A Methodist-affiliated university in Helena that operated from 1889 to 1923 before merging to form Rocky Mountain College.
Montana Wesleyan University was established by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1889 to serve Montana residents unable to afford eastern education. The school opened in fall 1890 on the Prickly Pear campus north of Helena. In 1900, it relocated to temporary quarters in central Helena, and in 1914 moved to the Klein Campus, a 22-acre site donated through Henry Klein's generosity. The institution operated with a Christian but non-sectarian philosophy, emphasizing broad Protestant principles rather than denominational doctrine.
By 1909, Montana Wesleyan had modernized its curriculum to align with state university and eastern college standards, establishing four-year degree programs. The faculty numbered eleven members and offered courses in academic, scientific, domestic science, music, and commercial disciplines. The Klein Campus featured Helena Hall as the main administration building and Mills Hall as a women's dormitory completed in 1920. Students benefited from Helena's cultural resources, including the State Historical Library, State Laboratories, City Library, and YMCA.
Montana Wesleyan operated successfully through the early 1920s despite national economic challenges. In 1923, the university merged with College of Montana to form Intermountain Union College, which later became Rocky Mountain College. The original Prickly Pear Valley building was subsequently leased to the Deaconess Association and served as the Montana Deaconess School.