Initially called "Nemissoolatakoo," the foundation of its present name, the Salish Indigenous people were its original inhabitants well before European settlement. The name means "river of ambush or surprise," so named because of the intertribal wars common to the area. The Salish tribes did not encounter white Europeans until 1806, when the Lewis and Clark Expedition entered the region. However, it was only in 1860 that settlers established the first white settlement in the area. Part of this settlement included opening a trading post by C. P. Higgins and Francis Worden. The two named it the Hellgate Village, which they created on the Blackfoot River near the valley's eastern edge. Between 1864 and 1865, Missoula saw the construction of a saw and flour mill in the Hellgate area. It was erected by Worden & Co., and they then moved it to a new location at Missoula Mills. Taking over the Hellgate Village, it then became the new economic powerhouse of the alley and the bones on which they built the present-day city. With an extensive road system passing through the Missoula Valley and the U.S. Army establishing Fort Missoula in 1877, in combination with the arrival of the Northern Pacific Railway, the town experienced much growth and expansion in the late 1800s. Towards the late 1890s and early 1900s, Missoula experienced much success with opening the University of Montana in 1895. In combination with the establishment of the headquarters for the Forest Service in 1908, these creations added to progress. In the mid-1900s, the city initiated the Aerial Fire Depot and the first pulp mill in 1954 and 1956. For the next two decades, logging and milling became the focus of Missoula's industries, but in the early 1990s, owners shut down the log yards. With the addition of contemporary buildings such as the First Interstate Bank, the First Security Bank, the new St. Patrick Hospital and Health Sciences Center, and the Millennium Building, Missoula experienced a boom in population and economic expansion. Authorities created the Missoula Downtown Association, making downtown Missoula the hub of the industry it is today.

In a place like Missoula, the arts and culture scene are a worthy counterpart to the wondrous outdoors. Within her borders, you have an incredible opportunity to explore, experience, and enjoy hundreds of second-to-none attractions.

Zootown Arts and Community Center: This is a non-profit community center in downtown Missoula hosting wall-to-wall art murals, theater event spaces, and art classes. Zootown is the epitome of the art scene in Missoula.

Missoula Valley Winter Market: Located in Missoula's Fairgrounds, it is an indoor market held on weekends. It offers a beautiful variety of locally grown foods, lovely stalls of locally made artisan crafts, and designs for gifts or home décor.

Lolo Hot Springs: Spend the day at this wonderful resort floating around in the warm indoor and outdoor pools, and if you fancy a soak in natural hot springs, then find these about an hour down the road.