On July 14, 1864, four hungry miners took a "last chance," found color in their pans, and gold seekers soon moved in to stake claims. One of them built the Pioneer Cabin, Helena's oldest documented dwelling. Within the first four years, Last Chance placers yielded $19 million in gold. Pennsylvania brick mason Louis Reeder built the alley's stone and brick buildings between 1873 and 1884. The small apartments first housed miners working nearby claims and later pensioners. In 1938, the Last Chance Restoration Association launched one of the first preservation efforts in the West by purchasing the Pioneer and Caretaker's cabins. In 1961, three Helena women rescued the alley from demolition. This historic neighborhood survived fires, the 1893 silver panic, the 1935 earthquakes, 1970s Urban Renewal, and the test of time. Today, the Montana Heritage Commission manages and cares for these historic properties for the State of Montana.