VICTOR
COMMUNIT Y OF
Welcome to Victor - Located in the beautiful Bitterroot Valley. The 0.46 square mile unincorporated town has a population of about 745. Victor is nestled between the Bitterroot Mountain Range, Bitterroot River and the Sapphire Mountain Range. This positions the community of Victor for some of the most breath-taking panoramic views in this valley. The warmth and charm of Victor provides you with small community traditions and the ability to experience nature out your back door. With mountain corridors and the river close by, there is an abundance of wildlife and fowl. You’re just minutes away from a labyrinth, corn maze, float trip down the Bitterroot River, hike or horseback ride from one of the many trailheads. You can unwind at one of Victor’s vacation rentals, lodges or Bed and Breakfasts. Enjoy fantastic dining at Victor’s restaurants - known to be some of the
Photo by Perry Backus
Valley’s best! For larger groups, choose from one of the privately owned event destination centers - each having a unique landscape and charm. The town has a variety of small businesses spread throughout the community. Victor’s school has over 300 students from K-12, including the Mary Stuart Rogers Performing Arts Center with a capacity of 270. This venue has state-of-the-art equipment and was opened in 2009. Like most small Montana rural communities, Victor is close knit, helping and enjoying the town they live in. Events such as Victor Heritage Museum Annual Chocolate Tasting (the first Monday in December) or the ‘Field of Screams’, Western Montana’s #1 Haunted Attraction, shows how this community takes pride in their town!
A BRIEF HISTORY The people of the Red Willow (the Salish), a nomadic tribe, occupied the Bitterroot Valley including Victor before the earliest trappers and explorers came. Plenty of Horses christened as Victor, was chosen as chief of the Salish tribe. Chief Victor died in the summer of 1870 on a hunt near Three Buttes in eastern Montana. In the mid 1860’s, A. Sterne Blake and his Shoshone wife came to the valley and were among the original founders of Victor. Mr. Blake was also the first elected State Legislator from Missoula County, which at that time Victor was a part of. Founding of the townsite, originally named Garfield after President James A. Garfield, was August 20, 1881. It was later discovered when applying for a post office destination for the town, the name ‘Garfield’ had already been taken. The name Victor was made official December 12, 1881. Shortly after, Victor experienced the railroad and silver mining boom along with prosperity in lumber and agriculture. For more information on the Victor community visit us at www.victormt.com. 13
