The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-01-20

Missoula county's history is per-
haps the most interesting of any
county history in the state 1t is
known in a general way to most
Montanans and some of the pioneers
have it at their finger ends: but
there are many to whom the follow
ing from the Inter Mountain will
convey information and to all it fur
nishes interesting reading:
There are few counties in the west
which have had SO strange history
as MissOula county, which it is now
proposed to carve up anew. A bill
is to be introduced in the legislature
at Helena dividing the county on
lines running north and west from
Selfish and erecting a new county,
with Plains as county seat. 1t has
been suggested that the new crea-
ton, which will take an area of 5000
square miles from the present 1000
accredited to Missoula take the
name of Paradise
Missoula county has already furn-
ished the territory for Flathead. Ra-
valli, Granite. Powell, Silver Bow.
Deer Lodge, and part of Lewis and
| Clarke counties, Montana. and she
has contributed to the counties of
| two other states. That would seem
| to be nearly enough, but the people
of Plains have designs on old Mis-
oh
be expected. To thoroughly under
| stand what part Missoula county has
played in the geographical reorgani-
cation of the northwest one must go
back into history a little.
Time was when all that portion of
Montana lying west of the main
range of the Rocky mountains and
now embraced in the counties men
toned in the foregoing was part of
what was known as the Oregon
country-then entirely unOrganized.
The Oregon country was claimed by
both Great Britain and the United
| States. Title was eventually settled
in the United States. it having a ma
iority of settlers in the region. Then,
after the historic squabble over the
northern boundary and the American
cry of "Fifty-four forty or fight the
northern limitations of American ter
ritory was fixed at the forty-ninth
parallel instead of $40.
| In the meantime the territory of
Oregon was organized Clark county,
| Oregon. named for the explorer was
erected. with county seat at Van
couver. on the northern bank of the
Columbia river. 1t embraced part of
western Washington. all of what is
now eastern Washington, that por-
ton of Montana lying west of the
Rocky mountains. Then the terri
tory of Washington was carved out
Of Oregon. and Clark county became
part of Washington, with the same
boundaries. Clark county, by the
way, is still county of Washington,
with it's seat still at Vancouver. Sub
sequently, Skamania county, Wash
ington territory. was erected out OF
the eastern portion of Clark county
and the county seat was moved up
the Columbia river. Then the east
ern portion was cut off to create
Walla Walla county, with the county
seat at Walla Walla- Still later the
legislature cut off Spokane county
with the county seat at old Fort Col
Vile, and We became part of Spo-
kane county Missoula county, Wash
iEgton was next created out Of Spo
kane county. and the new county
seat was established on He'll Gate
river. The territory of Idaho was
then cut off from Washington and the
new creation became Missoula coun
ty Idaho territory. Following this
Montana was created and the divi
sion was officially styled Missouls
county. Montana territory, with tht
county seat at Missoula, where it is
today. Within the boundaries of tina
old division there are now sever
counties of the state of Montana, ant
; part of the eighth. Now it is pro
; posed to create a ninth.
, TAnother point which the historian
,, has not sufficiently eXemplified Is
that old Missoula county, of which
Flathead was part, was not IN
Guided in the Louisian purchase; it
was. in fact, a portion of the ole
Astoria possessions and redeemed
from British claim-Ed. Bee.l