Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1942-05-22
Treasure State Romance and History Bound UP
I'm the Names of Many of Its Towns and Cities

What's in name2 Thoughtlessly.
perhaps. someone will answer. Moth
ing" He undoubtedly recalls that old
saying about the rose
Not so with the names OF the towns
OF Montana. Many OF them are monu-
ments more permanent than any
carved in bronze, epitaphs more full
OF sentiment and respect than any
engraved on granite. They will stand
Throughout the ages as symbols Of that
brave patriotism, that noble loyalty
that Montana pioneers showed In their
Treasure state. They represent to us
today all the suffering and hardships
cheerfully endured by them to build
Montana into the state she Is today.
There is no subject that leads more
quickly into half-forgotten realms and
by-paths of romance than this study
of Montana names and their origin
In the past of every town. in the his
tory of every city or settlement are
to be found tales of bravery and dar-
ing, as well as appealing stories of
human weaknesses and human Pc
culiarities. Then, too. the Indians of
this country have given us many Of
our best known names and in tracing
back their origin we find old legends
and tales of ancient Indian lore
Name of RIissoula
Let us first look into the origin
of the name of MiSSoula. The most
probable theory to be forwarded Is that
the name came directly from the Flat
head word "im-i-sul- -etuki" meaning
by or near the place of fear or am
bush" This was the name given by
the Indians to the mouth of the can
yon directly east of Missoula. 1t was
so called because Of the dangers en-
countered by the Flatheads at that
point from the Blackfeet. an enemy
tribe that opposed the Flathead mi
grafton into their valley. This name
was later translated by French speak
ing Iroquois into Porte de Enfre," or
Hellgate, in English. This was given to
the small settlement of early days that
was located four miles west of Mis-
soula. Later on, when more whites in
vaded the country and the first build
ings were being erected in Missoula,
contraction Of the Indian word I'M
i-sul-e-etuki' was given to the new
settlement and as Missoula it was
known thereafter.
Red Lodge is another town whose
name was given it by the Indians. Red
Lodge was the name given by them
to the postoffice of the small settle
ment at the mouth of Red Lodge creek
which died out during the hard winter
of 1886. When the postoffice was
moved to the present site Of the town,
the name was retained by the settlers
because of its picturesqueness, and not
because Of any particular appropriate
ness.
Chinook is well known as an Indian
name. and its meaning, the warm
wind" is also familiar to most of us.
Chinook, Mont. was so named because
warm winds were so characteristic of
the climatic condition in the spring
fact after a few months residence in
their camp on the present townsite,
and Chinook was the name of the town
which grew up there.
KalispeH Also Is Indian
The name Kalispell is also familiar
as that Of a swiftly dying race of cul-
tured and highly intelligent Indians.
Those men who settled around the
shores Of F1athead lake were great
admirers of this tribe, and in honor
of its name they called the town they
built Kalispell. Another tale that is
more picturesque, but not SO probable,
is that band of Indians is said to
have lived where Kalspell is today.
Their chief had a beautiful beloved
daughter by the name of Kalispell, and
in her memory, it Is said. the white
men named their home Kalispell.
WibauX, Mont, was not the towns
original name. 1t was first called Min