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About Missoula
In its early history, Montana was home to many Native American Nations. In fact, the Salish Indians were the first residents of what is now Missoula. Although Lewis and Clark passed through the Missoula area in 1805, it wasn’t until 1860 and after C.P. Higgins and Francis Worden began a trading post in the Missoula Valley that the town officially began as a settlement known as Hell Gate. Years later, the settlement was renamed Missoula, taken from Salish Indian word meaning “near the cold, chilling waters.”
Located in the heart of the northern Rocky Mountains in western Montana, Missoula centrally sits where five valleys converge and three rivers—Clark Fork, Blackfoot, and Bitterroot—flow through. Its green landscape and dense trees makes Missoula’s gorgeous scenery complete and has also led to one of Missoula’s many nicknames, the “Garden City.”
Missoula’s unique surrounding environment and climate is a dream for the outdoors enthusiast, offering a variety of recreational activities during each of its four seasons. Hiking the mountains, skiing the slopes, and fly fishing and white water rafting on the clear rivers are just a few of the many available activities.
Missoula is also home to the University of Montana. Founded in 1893 with 50 students enrolled, the school now has over 13,000 students enrolled. The beautiful U of M campus is located at the base of Mount Sentinel and along the banks of the Clark Fork River. The U of M not only makes Missoula an education hub in Montana, it also brings entertainment and excitement to the community with various activities, including its successful tradition in both football and Lady Griz basketball.
Missoula Demographics/Facts:
- Missoula Population (2009): 108,623
- Missoula Median age (2009): 33.2
- Total households in Missoula (2009): 38,439
- Average household size in Missoula (2009): 2.4 people per household
- Missoula per capita personal income (2008): $43,948
- Birthplace of Jeannette Rankin (first woman elected to the House of Representatives)
- Home of the Annual Maggotfest Rugby Tournament
Montana Information/Facts:
- Montana’s capital is Helena
- Montana’s official animal is the grizzly bear
- Montana’s official state bird is the western meadowlark
- Montana's name comes from the Spanish word mountain
- Montana is the only state with a triple divide allowing water to flow into the Pacific, Atlantic, and Hudson Bay. This phenomenon occurs at Triple Divide Peak in Glacier National Park.
- No state has as many different species of mammals as Montana
- Yellowstone National Park in southern Montana and northern Wyoming was the first national park in the nation.
- Montana has the largest grizzly bear population in the lower 48 states
- In Montana the elk, deer and antelope populations outnumber the humans
- Movies filmed in Montana include: The Shining, Untouchables, Far and Away, A River Runs Through It, The River Wild, Iron Will, Return to Lonesome Dove, Forrest Gump, What Dreams May Come, The Patriot, The Horse Whisperer, and many more!
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