8 minute read
LOCAL HISTORY
HISTORY
LOCAL HISTORY
Did you know that this drop-dead gorgeous valley used to be a vast glacial lake? Or that the name Missoula comes from the Salish word “Nemissoolatakoo?” That Missoula was a major stop on the Lewis and Clark expedition? Or that the first woman ever elected to the United States Congress hailed from here?
Missoula’s history has more tributaries than you can count. And the town proudly showcases its lively and diverse background through historically-devoted places like Holt Heritage Museum and the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula. If you’re fascinated by the early days of aviation, take a trip to the Museum of Mountain Flying, home of the famous Miss Montana DC3/C47 and so much more.
The city’s cultural past is vibrant and diverse, melding the stories and lives of people—pioneers, homesteaders, fur trappers, gold rushers, and railroaders—who came from around the world to settle with the American Indians who were already inhabiting the valley. Missoula’s past truly does run deep, and its roots are grounded in the lives of the men and women who shaped, and were in turn shaped, by this sublime landscape. Visit DESTINATIONMISSOULA.ORG/HISTORY for more information.
FORT MISSOULA Western Montana’s rich history is brought to life on Fort Missoula’s 32 acres, with over 20 well-preserved historic structures. Established in 1877 during the Indian Wars, this once-major military post also served as the starting point for the African American 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps’ 1,900-mile ride to St. Louis, Missouri; a WWI military training center; a 1933 Civilian Conservation Corps headquarters; and a WWII internment camp housing 2,200 Italian and Japanese nationals. Rotating exhibits explore a range of thought-provoking historical topics. Explore the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula.
LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION Much of the landscape near Missoula that Lewis and Clark crossed remains unchanged. Montana’s rivers and highways flow past scores of landmarks touched by the expedition. In 1806 Captain Lewis traveled through the Missoula Valley. Near Missoula, Lewis and Clark camped at present day Lolo in an area called Travelers’ Rest. It’s the only place they camped twice and one of two sites in the country with physical evidence of their journey. They wrote about Lolo Hot Springs and the trek across the Bitterroot Mountains along the Lolo Trail. SETTLING MISSOULA Hell Gate Village Trading Post was established in 1860 by Christopher P. Higgins (where downtown Missoula’s “main drag” gets its name) and Frank Worden. By 1866, the settlement had moved east, 5 miles upstream, and was renamed Missoula Mills, later shortened to Missoula.
GLACIAL LAKE MISSOULA Nearly 15,000 years ago, the region was submerged under Glacial Lake Missoula, a prehistoric proglacial lake. Periodically, an ice dam on the Clark Fork ruptured, causing flooding, which happened about 40 times over 2,000 years, and forever changed the landscape all the way to the Pacific coast. Ancient shorelines, ripple marks, scoured lakes, dry channels, falls and flood debris are still visible in the area today. Explore Glacial Lake Missoula at the Montana Natural History Center.
NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD From a town that started as a trading post and fort for people heading out West, the introduction of a railway in 1887 helped expand the population from roughly 300 to 12,000 by 1920. The Northern Pacific Railway reached Missoula in 1883, the same year the city was incorporated.
HISTORICAL MUSEUM AT FORT MISSOULA. TAYLAR ROBBINS
AMERICAN INDIAN HERITAGE Long before Europeans arrived, the Salish, Kootenai, Pend d’Oreille, Blackfeet and Shoshone called Missoula home. The valley acted as a natural corridor through the mountains. American Indian tribes passed through, headed to and from the buffalo-rich eastern plains. Conflict was common, and the eastern canyon entrance was reportedly so strewn with bones that French fur trappers called it Hell’s Gate. Today Hellgate Canyon and a local Missoula high school bear the name. There are seven Indian reservations in Montana, two of which are easily accessible using Missoula as a home base: The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (Séliš, Ksanka, Qlispé) of the Flathead Reservation and the Blackfeet Tribe (Niitsitapi) of the Blackfeet Reservation. American Indian cultural heritage is revered here, and annual gatherings and celebrations like pow wows offer glimpses into the way of life of the American Indian people through traditional dress, art, music, dance and storytelling. The University of Montana is home to The Payne Family Native American Center, the first facility in the nation built to accommodate a Department of Native American Studies and American Indian Student Services.
HALLWAYS TO HISTORY “Hallways to History: A Photographic Walk Through Missoula’s Past,” offers a photographic tour of Missoula’s history. The exhibit is on display daily in the major hallways at Southgate Mall. 2901 Brooks St., 406.721.5140 www.shopsouthgate.com
HISTORICAL MUSEUM AT FORT MISSOULA The Historical Museum was established to preserve and interpret the area’s history with 13 buildings on 32 acres and an impressive collection of artifacts. See ad on this page. 3400 Captain Rawn Way, 406.728.3476 www.fortmissoulamuseum.org
HOLT HERITAGE MUSEUM This “Cowboys and Indians – Rodeos and Pow Wows,” museum captures the essence of the Old West with the country’s largest private collection of western memorabilia, including American Indian artifacts and celebrity cowboy boots. Open by appointment only. 6800 Lewis & Clark Trail, Lolo, 406.273.6743 www.holtmuseum.com
THE MONTANA NATURAL HISTORY CENTER Connecting people with nature, the museum encompasses the flora, fauna and natural history of the region. Explore Glacial Lake Missoula, fossils, Montana ecosystems and more. See ad on page 19. 120 Hickory St., Suite A, 406.327.0405 www.montananaturalist.org
MUSEUM OF MOUNTAIN FLYING The Museum of Mountain Flying preserves the history of Johnson Flying Service and aviation in the northern Rocky Mountain West, and houses the famous and historic Miss Montana DC3/C47 plane. Missoula Montana Airport, 406.721.3644 NATIONAL MUSEUM OF FOREST SERVICE HISTORY Discover something new at this nonprofit museum dedicated to collecting and preserving the history of the U.S. Forest Service. 6305 U.S. Highway 10 W. 406.541.6374 www.forestservicemuseum.org
ROCKY MOUNTAIN MUSEUM OF MILITARY HISTORY The Rocky Mountain Museum of Military History promotes the commemoration and study of the U.S. armed services from the frontier period to the present. Memorabilia and donations accepted. See ad on this page. Fort Missoula, Buildings T-310 and T-316 406.549.5346, www.fortmissoula.org
TRAVELERS’ REST STATE PARK A place where visitors can say with certainty they are walking in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark. Interpretative programs are offered daily in the summer, with special events throughout the year. See ad on page 11. 6717 Highway 12 W., Lolo, 406.273.4253 www.travelersrest.org
UNSEEN MISSOULA The Downtown Missoula Heritage Program (Unseen Missoula) offers historic guided (and some unguided) walking tours, including “Basements and Back Alleys,” “Hotels and Hooligans” and the brand new “Secrets of the Clark Fork River.” 218 E. Main St., 406.543-4238 www.missouladowntown.com/tours/ unseen-missoula
MISSOULA, MONTANA:
ONE OF THE 30 MOST CREATIVE SMALL CITIES
Creative Vitality Cranky Sam Public House offers their own award-winning beer on top of a handpicked wine and cider list (and the occasional food truck), all in downtown Missoula. But do you know where the name comes from? Turns out, Cranky Sam was an infamous Missoulian from the late 19th century.
The building that now houses Cranky Sam was in Missoula’s red light district in Chinatown. Historians had limited information about business in this area, but they knew one thing—Cranky Sam was up to no good.
“Cranky Sam” was a Chinese immigrant of the red light district whose nickname came from his irreverent demeanor and criminal activities, like running an illegal “hopjoint”—“hops” being slang for opium— out of the current day pub.
During the building’s renovation in 2019, relics from that time were unearthed and University of Montana students helped dig, document and discern the history of the district, specifically pertaining to its immigrants.
“Because of the small size of the Chinese population in Missoula and the amount of urban development that has occurred over the last hundred-plus years, this site is one of the only Chinese archaeological sites that we are likely to find in the city,” said Kate Kolwicz, former UM Anthropology grad student.
Scan the QR code to read the full story.
YOUR STORIES - YOUR HISTORY - YOUR MUSEUM
HISTORICAL MUSEUM AT FORT MISSOULA
MUSEUM ROCKY MOUNTAIN LOCATED AT FORT MISSOULA FACILITIES Parking • Museum • Gift Shop OF MILITARY HISTORY Picnic Area • Restrooms
HOURS
June 1 – Labor Day Open 12 – 5 • 7 Days a Week Open weekends till early October
FOR MORE INFO:
406.239.7738 Missoula, MT 59807 info@fortmissoula.org www.fortmissoula.org
CULTURE
CULTURE
With a setting as awe-inspiring as ours, a thriving cultural scene is inevitable.
SYMPHONY IN THE PARK, CARAS PARK. TAYLAR ROBBINS
Once you’ve climbed mountains and forded streams, keep your senses turned on for some city-sized entertainment. It’s a small town with big personality. With eclectic music and food, book and wildlife film festivals, and an art scene that just won’t quit, Missoula’s vivacious and diverse culture is only matched by— and obviously inspired by—its sense of adventure and its natural beauty.
Missoula has an insatiable thirst for cultural variety. You know when you hike a favorite trail and the view still gets you every time? A “cultural harvest” is maintained here, to make sure that the vast embraces of big sky and mountains are always in good company with soul-stirring art, music and nightlife, not to mention an unrivaled commitment to spectator sports. So don’t just settle for a mere taste of Missoula. Catching a Griz or PaddleHead game, dropping in on a book reading, perusing an art gallery and hitting the dance floor are all in a day’s play here.
