Friday, October 13, 2017

25+ More Things about Missoula (& Montana)






26.     In 1860 Missoula was established as Hellgate Trading Post.

27.     Missoula is also known by its nickname ‘ZooTown’. 

28.     Fort Missoula was home to an Italian and Japanese internment camp during World War II.

29.     After the war, many Italians remained in Missoula and made a life for themselves.  None of the Japanese stayed. 

30.     The largest Smokejumper base in the United States is located in Missoula.

31.     Almost every electric box around town is painted with a very colorful & creative mural.



32.     Brennans’s Wave, a man-made wave/rapid on the Clark Fork river, is often surfed! 

33.     I have never seen as many Golden Retrievers in any area.  It seems almost everyone who owns a dog has one.  Or a Huskie.                                                                                                      
34.     There are hundreds of ‘love’ locks on the Madison Street Footbridge.  They symbolize unbreakable love.


35.  The Northern Pacific Railroad is a major reason why Missoula became a larger town.

36.  Montana residents claimed 32 million acres under the Homestead Act, more than any other state.

37.  Missoula is the second most populated city in Montana with around 70-80,000 people.  Billing is first with a bit over 100,000.

38.  A ‘Gully Washer’ is a very heavy rainstorm, something I have yet to see in Montana.

39.  Trucks and guns are as ubiquitous as they are where I come from (Mississippi).

40.  At one time, when Montana mined copper, the capital Helena was home to more millionaires per capita than anywhere in the world!

41.  Missoulians are resourceful.  They reuse a significant amount of scrap metal and other material for arts, crafts, or parts for something else.  Reminds me of Cubans!                        
42.  Montana has almost 15,000 miles of marked hiking trails, second only to California.

43.  The current governor of Montana, Steve Bullock, is from Missoula. 

44.  The Flathead Indian Reservation is the closest Indian Reservation to Missoula. There are seven reservations in total in Montana.                                                                                              
45.  Missoula was one of the few counties that voted Democrat in the 2016 election.  Overall, the state voted Trump.

46.  Forget the fake green, fertilized lawns in a neighborhood.  Missoulians utilize almost every inch of their yards for gardening and other productive purposes.

47.  Gambling is legal is Montana.  There are a lot of casinos!

48.  Starbucks is here but it is not very ubiquitous.  Instead, many local coffee shops are scattered through town.  In fact, residents enthusiastically support many local businesses around town.

49.  Not one, but three rivers run through Missoula; the Clark Fork, the Bitterroot, and the Blackfoot.

50.  The population of elk and deer outnumber the human population in Montana

51.  Most Missoulians do not seem to care about luxury items.  They drive older cars, live in smaller houses, etc.  They just care about getting outside and enjoying nature!

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