Missoula. The Garden City. Zootown. God’s Country.
No matter what you call it, Missoula, Montana is a rare combination of urban and outdoor, cultured and down-home, cowboy and hippie. Make it Missoula is the stage upon which all these diverse personalities and lifestyles dance, and make Missoula the interesting and lively place we love. Learn more about Missoula, MT.
Griz Head to Grand Forks Looking for Redemption
This week, No. 4 Montana returns to the site of that loss in Grand Forks for the first meeting between the two schools since UM took the 41-14 drubbing.... more
18th Annual River City Roots Fest: The High Hawks to Headline Admission-Free Festival
The Missoula Downtown Association’s River City Roots Festival returns to the streets of Downtown Friday and Saturday September 6-7.... more
Bergen Named to Payton Award Watch List
Griz football standout Junior Bergen has added to his pile of preseason accolades with a place on the 2024 Walter Payton Award Watch List as a wide receiver.... more
Audition for Community Series Opener, Little Shop of Horrors
The Missoula Children’s Theatre begins the 2024-2025 Community Series with an open AUDITION for the horrifyingly popular musical, Little Shop of Horrors.... more
Missoula Restaurants
Missoula has many kinds of options for dining out. Learn More.... more
The Pulse {News & Opinion} Posts
Bergen Named to Payton Award Watch List
Griz football standout Junior Bergen has added to his pile of preseason... more
Tree Debris Drop Sites Opened; Caution Advised in Parks Due to Tree Hazards
To aid in cleanup efforts after Wednesday’s storm, the City has estab... more
Hoot-Owl Restrictions Placed On Additional Rivers in Southwest Montana
A full angling closure and two new hoot-owl restrictions will go into e... more
Off the Couch {Sports & Recreation} Posts
Griz Head to Grand Forks Looking for Redemption
This week, No. 4 Montana returns to the site of that loss in Grand Fork... more
Birdwatching in Montana
Birdwatching in Montana. The best locations for birdwatching and their ... more
Official Black Out T-Shirt Now Available for Season Opener
After debuting in 2023, Griz football is excited to bring back a Black ... more
Live It Up {Lifestyles & Entertainment} Posts
18th Annual River City Roots Fest: The High Hawks to Headline Admission-Free Festival
The Missoula Downtown Association’s River City Roots Festival returns... more
Riding the Edge: Understanding Motorcycle Accidents and How to Stay Safe
According to statistics, motorcyclists are more likely to be involved i... more
How Understanding Solvent Basics Can Help You Pick The Perfect Paint For Your Home
By learning more about n-pentane and the basics of solvents, you can ma... more
Eat, Drink & Be Merry {Food & Drink} Posts
8 Tips for Transitioning to a Vegan Diet
Here are eight tips to help make the transition to veganism easier:... more
Hydrogen Water, the Missing Piece of Your Wellness Routine: A Look at its Benefits
Did you know there's a way to take your hydration to the next level wit... more
Sustainable Eating in Missoula – Your Local Guide to Fresh and Affordable Meals
Here are some suggestions on how to adopt eco-conscious eating habits i... more
About Missoula, MT
Missoula, Montana is located along the Clark Fork and Bitterroot rivers. Located in Western Montana at the convergence of five mountain ranges, Missoula is sometimes referred to as the “Hub of Five Valleys."
![Photo by Mark Mesenko, mesenko.com. Photo by Mark Mesenko of Missoula MT www.mesenko.com.](http://makeitmissoula.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/MissoulaWaterTower.jpg)
Photo by Mark Mesenko, mesenko.com.
The city now named Missoula was founded in 1860. At the time the area was officially part of the Washington Territory and called Hellgate Trading Post. Because the area was originally home to several mills that provided supplies to western settlers traveling along Mullan Road the name was changed to Missoula Mills, then shortened again to its present day name of Missoula.
By the 1880s, the Northern Pacific Railway came through the area and Missoula matured to support a thriving lumber industry. As the city experienced rapid growth, Missoula was chosen by the Montana Legislature as the site for the new state’s first university. Along with the U.S. Forest Service headquarters which was founded in 1908, the city’s lumber industry and the university would serve as forerunners of the local economy for the next hundred years. However, by the late 1990s, Missoula’s lumber industry had all but disappeared. Today the city’s largest employers are the University of Montana and Missoula’s two hospitals.
![Photo by Paul Queneau, PQPHOTO.NET. Photo by Paul Queneau, PQPHOTO.NET.](http://makeitmissoula.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/Paul-Quenau-Fall-UM-cropped.jpg)
Photo by Paul Queneau, PQPHOTO.NET.
The University of Montana ranks 17th in the nation and fifth among public universities in producing Rhodes Scholars, with a total of 28 such scholars. The University of Montana has 11 Truman Scholars, 14 Goldwater Scholars and 31 Udall Scholars to its name. UM’s Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library houses the earliest authorized edition of the Lewis and Clark journals.
The city is governed by a mayor-council government with twelve city council members, two from each of the six wards. In and around Missoula are 400 acres of parkland, 22 miles of trails, and nearly 5,000 acres of open-space conservation land.
Missoula, MT has been home to a number of notable individuals in a wide variety of fields. In politics, Jeanette Rankin, the first woman elected to congress, was born and raised in Missoula. Senator Mike Mansfield, the U.S.'s longest serving Senate Majority Leader began his political career while living in Missoula. Max Baucus, Montana's longest serving U.S. Senator and currently U.S. Ambassador to China, also established his political career while residing in Missoula.
Other notable Missoula citizens included athletes, Pro Football Hall of Fame Quarterback John Elway, and former Milwaukee Bucks coach Larry Krystowiak. Actor Dana Carvey and filmmaker David Lynch were both born in Missoula while Carroll O'Connor and J.K. Simmons both attended UM. Also notable is author Norman Maclean, whose book, A River Runs Through It, later became an acclaimed movie, and chronicles Maclean’s life in early-20th century Missoula, Mt.