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.
Bergen Named to East-West Shrine Bowl 1,000
unior Bergen has added to his preseason accolades haul with a place on the East-West Shrine Bowl 1,000, an annual watchlist of the top NFL prospects.... 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
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 established six free drop sites for storm-damaged vegetation.... more
Griz Picked to Repeat as Big Sky Champs
The Montana Grizzlies have been picked to win back-to-back Big Sky titles by the league’s coaches and media in 2024 slotting in at No. 1 in both preseason polls.... more
Missoula Restaurants
Missoula has many kinds of options for dining out. Learn More.... more
The Pulse {News & Opinion} Posts
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
Griz Picked to Repeat as Big Sky Champs
The Montana Grizzlies have been picked to win back-to-back Big Sky titl... more
Off the Couch {Sports & Recreation} Posts
Bergen Named to East-West Shrine Bowl 1,000
unior Bergen has added to his preseason accolades haul with a place on ... more
Missoula’s Griz Football Remains at the Top
If you’re a young athlete dreaming of a career in sports, look no fur... 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
Live It Up {Lifestyles & Entertainment} Posts
Audition for Community Series Opener, Little Shop of Horrors
The Missoula Children’s Theatre begins the 2024-2025 Community Series... more
MCT’s The Addams Family Young@Part
MCT’s Next Step Prep Presents announces the kick-off of the 2024-2025... more
Remote Home Tours: Leveraging Technology to Find Your Dream Home in Missoula
Discover how to find your dream home in Missoula using remote home tour... 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.