HISTORIX Vintage 1891 Missoula Montana Map and similar items

While the region has been inhabited for thousands of years, the first European settlements in the area began in the early 1850s with the establishment of a trading post on Rattlesnake Creek by William T. Hamilton. The city would continue growing throughout the following two centuries and is now the second-largest city in Montana behind Billings. A thriving milling and lumber industry attracted immigrants from across Northern Europe, and the arrival of the Northern Pacific Railroad in 1883 spurred increased population growth, prosperity, and development. Two years after this publication, Missoula was chosen as the site for Montana’s first State University, which remains a prominent institution of higher education. Logging remained the primary economic driver throughout the twentieth century as demand for construction materials increased in major markets on the West Coast and the Midwest with the increase in industrialization. Missoula is one of the most iconic cities in Montana and has helped shape the region’s economic, cultural, and political climate. Its geographic location at the confluence of the Blackfoot and Bitterroot Rivers and the convergence of five mountains led to it coming to be known as the Hub of Five Valleys. This birds-eye perspective depicts the city in a period of significant prosperity and growth. These illustrations were widely popular during the nineteenth century and served as marketing materials to feature prominent civic features in efforts to attract residents and merchants alike. This is an authentic piece of Western American cartographical history with a distinctive aesthetic. Our museum quality giclee print comes printed with archival ink on premium heavyweight matte paper. Shipped in a sturdy cardboard tube your print will arrive ready to be framed. This eye-catching vintage map reproduction print makes the perfect gift for anyone that loves history and imagery.