1.
In mid-July thru late August (and apparently
until the first snow falls) the sky is hazy from wildfires that burn
nearby. According to most locals the
haze is ‘normal’ this time of year.
2.
David Lynch (the best director ever!) was born
in Missoula.
3.
Breweries across the state close at 8 pm and can
only serve an individual up to 48 oz. (3 pints) of beer a day. It’s the law!
4.
Speaking of breweries, they are so ubiquitous
that individuals can purchase a passport to get stamped at each brewery in
Montana (over 50).
5.
Around 15,000 years ago (more or less) Missoula
was an enormous glacial lake, supposedly one of the biggest and deepest in the
world.
6.
The city government offers no curbside
recycling. Individuals must pay for the
service from two private companies or take the items to local drop offs.
7.
Across
the state, the speed limit is 80 mph on highways. Until fairly recently signs read, “Reasonable
and Prudent.” But people from out of state took advantage (so a local told
me).
8.
Montana has no sales tax! The price you see is the price you pay!
9.
The Lewis & Clark expedition brought the
first US settlers to the Missoula area.
10. The
Clark Fork River, named after William Clark, runs through Missoula.
11. York,
an enslaved African who was William Clark’s companion, was the first person of
African descent to set foot in Montana.
12. Homeless
people are often sent to Missoula from other cities in Montana. There appears to be a large number of
homeless on the streets, in the parks, …
13. The
Montana Grizzlies college football team won the National Championship in 1995
and in 2001. Presently, they are not
doing so well ☹
14. The
Garden of 1000 Buddhas is a short 30-minute drive North of Missoula in Arlee,
MT.
15. Not a lot of ethnic diversity exists in
Missoula. It’s about as white as it
gets.
16. Jeannette Rankin, the first woman to be
elected to the US congress, is from Missoula.
17. Missoula
must be one of the most bicycle friendly places in the country. There may be more bikes than people! In fact, there is local shop, Free Cycles, that gives them away!
18. The
city is also very pedestrian friendly.
Cars will stop in a heartbeat for someone crossing the street.
19. There
seems to be more cigarette smokers here than the average.
20. Montana
is one of the world’s richest sources of dinosaur fossils. They even have a ‘state fossil’, the
duck-billed dinosaur
21. The
movie A River Runs Through It was
filmed in Missoula.
22. Montana
is the 4th largest state but ranks 44th in population (48th
in population density). Needless to say
it is easier to get away from people.
23. A
short drive away and you can pan for sapphires and other gems (and usually find
some!) Montana is home to some of the
largest sapphire reserves in the world.
24. Before
the city became Missoula, it was called the ‘Gate of Hell’ due to all the
conflict from various settlers and tribes fighting over the area. Supposedly, human bones were spread across
the valley from dead bodies.
25. Once
upon a time, timber was Missoula’s largest industry. Education (University of Montana) is now the
leading employer and economic driver.
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