The Windsor Ballroom, Helena MT: History and What Happened to It
Anchor Guide is not this venue, has no connection to the building or its owners, and takes no bookings. The ballroom is no longer operating as an event space.
Other Helena venuesQuick answer
The Windsor Ballroom is the fourth-floor ballroom of Helena's Iron Front building, built in 1888 and once known for "the best dance floor in the West." After a 2023 fire, the floor is planned to become five condominiums, so it can no longer be rented for weddings or events.
At a glance
- Building
- Iron Front building, originally the Iron Front Hotel or Windsor House
- Built
- 1888
- Architects
- Heinlein and Matthias of Helena
- Facade
- Montana's only known prefabricated iron facade
- Status
- Closed as a venue converting to condos (2026)
- Last checked
- Oct 8, 2026
History
From hotel ballroom to condos.
Helena architects Heinlein and Matthias designed the building as a European-style hotel, the Windsor House, in 1888. Its pre-cast iron front is, according to the Montana Historical Society, the only known example of a prefabricated iron facade in Montana. The ballroom on the fourth floor had an oak floor once billed as the best dance floor in the West.
In 2023 a fire heavily damaged the building, according to Montana Free Press and Lee Montana newspapers.
In September and October 2026, Montana Free Press and Lee Montana newspapers reported that renovation had begun. Plans call for the ballroom and the rest of the fourth floor to become five condominiums, with apartments on the second and third floors (20 in total).
Other venues
Event spaces in Helena.
FAQ
Questions people ask.
Is the Windsor Ballroom in Helena still open for events?
No. Montana Free Press reported on Sept. 28, 2026 that the ballroom is being converted into condos as part of the Iron Front renovation.
When was the Iron Front building built?
In 1888, designed by Heinlein and Matthias. It was originally the Iron Front Hotel, also called the Windsor House.
Is this website the Windsor Ballroom's site?
No. Anchor Guide is an independent publication with no connection to the building, its owners or any business that operated there.
Planning in Helena
What you'll also need.
Sources
- Montana Historical Society — Historic Montana: Iron Front Hotel · State agency (historicmt.org), checked Oct 8, 2026
- Montana Free Press — Luxury condos coming to the Iron Front (Sept. 28, 2026) · Secondary source (montanafreepress.org), checked Oct 8, 2026