought iron fence erected in 1867 still stands except on the north side and is in disrepair in places. A granite gateway erected in 1910 is at the main entrance. The east gate also has granite markers. There is a water tower, pump house, and landscaping shed. Twelve broken tombstones lie at the base of the water tower. The northwest corner has remained undeveloped and in its natural wild state. In 1910 cottonwood trees were planted along the driveway. ()