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City of Missoula (Mont.) records, 1883-2022

Overview of the Collection

Creator
City of Missoula (Mont.)
Title
City of Missoula (Mont.) records
Dates
1883-2022 (inclusive)
Quantity
67.0 linear feet and 1 oversize box
Collection Number
Mss 216 (collection)
Summary
This collection includes records from various agencies within the Missoula, Montana, city government from 1883 to present.
Repository
University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
Archives and Special Collections
Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library
University of Montana
32 Campus Dr. #9936
59812-9936
Missoula, MT
Telephone: 406-243-2053
library.archives@umontana.edu
Access Restrictions

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and The University of Montana--Missoula.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Historical Note

The city of Missoula began as the town of Hell Gate, incorporated in 1860. Hell Gate received its name from the Native Americans. Before the white settlement, the Flathead Indians used the valley as a stopping place to dig up the Bitterroot plant, a staple in their diet.

Hell Gate Town, Missoula County, Washington Territory was incorporated in 1860 and dissolved in 1866. Missoula County encompassed present-day Missoula and Deer Lodge Counties, as well as a good portion of land north and south of present day Missoula County. Hell Gate Town was located at the confluence of the Clark Fork and Bitterroot Rivers. By 1861 the town had a dozen buildings, including what was later to become the Missoula Mercantile.

In 1863, Missoula County reverted to the Idaho territory when it was created in that year. Missoula County then shifted its boundaries to look more like its present day boundaries dividing the Bitterroot Mountains from the Rocky Mountains. In 1864 the population started to shift eastward toward the Missoula Mills, and by the time Hell Gate Town disbanded only a couple of businesses were left.

On December 14, 1866, Missoula Mills became the county seat of Missoula county, the "Mills" portion was later dropped. The first county commissioners, elected in 1865, were C.C. O'Keefe, H.W. Miller, Fred Loveland, and John Chatfield.

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Content Description

This collection contains records from various agencies within the Missoula city government, including Assessment Books; City Clerk's Annual Financial Statements; City of Missoula Ordinances; City of Missoula Record of Communicable Diseases; City of Missoula Resolutions; Microfilm; Police Court Docket; Record Book of Road Poll Tax; Register of Prisoners; Register of Warrants and Bonds Issued; Scrapbooks; Special Improvement District Assessments; City Council Meeting Minutes; Treasurer's Financial Records; photographs; and miscellaneous.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Copyright not transferred to The University of Montana.

Preferred Citation

[Name of document], City of Missoula (Mont.) Records, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana--Missoula.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The collection is divided into twenty-three series:

Series I: Assessment Books, 114 volumes, 1911-1955

Series II: Cash Receipts Journals [deaccessioned]

Series III: City Clerk's Annual Financial Statement, 0.3 linear feet, 1926-1970

Series IV: City Civil Docket [deaccessioned]

Series V: Ordinances, 10 volumes, 1889-1993

Series VI: Record of Communicable Diseases, 1 volume, 1907-1940

Series VII: Resolutions, 20 volumes, 1896-1994

Series VIII: Collections and Distributions Journal [deaccessioned]

Series IX: Court Fine Records [deaccessioned]

Series X: Microfilm, 5 reels, 1971-1986

Series XI: Misdemeanor Docket [deaccessioned]

Series XII: Police Court Docket, 56 volumes, 1888-1973

Series XIII: Record book of Road Poll Tax, 1 volume, 1934-1936

Series XIV: Register of Prisoners, 7 volumes, 1903-1954

Series XV: Register of Warrants and Bonds Issued, 2 volumes, 1955-1959

Series XVI: Scrapbooks, 2 volumes, 1914-1922

Series XVII: Special Improvement District Assessments, 9 volumes, 1913-1966

Series XVIII: State Docket [deaccessioned]

Series XIX: City Council Meeting Minutes, 70 volumes, 1883-2022

Series XX: Traffic Docket [deaccessioned]

Series XXI: Treasurer's Financial Records, 6 volumes, 1913-1968

Series XXII: Photographs, 0.2 linear feet, 1937-2022

Series XXIII: Miscellaneous, 3 folders, 1976-1996

Custodial History

The collection came to archives in multiple parts. The first part came from Dr. Ross Levine in 1979. The remaining parts came from the City of Missoula in 1987, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1997, 2005, 2010, 2019, and 2023. On-going donation from the City of Missoula is expected to continue.

Acquisition Information

Gifts of Dr. Ross Levine, 1979 and the City of Missoula, 1987-2024

Processing Note

Initially, materials from Dr. Levine and from the City of Missoula were integrated into one collection. In 1998, newly-acquired ordinance, resolution and city council minutes books were added, and the entire collection was extensively re-described with new volume numbers for consistency and coherency. In 2010, additional ordinance, resolution, city council minutes books and miscellaneous materials were integrated. In 2014, all contents from 7 different series (78 volumes) were deaccessioned and transferred to the City of Missoula Municipal Court Clerk. No renumbering was done to retained volumes following this 2014 deaccession. In 2025, ordinances and resolutions from 1993-2022 were deaccessioned, because the city maintains backup copies for those years. Also in 2025, original volume numbers/letters (either assigned by the city or stamped on ledger bindings) were noted for cross-reference. At this time, photographs and miscellaneous were also broken out into 2 separate series (Series XXII and Series XXIII).

Related Materials

Additional records may be found at the City of Missoula's records management facility. The City of Missoula holds microfilm copies of many of the records in this collection.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

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Subject Terms

  • Communicable diseases--Montana--Missoula
  • Municipal government--Montana--Missoula--Records and correspondence
  • Prisoners--Montana--Missoula--Registers

Geographical Names

  • Missoula (Mont.)--Politics and government

Form or Genre Terms

  • Court records--Montana--Missoula
  • Dockets--Montana--Missoula
  • Financial records--Montana--Missoula
  • Ordinances--Montana--Missoula
  • Public records--Montana -- Missoula
  • Resolutions--Montana--Missoula
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