Historical Markers in
Flathead County, Montana

404 Second Avenue West 504 Fourth Avenue East 520 Fourth Avenue East 610 1st Avenue West A Glacial Lake Adams House Agather House Alward House Anderson House Arthur L. Johnson Residence Baber/Jaquette House Bad Rock Canyon Baldwin House Bardon House Boyd's Shop Brewery Saloon Brintnall House Cadillac Hotel Carnegie Library Casey's Bar Catholic Parish/Bjorneby House Central School Charles and Carrie March Residence Choosing a Route City Water Department Conlon House Conrad Mansion Conrad/Tobie House Cornelius Hedges School Cry Building Dean Rental Property Donovan House Dr. Albert Brassett Residence Dr. Alexander D. MacDonald Residence Driscoll House Duncan Samson Block Dunsire House East Side Historic District Edward Gay House Elliot House Elmer Sonstelie Residence F.W. Cole House Ferguson House First Presbyterian Church First Presbyterian Church of Whitefish Flathead Wholesale Grocery Foot/Templeton House Ford Residence Former Site of 1st National Bank Building Fry House George Drew Residence Gilbert Gilbertson House Goshorn House Graham House Grant/Clifford House Great Northern Railway Passenger and Freight Depot and Division Office Griffith/Conrad House H.J. Hotel, Blacksmith Haines Drugs Hegranes House Heller Building Henry Good Residence Historic Boats Hori Cafe Building Houston/Parker House Houtz House Howse House Hungry Horse Clearing Ball Iseminger/Graham House Izaak Walton Inn Historic Site J.E. Rockwood House Jones House Kalispell Hotel Kalispell Mercantile Rental Property King House Knight and Twining Block Kolle/Sherman House Laux House Lee/O'Neil House Leslie-Dodge House Madison S. Love Residence Main Street Commercial Historic District Masonic Temple McAllester House McGovern/Karcher House McIntosh House McIntosh Opera House McKeown/Braunberger House Metcalf House Missoula Mercantile/Kalispell Mercantile Morgan House Nathan Rental Property Orpheum Theatre Building Palace Bar Pastime Pool Hall Pearce House Peterson House Phillips House Pierce Residence Ragsdale House Ripke House Robinson Building Ross House Rostad House Sauser-Mercord Building Sawyer House Simpson House Sliter House Spafford House Stuart House Sundelius House Surrounded by Wilderness Tetrault House The Bruck The Goat Lick The Legend of Hungry Horse The Somers - Kalispell Spur Line Time Machines Waggener & Campbell Funeral Home Waggener and Campbell Funeral Home Walker Residence Warren A. Conrad/Noffsinger Residence Weberg House West Side Historic District Whitefish Depot Wilderness Architecture William Swetland Residence Yanicke House
The state of Montana has a rich Native American history, with several tribes, including the Blackfeet, Crow, Salish, and Kootenai, having lived in the region for thousands of years. Many Native American traditions and customs are still practiced in Montana today, including powwows and traditional beadwork.
Montana random facts
Flathead County, Montana is located in the northwest corner of the state and is named after the Flathead Native American Tribe. The county's history stretches back thousands of years, with evidence of human habitation dating back over 10,000 years. The Native American tribes, including the Salish, Kootenai, and Pend d'Oreille, were the first inhabitants of the area and had a deep connection to the land.

In the 1800s, the arrival of European explorers and fur traders began to shape the county's history. The Lewis and Clark Expedition passed through the region in 1806 while exploring the American West. The fur trade brought further European settlement, and the construction of Fort Owen in 1850 marked the beginning of permanent Euro-American presence in Flathead County.

The mid- to late 1800s saw an influx of settlers drawn to the area's natural resources, including its vast timber reserves and agricultural potential. Mining also became an important industry, with the discovery of gold and silver deposits in the region. The construction of railroads like the Great Northern Railway in the late 19th century further fueled economic growth and brought more people to the county.

In the 20th century, Flathead County continued to develop and modernize. The establishment of Glacier National Park in 1910 increased tourism in the area, bringing visitors from around the world to enjoy the stunning natural landscapes. Agriculture remained a vital industry, with wheat, barley, and dairy farming playing significant roles in the county's economy. Today, Flathead County is a thriving community with a diverse economy, serving as a major hub for outdoor recreation, tourism, and a gateway to the beautiful wilderness of Northwestern Montana.

This timeline provides a condensed summary of the historical journey of Flathead County, Montana.

  • 1872 - Flathead County is established.
  • 1891 - Kalispell is incorporated as the county seat.
  • 1904 - Glacier National Park is established.
  • 1933 - Great Depression hits the county hard, leading to economic struggles.
  • 1942 - Flathead County is impacted by World War II, with the establishment of Flathead Army Air Field.
  • 1970s - The county experiences population growth and development.
  • 1980 - The Great Northern Railway Depot in Kalispell is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
  • 1995 - The Hungry Horse Dam, a major hydroelectric project, is completed.
  • 2003 - The county is affected by the Hayman Fire, which burns a large area of forest.
  • 2017 - Flathead County celebrates its 145th anniversary since its establishment.