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.
September is Bear Aware Month
Being outdoors means being with wildlife. Here's some simple advice for staying safe while exploring the outdoors and in bear country.... more
New Missoula Murals Highlight Local Artists and Downtown Partnerships
Two new art murals highlight local artists and partnerships and add life and vibrancy to the streets and alleys in Downtown Missoula.... more
Missoula Community Theatre’s AUDITIONS for Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
The Missoula Community Theatre is thrilled to announce an OPEN AUDITION for Rudolph The RedNosed Reindeer on Sunday, September 24th.... more
Tips for Choosing the Perfect Cabinet Hardware
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Missoula Restaurants
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The Pulse {News & Opinion} Posts
September is Bear Aware Month
Being outdoors means being with wildlife. Here's some simple advice for... more
Postgame Fireworks Show Announced For Sept. 16 Black Out
Griz Football is back in Missoula, and fans' next chance to catch Monta... more
New Missoula Murals Highlight Local Artists and Downtown Partnerships
Two new art murals highlight local artists and partnerships and add lif... more
Off the Couch {Sports & Recreation} Posts
Griz Return Home for First-Ever Matchup with Fiery Ferris State
Montana hosts the two-time defending D-II national champion and No. 1 r... more
Help the Griz Set a Season Ticket Record in 2023
With kickoff less than a month away, excitement for the upcoming Montan... more
Warm Water Prompts Full Fishing Closures and Hoot-Owl Restrictions on Some Streams
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is advising anglers that full fishing cl... more
Live It Up {Lifestyles & Entertainment} Posts
Curbing the Habit: Quitting Smoking in Missoula
All stakeholders of Missoula must stay consistent in addressing smoking... more
The Art of Hosting the Perfect Birthday Bash
The classic birthday celebration includes several components, all of wh... more
New Instant Withdrawal Casino: Swift and Seamless Cashouts
Welcome to our guide to the New Instant Withdrawal Casino, where we int... more
Eat, Drink & Be Merry {Food & Drink} Posts
How To Cook the Perfect Roast Beef + Leftover Recipes
Cooking the perfect roast beef can be tricky, so we've put together thi... more
Restaurant design – everything you need to know
If you're opening your own restaurant or are simply curious about resta... more
How Does Dehydration Affect Women?
Did you know that dehydration can cause an odor? Here are some other ti... 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.
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.
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.