Once in a while we visit here in Streets & Squares some smaller city anywhere in the world. This time it will be Missoula in the mountaineous state of Montana, United States. Missoula was founded in 1860 as Hellgate Trading Post while still part of Washington Territory. By 1866, the settlement had moved upstream 5 miles east, and been renamed Missoula Mills, later shortened to Missoula. The city is divided by Clark Fork River.
If you happened to follow the American miniseries Maid (2021), you heard of both University of Montana and Mount Sentinel , and the letter M there. It’s pretty cool that Google’s Streetview lets you follow that trail all the way up to the M, and look at the scenery as if you were actually there! Definitely a thing to do - for anyone with good shoes and condition - planning a trip to Missoula!
Okay, as always in Streets & Squares, clicking on the address links leads you to Google Maps, and clicking on the names to the person’s Wikipedia page if there is one. The street names of various U.S. presidents are not included, the emphasis being, as usual, on local names. But we do include the literary names found in streets signs of Missoula!
Artur Avenue - Arthur Higgins, one of the seven children of Christopher Powers Higgins with streets named after them - all running parallel to S Higgins Avenue. Born in Hell Gate, Montana Territory. StreetView
Beverly Avenue - Beverly Price Evans (1892-1967) son of U.S. Congressman John Evans. Born in Missoula. StreetView
Briggs Street - George Briggs (1858-1927) was a partner in the Mentrum-Briggs Bottling and Liquor Co. as well as the owner of the infamous saloon near Fort Missoula. Missoula Current - StreetView
Brooks Street - one of the main thoroughfares in Missoula, named after George F. Brooks (1858-1940), an engineer and real estate businessman born in Boston, Massachusetts. Missoula Current - StreetView
Burns Street - Robert Burns (1759-1796) poet and lyricist who is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland. Born in Alloway, Ayshire, Scotland. StreetView
Cooper Street - James Fenimore Cooper (1789-1851) was a sailor and an author of historical romances set in the American frontier. Born in Burlington, New Jersey. StreetView
Cowper Street - William Cowper (1731-1800) a poet and hymnodist who also wrote a number of anti-slavery poems. The Negro’s Complaint was often quoted by Martin Luther King Jr. Born in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England. StreetView
Defoe Street - Daniel Defoe (1660-1731) was a trader, journalist and author, notably of Robinson Crusoe. Born in London, England. StreetView
Evans Avenue - John M. Evans (1863-1946) was a lawyer in Missoula, and a served as a Democratic congressman. Born in Sedalia, Missouri. StreetView MT 59801
Francis Avenue - Frank G. Higgins (1864-1905) one of the seven children of Christopher Powers Higgins with streets named after them. He was a lawyer, politician and mayor of Hell Gate (future Missoula). Born in Hell Gate, Washington Territory. This street seems to be no more.
Gerald Avenue - Gerald Higgins, one of the seven children of Christopher Powers Higgins with streets named after them - all running parallel to S Higgins Avenue. Born in Hell Gate, Montana Territory. StreetView
Grant Street - Richard “Captain Johnny” Grant (1xxx-1862) Canadian fur trader, ranch owner and Missoula pioneer - Grant-Kohrs Ranch - StreetView
Hawthorne Street - Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) was a novelist, and dark romantic and short story writer. Born in Salem, Massachusetts. StreetView MT 59802
Hastings Avenue - Hastings Evans, son of U.S. Congressman John Evans. Born in Missoula. - StreetView
Helen Avenue - Helen Higgins, one of the seven children of Christopher Powers Higgins with streets named after them - all running parallel to S Higgins Avenue. Born in Hell Gate, Montana Territory. StreetView
Higgins Avenue - Christopher Powers Higgins (1830-1889) Irish immigrant who joined the army, rose to the rank of captain, and then in 1860 settled as a businessman in Missoula and helped found the city. StreetView
Hilda Avenue - Hilda Higgins, one of the seven children of Christopher Powers Higgins with streets named after them - all running parallel to S Higgins Avenue. Born in Hell Gate, Montana Territory. StreetView MT 59801
Kim Williams Trail (9.8miles/15.8km) Kim Williams (1923-1986) was a naturalist, writer and guest commentator on NPR radio show All Things Considered for over ten years. Missoula resident since 1971. Born in Gallatin Township, New York. Kim Williams Nature Trail
Mansfield Avenue - Mike Mansfield (1903-2001) University of Montana alumnus, politician and diplomat. Born in Brooklyn, New York. StreetView MT 59801
Maurice Avenue - Maurice Higgins, one of the seven children of Christopher Powers Higgins with streets named after them - all running parallel to S Higgins Avenue. Born in Hell Gate, Montana Territory. StreetView
Ronald Avenue - Ronald Higgins, one of the seven children of Christopher Powers Higgins with streets named after them - all running parallel to S Higgins Avenue. Born in Hell Gate, Montana Territory. StreetView
Russell Street - Charles Marion Russell (1864-1926) was a prolific painter of the American Old West, storyteller and author. Born in St. Louis, MO USA. StreetView
Shakespeare Street - William Shakespeare (1564-1616) the famous author and playwright born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. StreetView
Stephens Avenue (Old U.S. 93) William James Stephens (1834-1918) was an Irish immigrant who worked for a while as a gold miner in California, then as a frontier lawyer, judge and legislator, active in Missoula since 1870. Born in Kingston, County Dublin, Ireland. City Lifestyle - University of Montana - StreetView
Worden Avenue - north of the Clark Fork River. Named after Francis Lyman Worden (183´0-1887) prominent businessman and one of the founders of Missoula. Born in Marlboro, Vermont. StreetView
A to Z FROM MISSOULA
i.e. a list of people born in Missoula. Just another fun way to know something more about the city. We pick a couple of people for each alphabet, if possible. The numbers you see at the end of each line indicate the year of birth. This list is updated from time to time. And last but not least: the flag, logo or coat of arms of the city – if there is one!
B - Dorothy Baker* (b Dodds) writer/novelist (1907) - Krista Bobo* (b Davey) football player (1978)
C – Scott Michael Campbell* actor/writer/director (1971)
F - Jesse Tyler Ferguson* actor (1975)
H – Frank G. Higgins* lawyer, politician and mayor of Hell Gate (1864)
L – David Lynch* film director (1946)
M – Tommy Moe* ski racer/OG (1970)
N - Ted Nichols* composer (Hanna-Barbera Productions)/conductor/educator (1928)
R - Jeannette Rankin* the first woman to hold federal office in the United States (1880) - Fritzi Ridgeway* actress/ vaudeville performer/hotelier (1898)
S - Michael Smuin* ballet dancer/choreographer/theater director (1938)
T - Taylor Tankersley* baseball pitcher (1983)
V - Allen Vizzutti* trumpeter/ composer/music educator (1952)
Z - Hubert Zemke* WW2 fighter pilot (Zemke’s Wolf Pack)/career soldier (1914)
LINKS
https://citylifestyle.com/missoula-mt/articles/real-estate/digesting-our-city
https://missoulacurrent.com/opinion/2019/07/missoula-street-names/
https://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/
https://missoulacurrent.com/government/2020/02/higgins-bridge-salish/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_from_Missoula,_Montana
https://oldmissoula.com/?p=1611
Updated 22.1.2023