Missoula is a beautiful, little town that over 68,000 of us call home, but do you know any of the history of our awesome town?
Missoula is a Salish Indian word meaning "by the shining waters".
*Founded in 1860 and originally called the Hell Gate Village.
*Lewis & Clark were in the area twice during their expedition
*In 1883 Northern Pacific Railway arrived to help booster the economy and lifestyle.
*1893 brought the first university in Montana to Missoula - University of Montana.
*The second largest city in Montana.
*In 1908 the US Forest Service came to town and in 1942 started training smokejumpers.
*Approximately 45 miles from the Idaho border.
*13,000 years ago Missoula was the bottom of a lake.
*Home to the International Heart Institute - St. Patrick's Hospital.
*The Norman Maclean book "A River Runs Through It" is based on the Missoula area.
