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. Originally part of Washington Territory, in 1863 Missoula County reverted to Idaho territory. Missoula County then shifted its boundaries to look more like its present day boundaries dividing the Bitterroot Mountains from the Rocky Mountains.
On December 14, 1866, Missoula Mills became the county seat of Missoula County; the "Mills" portion was later dropped. The first commissioners of this county, elected in 1865, were C. C. O'Keefe, H. W. Miller, Fred Loveland, and John Chatfield. They sat on the county seat until the next elections in 1867, where only O'Keefe was re-elected.
This collection contains records from the Missoula County government between the years 1871 and 1961. It is divided into four series: Assessor, Clerk and Recorder, County Commissioners, and Court Cases.
The collection is divided into five series:
Series I: Assessor, 1.5 linear feet, 1890-1963
Series II: Clerk and Recorder, 3.0 linear feet and 1 reel of microfilm, 1888-1961
Series III: County Commissioners, 1.0 linear foot and 11 volumes, 1930-1940
Series IV: Court Cases, 72.5 linear feet, 1889-1959.
Series V: General Correspondence of District Judge Cloyde E. Comer, 1.0 linear foot and 23 volumes, 1944-1949
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.
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.
[Name of document or photograph number], Missoula County Records, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana--Missoula.
All materials remained in the possession of Missoula County until deposit with the K. Ross Toole Archives.
On deposit from Missoula County.
This collection was originally six separate collections: financial records/warrant register, SC 222; Potomac Precinct voter register, SC 250; Missoula County Court Cases, Mss 82; County Commissioners, Mss 88; County Assessor, Mss 139; County Clerk and Recorder, Mss 145. In 1999-2000 all these materials were combined into one collection and extensively re-described. In 2016, 234 volumes, primarily from the Clerk and Recorder, were tranferred to the Missoula County Records Center.
These materials are on deposit from Missoula County records division. Additional records may be found in the county's records management facility.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.
Records from the County Assessor's office include general correspondence, 1890-1953, and financial records from the Northern Pacific Railroad, 1891-1931. Found within this series are Articles of Incorporation for the Hellgate Post of the American Legion (1930), the Memorial Hospital Association of Western Montana (1945), and the Campus Ministry Foundation (1963). Various Missoula City Resolutions, 1947-1953, regarding city budgets and extending city limits are also located in this series. Other documents include an order for the Creation of Enlarged School District #32 (1948), an Apportionment Order for the Northern Pacific Railroad (1890), and two Record of Lands Acquired by Tax Deed and Record of Sale volumes (1918-1931).
This series contains articles of incorporation and a microfilm of the Potomac Precinct voter register.
Articles of Incorporation are the legal documents filed with Missoula County and the State of Montana which express the interest of a company to become incorporated. Articles are arranged alphabetically by applying corporation.
The Voter Register--Potomac Precinct is arranged alphabetically. Entries contain, number of registry, date, name, age, where born, name of precinct, description of residence, certification of naturalization, and where naturalized.
In 2016 more than 230 volumes of records, which had been placed at the University of Montana in the 1960s-1980s, were deaccessioned and transferred to the Missoula County Records Center.
Records from this series contain correspondence, 1935-1940; airport construction data, 1938-1940; airport wind velocities, 1939-1940; a map of the proposed Lewis and Clark Highway; and various financial records including time books (1930-1940), tax levies (1930-1940), and a report on electrical energy consumption at the Missoula County Courthouse.
This series contains proceedings from criminal and civil court cases held under the jurisdiction of Missoula County between 1902 and 1959. Cases include: divorce proceedings, coroners' inquests, matters of deceased, general court martials, and various civil and criminal suits. The court cases are arranged chronologically.
Documents from proceedings dealing with the C. P. Higgins Estate, 1889-1903, and the Neptune Lynch Estate, 1897-1911, can be found in Series IV.
Also included are hearings with regard to protests against companies such as the Anaconda Copper Mining Company and the Clark-Montana Realty Company.
Proceedings dating 1926 to 1936 from conventions held by many area organizations, such as the Knights Templar, Masons, Missoula County Council of National Defense, Montana Bar Association, Montana Horticultural Society, Montana Laundry Owners Association, Montana School Board Association, and the Northwest Association of Sheriffs and Police are included.
Also contained in this series are speeches and addresses made by various figures from 1920 to 1948. These figures include Mayor W. H. Beacon, Jack Corette, Joseph M. Dixon, Senator Norris, Hon. T. J. Walsh, and Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Court Calendars from 1894 to 1931 are found in this series. In addition, this series contains general correspondence from the Clerk of the Court's office dating 1896 to 1937. General correspondence, 1944 to 1949, from Judge Cloyde E. Comer is also found.
Twelve bound volumes containing various data are contained within this series. These include voucher records from MacIntosh Manor, 1911 to 1915; a journal from Rosa E. Burkhart, 1921 to 1925; minutes from Los Angeles and Spokane Motor Freight, 1941 to 1947; a day book from a Ronan Lawyer, 1910 to 1916; a cash book, general ledger, statement of account, and accounts receivable from Missoula Investment Co., 1905 to 1911; and a journal, general ledger, and record of grain bought from Reservation Farm Grain Co., 1916 to 1917.
This series includes personal letters and the general correspondence of District Judge Cloyde E. Comer from 1944 to 1949.