Missoula, Montana

Missoula ⁱ/mᵻˈzuːlə/ is a city in the U.S. state of Montana and is the county seat of Missoula County. It is located along the Clark Fork River near its confluences with the Bitterroot and Blackfoot Rivers in western Montana and at the convergence of five mountain ranges, thus is often described as the "hub of five valleys".In 2014, the United States Census Bureau estimated the city's population at 69,821 and the population of the Missoula Metropolitan Area at 112,684. Since 2000, Missoula has been the second most populous city in Montana. Missoula is home to the University of Montana, a public research university.

Missoula was founded in 1860 as Hellgate Trading Post while still part of Washington Territory. By 1866, the settlement had moved east, 5 miles (8 km) upstream, and renamed Missoula Mills, later shortened to Missoula. The mills provided supplies to western settlers traveling along the Mullan Road. The establishment of Fort Missoula in 1877 to protect settlers further stabilized the economy. The arrival of the Northern Pacific Railway in 1883 brought rapid growth and the maturation of the local lumber industry. In 1893, the Montana Legislature chose the city as the site for the state's first university. Along with the U.S. Forest Service headquarters founded in 1908, lumber and the university remained staples of the local economy for the next hundred years.

Northern Pacific Railroad Depot (Missoula, Montana)

The Northern Pacific Railroad Depot in Missoula, Montana, was built by the Northern Pacific Railway in 1901. The current structure is the third depot built in Missoula by the Northern Pacific, which reached Missoula in 1883.

The coming of the Northern Pacific Railway to Missoula ensured the town's economic prosperity as a major transportation hub in Western Montana. The first depot in Missoula was constructed in 1883 and was located approximately 800 feet (240 m) west of the current structure. This depot was planned to be replaced in 1896, but the replacement depot was destroyed by arson before it was completed. The current depot, which was completed in 1901, was designed by noted architects Reed and Stem of St. Paul, Minnesota, in a simplified Renaissance Revival style of architecture. Reed and Stem designed over 100 railroad depots, including the Grand Central Terminal in New York City.

The depot is constructed in brick, with a terra cotta tile roof. It features a main three-story structure flanked by one story wings on each side. The main structure is divided by brick columns into six bays, with the outer four columns on each side sporting the Northern Pacific black and red yin-yang logo. The wings are likewise divided into four bays. The main structure has a hipped roof with terra cotta tiles, while the wings feature flat roofs.

Missoula (disambiguation)

Missoula most commonly refers to Missoula, Montana, United States.

Missoula may also refer to: