Missoula Montana: Encyclopedia II - Missoula Montana - History

Missoula Montana - History

The first inhabitants of the Missoula area were American Indians from the Salish tribe. Their first encounter with whites came in 1805 when the Lewis and Clark expedition passed through the Missoula Valley. There were no white settlements in the Missoula Valley, however, until 1860 when C. P. Higgins and Francis Worden opened a trading post on the Blackfoot River near Hellgate Canyon, on the eastern edge of the valley. The completion of the Mullan Road, connecting Fort Benton, Montana, with Walla Walla, Washington, and passing through the Missoula Valley meant fast growth for the burgeoning city. Further accelerating the growth of the new town were the establishment by the U.S. Army of Fort Missoula in 1877, and the arrival of the Northern Pacific Railroad in 1883.

Other major draws to the area include the University of Montana, which opened its doors in 1895, and the regional headquarters for the United States Forest Service, which opened in 1908.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "History", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki