This article will explore the Population & Steets of West Helena City, Montana. Helena and West Helena each had separate city councils and mayors. Racial tension erupted in the 1990s when black residents gained political power in West Helena. Five councilmen abused a little-known change in election laws by exploiting the fact that the filing deadline had passed. This fueled a firestorm among black residents and whites who felt left out.
While West Helena became a small railroad town, its high concentration of wealth led to elegant residences and ambitious architecture. The town's numerous miners also led to a thriving red light district. In fact, Josephine "Chicago Joe" Airey built a massive business empire from 1874 to 1893, becoming the biggest landowner in Helena. In 1922, the city built a Chrysler plant, which operated until 1956. The city also had a large manufacturing industry, which included woodworking, with a large proportion of products sent overseas.
In the 2010 census, the cities of Helena and West Helena combined, forming a single city. Helena contained 6,323 people and West Helena had an additional 8,689 residents. Merging the two cities would improve the city's bargaining power and the standard of living for the surrounding area. In March of 2005, the combined city council hired Vincent Bell as the new police chief.