Missoula, Montana

Main article: [Missoula County, Montana]

Missoula is a city in the United States, in Missoula County, Montana. It is near the Clark Fork River and surrounded by mountains. People often call it the "hub of five valleys."

In the year 2020, about 73,489 people lived there. It is the second-largest city in Montana.

The area was first settled by people from Europe in 1858. Missoula started in 1860 as a trading post. It grew when the railway came and a university was built. Today, the University of Montana is one of the city's biggest employers.

Missoula has many parks, trails, and open spaces. It is also known for its breweries and wildlife, like elk and deer. These animals sometimes visit Mount Jumbo in the winter. The city is led by a mayor and a council who help make decisions for the community.

History

Main articles: History of Missoula, Montana; Montana Rail Link; and Burlington Northern

People have lived in the Missoula Valley for about 12,000 years. Native American tribes such as the Salish, Kootenai, Pend d'Oreille, Blackfeet, and Shoshone used the land for hunting and traveling.

In 1805, Lewis and Clark passed by the area. In 1860, a small village was built nearby. By 1864, the village moved to where Missoula is today. The city grew quickly when the railroad arrived in 1883.

Missoula became home to the University of Montana in 1893. Lumber and wood products were important jobs for over 100 years. By the 1990s, the air was much cleaner.

The railroad company changed names and owners over time. In 1987, a new company called Montana Rail Link began running the trains. In 2024, the railroad returned to its original owner.

Today, education and healthcare are the biggest industries in Missoula. The University of Montana and hospitals employ many people. Downtown Missoula has many old buildings and is now a center for arts and small shops.

Geography

Missoula is in western Montana, near the Idaho border. It is about 117 miles south of Kalispell and 165 miles southeast of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. The city is 3,209 feet above sea level, with tall mountains nearby.

Long ago, the area was the bottom of a large lake called Glacial Lake Missoula. Today, Missoula is mostly flat with steep hills around it. The city is where the Clark Fork River meets the Bitterroot and Blackfoot rivers. It is where five mountain ranges come together, earning it the name “hub of five valleys”.

The city covers about 35 square miles, most of it land with a small part water.

Missoula has a Rocky Mountain environment. You can find animals like white-tailed deer, moose, grizzly and black bears, osprey, and bald eagles. Rivers have fish such as westslope cutthroat trout and bull trout, plus birds like beavers and wood ducks. Plants like willows, cottonwoods, and ponderosa pine grow there.

Missoula has a humid continental climate, with cold, snowy winters and hot, dry summers. Winter snow usually falls between late October and early April. Summers are sunny, often with temperatures above 90 °F, and temperatures can change a lot during the day.

Demographics

As of the 2023 American Community Survey, Missoula has about 33,958 households, with an average of 2.14 people in each. The city's median household income is $65,329, and about 12.8% of people live at or below the poverty line. Most people in Missoula have finished high school, and many have college degrees.

In the 2020 census, Missoula had a population of 73,489. The median age was 35 years. About 18.3% of residents were younger than 18, and 15.5% were 65 or older. Most people lived in urban areas, with only a few in rural parts of the city. There were many different types of households, with some having children, some with married couples, and others with single individuals. The city had many homes, and only a few were empty.

Economy

Missoula began as a trading post in the 1860s along a road used by soldiers. It grew when it became the county seat in 1866 and when a fort was built there in 1877. A railroad arrived in 1883, which helped the city grow and brought jobs and trade from far away.

Lumber mills were important in Missoula’s economy, providing wood for homes, businesses, and the railroad. The University of Montana, opened in 1895, also helped the city by providing educated workers and bringing visitors for events. Today, Missoula’s economy includes health care, retail, education, and tourism, with many people visiting each year. The city is also known for its alternative healthcare services.

Top Employers

As of the city's 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, Missoula's top employers are:

Culture

Main article: Culture in Missoula, Montana

Missoula is called the cultural center of Montana. It is home to the state's first university and has many different kinds of people. Community events often happen downtown, either outside or in old buildings.

Every August, the River City Roots Festival has music, food, drinks, and art. The Missoula Farmers Market, started in 1972, lets people buy fresh food on Saturday mornings from May to October and Tuesday evenings from July to September. Downtown also has a gallery walk called "First Friday Missoula" on the first Friday of each month, showing local art. There are also film festivals like the International Wildlife Film Festival at the Roxy Theater and the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival at the Wilma.

Missoula has many places for art and history. The Montana Museum of Art & Culture has thousands of original artworks. The Missoula Museum of Art shows modern pieces. Fort Missoula has museums about the region's history and military. The city also has several breweries, with Big Sky Brewing being the largest in Montana. There are also events like the Garden City Brewfest and Winterfest for beer lovers.

Sports

See also: University of Montana Grizzlies athletics

Missoula is a fun place for sports! It has teams for different ages, from college students to young people and amateur players. One of the most popular teams is the Montana Grizzlies football team. They play at Washington–Grizzly Stadium and have many fans watching their games on TV all over Montana. The Grizzlies also have basketball teams that play at Dahlberg Arena.

Missoula has a baseball team called the Missoula PaddleHeads. They play in the Pioneer Baseball League and have home games at Ogren Park at Allegiance Field. Every year in May, the city hosts "Maggotfest," a fun rugby tournament with teams from the United States and Canada. There is also a hurling club in Missoula called the Thomas Meagher Hurling Club, named after a famous Irish leader who once governed Montana.

Parks and recreation

Missoula has many green spaces and fun places to play! The city has over 400 acres of parkland, 22 miles of trails, and almost 5,000 acres of open space to explore. It’s a great spot for activities like white water rafting and fly fishing.

The city also has two water parks, many golf courses, and three ski areas close by. Public parks began in 1902 when a generous couple gave land for Greenough Park. Today, there are many parks like Bonner Park, Kiwanis Park, and McCormick Park, which has a skate park, a place to fish, and more. Caras Park, near the Wilma Theatre, hosts fun events and has a beautiful wooden carousel and a special area for children to play.

Government and politics

Further information: List of mayors of Missoula, Montana

Missoula has had many ways to run its city since 1883. Today, it uses a mayor–council system. The mayor and city treasurer are picked by everyone in the city. There are 12 council members, two from each of six areas. All leaders serve for four years and can be re-elected many times.

Missoula’s group of state leaders is the second largest in Montana. The city is often seen as one of the most liberal places in the state. It has supported ideas that are different from the rest of Montana.

Education

See also: University of Montana

Missoula’s first school opened in 1869 with 16 students. A teacher named Emma C. Slack came from Baltimore to teach there. The first public high school opened in 1904, and another school was built in 1908. More schools were added later, including a new high school in 1957.

Today, the city has many schools. There are nine public elementary schools, three middle schools, and four high schools. There are also private schools and a special theater academy for students. The University of Montana, founded in 1893, is the main college here. There is also a public library in Missoula, the Missoula Public Library.

Media

Main article: Media in Missoula, Montana

Missoula has the biggest television area in Montana. It reaches many homes and has three local TV channels. There is also a public broadcasting station at the University of Montana.

The city has three main newspapers and online news sites. The Missoulian is the oldest, starting in 1870. The Missoula Current began in 2015 and shares local news online. The Montana Kaimin is a free weekly paper for students at the University of Montana.

Infrastructure

Health care

Missoula has two main hospitals: St. Patrick Hospital and Health Sciences Center and Community Medical Center. St. Patrick’s has been open since 1873 and is the only hospital in western Montana with a unit for serious injuries. The Community Medical Center, opened in 1922, now belongs to a large company and has a special unit for children.

Utilities

Missoula’s water no longer comes from the river; it now comes from an underground source. The city has had electricity since 1889. Today, NorthWestern Energy provides most of the electricity and gas. Phone service is offered by CenturyLink and Blackfoot Telecommunications, with major cell providers like AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, and T-Mobile. The city also has several recycling options.

City layout and development

Missoula began growing in the 1860s along a military road. The city’s streets mostly follow the river, with some areas laid out in a grid. The University of Montana, founded in 1893, helped the city grow south of the river. The city has 18 neighborhood councils and 10 historical districts.

Trail system

Missoula has many trails for walking and biking, totaling over 22 miles. These trails connect different parts of the city, including the university and parks, with special paths for bikes and pedestrians.

Transportation

Highways

Interstate 90 runs along the northern edge of Missoula and connects to other roads like U.S. Route 93 and U.S. Route 12. These highways help people travel to places like the Bitterroot Valley and Glacier National Park.

Transit

Public buses in Missoula are run by Mountain Line, which began in 1977. They have many routes and special services for people who need help getting around. The buses are free to ride as part of a pilot program.

Bus lines

People can take buses to other cities with Jefferson Lines.

Railroads

Train travel through Missoula stopped in 1979, but there are plans to possibly bring it back. The nearest train station is in Whitefish.

Bicycles

Many people in Missoula bike to work. The city is one of the best in the U.S. for biking commuters.

Airport

Missoula has its own airport, which is the largest in western Montana. It served over 900,000 passengers in 2023 and has three jet bridges for planes.

Notable people

Main article: List of people from Missoula, Montana

See also: List of University of Montana alumni

Missoula is a city where many famous people were born or lived.

In politics, Jeannette Rankin, the first woman in Congress, grew up there. Senators Mike Mansfield and Max Baucus also began their political careers in Missoula.

The city has been home to many athletes, including Olympic medalists, Pro Football Hall of Fame Quarterback John Elway, and former Milwaukee Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak.

Famous creative minds from Missoula include filmmaker David Lynch, actor Dana Carvey, and writers like Norman Maclean, author of A River Runs Through It. Musician Jeff Ament and YouTuber and science communicator Hank Green also live in Missoula.

Sister cities

Missoula has two sister cities, which are cities in other countries that are friends with Missoula. These sister cities are:

• Neckargemünd, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
• Palmerston North, New Zealand

The friendship with Palmerston North began when a person from Missoula returned from studying in New Zealand. It became official in 1983. Every May, Missoula celebrates "New Zealand Day" with rugby, food, and fun activities.

The friendship with Neckargemünd started in 1991 after people from that city visited Missoula. Each September, Missoula holds a "Germanfest" to celebrate German culture and this friendship.

Portrayal in media

Author Norman Maclean grew up in Missoula. He wrote about it in his 1976 book A River Runs Through It. The story became a movie in 1992. Robert Redford directed it. Brad Pitt and Craig Sheffer starred in the film.

The city is mentioned in the video game Far Cry 5. It is the closest city to a fictional place called Hope County. In another game, Project Wingman, a big industrial area covers an old, underwater version of Missoula.