Old Missoula

2 Photos & 1 drawing and captions on page 32

First Fire Alarm Was Whistle on This Light Plant

The first regular fire alarm was a whistle on this light plant on the island located west of Higgins Avenue Bridge. Cord wood was used for the fire needed to run the steam-operated generators to supply electric power for the city. There were still relatively few houses of the South Side when this photo was made in the 1890s.

City’s First Building After Three Decades

This is how the gristmill constructed in 1864 by the cofounders of Missoula looked around 1894, some three decades later. The building, situated just east of the north end of Higgins Avenue Bridge, was used as an office and shop by E. S. Newton, carpenter and builder. Newton later was city building inspector for many years. (Courtesy of Jack E. Dunn)

Home of Missoulian in 1888

This was the home of the Weekly Missoulian in the 100 block of West Main street after it merged March 1, 1888, with the Missoula County Times, another weekly of that day. Harrison Spaulding, publisher of the Times, bought the Missoulian and dropped the name of the Times because of the greater age and broader circulation of the Missoulian. This was termed “the finest building in Montana owned exclusively by a newspaper publisher.” It was located about where the Eagles Hall is today. Later, for many years, the Missoulian occupied a building on the south side of West Main street, almost directly across the street from this one.