Old Missoula

1900 – 1920

By E. J. Erlandson

Centennial Editor

The 1900 – 1920 period was one of great progress in transportation for Missoula, but it was also a time of floods, fire and war.

The Garden City got its second transcontinental railroad with the arrival of the Milwaukee in 1909 which added greatly to the economy of this immediate area and the state as a whole.

Dobbin, who had had it pretty much to himself before the turn of the century, suddenly got his initial look at the horseless carriage as the first automobile made a noisy and somewhat frightening appearance.

Montana State University continued to grow with new permanent brick structures added to the campus as well as some temporary wooden structures destined to be a part of the institution for many years in various capacities.

Missoula County High School came into being, previous high school classes being conducted along with grade classes. The high school classes were in the old Roosevelt School building on 6^th street west for awhile, then moved to the Higgins avenue plant to stay for many years. The elementary school system continued a steady growth along with the community.

It was a period of great damage for the area, with the flood of 1908 wiping out many bridges and much of the Milwaukee Road’s new roadbed. Forest fires destroyed huge areas of valuable timber and took the lives of several persons.

The business district, which suffered from great clouds of dust on dry days and a mass of mud during wet weather, had most of its streets paved during the period, and the streetcar became a common sight and a much needed means of transportation for a great part of the population.

The city and surrounding area gave generously both in men and money as the First World War involved the United States, many not returning and others wounded or shaken up so badly they never fully recovered.

The business district took on some big new buildings and the residential areas continued to fill in and expand to house the ever-growing population.