A stroll through historic Missoula can leave one inspired by the past and filled with a desire to learn more about the city that first sprung up in 1860 as a trading post called Hellgate. The architecture reminds us that culture and artistry made it out West as well. The County Courthouse and spectacular 1889 St. Francis Xavier church are just down the street. Next to the river there's the Wilma Theatre, an old-style movie house that is rumored to have been the home of Twin Peaks director David Lynch. Missoula has one of the state’s most extensive listing of properties and places on the National Register of Historic Places, and the Society's records are used to detail the architecture and showcase the development of the community.
The commercial center of Missoula radiated from the intersection of Higgins Avenue and Front Street, which followed the Mullan Road. The arrival of the Northern Pacific Railroad in 1883 transformed the city and contributed to the development of Missoula’s Northside. It was in about that same year that Missoula was first referred to as “the very garden of all Montana,” which comes down today as “The Garden City.”
The old Mercantile building is also a historic staple in Missoula. Built in 1866, the Mercantile began as Missoula’s one-stop shopping center, selling everything from local groceries, furniture and hardware to wagons and farm equipment. It dominated wholesale and retail trade in the area up until the mid 1900s, and went through a number of name changes and transformations before eventually becoming a Macy’s department store and closing down in January of 2010. The building remained empty until it was purchased in 2017 and fully rebuilt into the Mercantile we know today, the Residence Inn by Marriott. While the amenities are new, the building remains rich in history and honors its past in every detail. The rebuilt Mercantile showcases architectural features and heavy timbers reclaimed from the historic former building, while local art installations connect Missoula’s past and present.View all the sights in town by taking a Historical Walking Tour and discover the historic architecture of Missoula.
