Old Missoula

This Area Has Been in Four Territories, Five Counties

The area Missoula occupies has been in four territories and five different counties, but only in one state.

The territory of Oregon was organized by act of Congress in 1848 and included that part of the present state of Montana west of the Rocky Mountains. On March 2, 1853, Congress divided the territory of Oregon, this area then becoming a part of the territory of Washington.

On March 3, 1863, the territory of Idaho was organized to include what is now western Montana, and on May 26, 1864, the territory of Montana came into being, including what is now Missoula County.

In Huge County

This area first was in Clarke County, named after Capt. William Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition. This county embraces the area from near Ft. Vancouver on the Columbia River to the summit of the Rocky Mountains.

Eventually Clarke County was divided with the eastern portion being called Skamania County. This was divided and Missoula came within the boundaries of Walla Walla County. When this was divided Missoula was a part of Spokane County.

On Dec. 14, 1860, the Legislature divided Spokane County and created Missoula County. The county seat was described as “at or near the trading post of Worden & Co., Hell’s Gate Ronde.”

Original County

As originally established Missoula County comprised all that area of Montana in which now lie Silver Bow, Deer Lodge, Powell, Granite, Ravalli, Mineral, Sanders, Flathead, Lincoln and Missoula counties.

When this area came under jurisdiction of the territory of Idaho, the first legislative assembly continued Missoula County, describing the county seat as Wordensville.

The first Legislature of Montana Territory, in session at Bannack, on Feb. 2, 1865, established Missoula County, designating Hell’s Gate again the county seat. In February of 1866 the Board of County Commissioners moved the county seat from Hell’s Gate to Missoula, later having this action officially approved by the Legislature.