Stevensville, Montana

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Stevensville, Montana
settlement_type = Town
nickname =
motto =

imagesize = 250px
image_caption = Stevensville and the Bitterroot River from Saint Mary's Peak (2005)


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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location of Stevensville, Montana


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map_caption1 =

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Montana
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Ravalli
government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title =
leader_name =
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
established_title =
established_date =

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =

area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 1.3
area_land_km2 = 1.3
area_water_km2 = 0.0
area_total_sq_mi = 0.5
area_land_sq_mi = 0.5
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 1553
population_density_km2 = 1161.5
population_density_sq_mi = 3008.3

timezone = Mountain (MST)
utc_offset = -7
timezone_DST = MDT
utc_offset_DST = -6
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 1013
elevation_ft = 3323
latd = 46 |latm = 30 |lats = 28 |latNS = N
longd = 114 |longm = 5 |longs = 36 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 59870
area_code = 406
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 30-71200
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0791505
website =
footnotes =

Stevensville is a town in Ravalli County, Montana, United States. The population was 1,553 at the 2000 census.

History

Stevensville is officially recognized as the first permanent settlement in the state of Montana. Forty-eight years before Montana became the nation’s 41st state, Stevensville was settled by Jesuit Missionaries at the request of the Bitter Root Salish Indians.

Through interactions with Iroquois Indians between 1812 and 1820, the Bitter Root Salish Indians leaned about Christianity and Jesuit Missionaries (blackrobes) that worked with Indian tribes teaching about agriculture, medicine, and religion. Interest in these “blackrobes” grew among the Salish and, in 1831, four young Salish men were dispatched to St. Louis, Missouri to request a “blackrobe” to return with them to their homeland of present day Stevensville. The four Salish men were directed to the home and office of William Clark (of Lewis and Clark fame) to make their request. At that time Clark was in charge of administering the territory they called home. Through the perils of their trip two of the Indians died at the home of General Clark. The remaining two Salish men secured a visit with St. Louis Bishop Joseph Rosati who assured them that missionaries would be sent to the Bitter Root Valley when funds and missionaries were available in the future.

Again in 1835 and 1837 the Bitter Root Salish dispatched men to St. Louis to request missionaries but to no avail. Finally in 1839 a group of Iroquois and Salish met Father Pierre Jean DeSmet in Council Bluff, IA. The meeting resulted in Fr. DeSmet promising to fulfill their request for a missionary the following year.

DeSmet arrived in present day Stevensville on September 24, 1841 and called the settlement St. Mary’s. Construction of a chapel immediately began followed by other permanent structures including log cabins and Montana’s first pharmacy.

In 1850 Major John Owen arrive in the valley and set up camp south of St. Mary’s. In time, Major Owen established a trading post and military strong point named Fort Owen, which served the settlers, Indians, and missionaries in the valley.

Both St. Mary’s Mission and Fort Owen still have permanent structures that stand today in present day Stevensville denoting its historical past starting in 1841.

The name of the settlement was changed from St. Mary's to Stevensville in 1864 to honor territorial govenor Isaac Ingle Stevens. Luther E. Stanley says "When Isaac Ingle Stevens was ordered to Fort Owen in 1853, he came to what he supposed would be a military fort but much to his surprise, it was a trading post. General Stevens, for the past year, had been in charge of military operations and Indian affairs in the Northwest Territory...he moved his government and military material to Fort Owen. This fort became the territorial capital in 1853 and served that until 1858, when Stevens was called back to active duty with the Union Army. He was killed in action in 1862 at Chantilly....Stevens laid out a new town near the ruins of St. Mary's Mission and Fort Owen...It was named Stevensville in his honor and authorized by President Lincoln on May 12, 1864."

Geography

Stevensville is located at coor dms|46|30|28|N|114|5|36|W|city (46.507836, -114.093214)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²), all of it land.

"Flanked by the Bitterroot and Sapphire mountains, the small, historic town in the Bitterroot Valley offers beautiful views, outdoor recreation and watchable wildlife." [Official State of Montana Department of Tourism, "Towns and Cities: Stevensville," http://visitmt.com/categories/city.asp?siteid=1&city=stevensville] The Bitterroot Mountain Range, just west of Stevensville, is the longest single mountain range in the Rocky Mountains.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 1,553 people, 652 households, and 385 families residing in the town. The population density was 3,008.3 people per square mile (1,153.1/km²). There were 711 housing units at an average density of 1,377.3/sq mi (527.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.52% White, 0.26% African American, 1.03% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.32% from other races, and 1.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.00% of the population.

There were 652 households out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.8% were non-families. 35.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the town the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 20.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $27,951, and the median income for a family was $34,583. Males had a median income of $29,327 versus $20,729 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,700. About 10.4% of families and 12.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.3% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.

Notable residents

*Janine Benyus, author.
*Fr. Edward Catich, author, stone-cutter, calligrapher, photographer, musician, liturgical artist, historian, lecturer and born here.
*Washington J. McCormick, United States Representative from Montana, retired to Stevensville.
*George McGovern, former United States Senator and Presidential candidate, owned a book store and made his summer home here.
*Lee Metcalf, Politician.

References

External links

* [http://www.explorethebitterroot.com/Stevensville.htm Stevensville Montana Information]
* [http://stevensvillemontana.net/ahome.html Official Website]
* [http://www.mainstreetstevensville.com/be_a_member.htm Stevensville Main Street Association]
* [http://www.fsvisimages.com/biva1/biva1.html#/ US Forest Service Stevensville Ranger Station Real Time Camera]