Stevensville, Montana
Encyclopedia
Stevensville is a town in Ravalli County
, Montana
, United States
. The population was 1,553 at the 2000 census.
. 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 arrived in the valley and set up camp north 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 governor 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." http://visitmt.com/categories/city.asp?SiteID=1&CityID=316
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." The Bitterroot Mountain Range, just west of Stevensville, is the longest single mountain range in the Rocky Mountains.
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 per square mile (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.
Ravalli County, Montana
-National protected areas:*Bitterroot National Forest *Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge*Lolo National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000 , there were 36,070 people, 14,289 households, and 10,188 families residing in the county. The population density was 15 people per square mile...
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 1,553 at the 2000 census.
History
Stevensville is officially recognized as the first permanent settlement in the state of MontanaMontana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
. 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
Lewis and Clark Expedition
The Lewis and Clark Expedition, or ″Corps of Discovery Expedition" was the first transcontinental expedition to the Pacific Coast by the United States. Commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson and led by two Virginia-born veterans of Indian wars in the Ohio Valley, Meriwether Lewis and William...
) 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
Joseph Rosati
Joseph Rosati was a U.S. Catholic bishop. He served as the first Bishop of the Diocese of Saint Louis between 1826 and 1843....
who assured them that missionaries would be sent to the Bitter Root Valley
Bitterroot Valley
The Bitterroot Valley is located in southwestern Montana in the northwestern United States. It extends over 100 miles from remote Horse Creek Pass north to a point near the city of Missoula...
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 arrived in the valley and set up camp north 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 governor Isaac Ingle Stevens
Isaac Stevens
Isaac Ingalls Stevens was the first governor of Washington Territory, a United States Congressman, and a brigadier general in the Union Army during the American Civil War until his death at the Battle of Chantilly...
. 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." http://visitmt.com/categories/city.asp?SiteID=1&CityID=316
Geography
Stevensville is located at 46°30′28"N 114°5′36"W (46.507836, -114.093214).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, 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." The Bitterroot Mountain Range, just west of Stevensville, is the longest single mountain range in the Rocky Mountains.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,553 people, 652 households, and 385 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
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 per square mile (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
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 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
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
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
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
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 BenyusJanine BenyusJanine M. Benyus is an American natural sciences writer, innovation consultant, and author.-Life:Benyus graduated summa cum laude from Rutgers University with degrees in natural resource management and english literature/writing. Benyus teaches interpretive writing, lectures at the University of...
, author. - Fr. Edward CatichEdward CatichFather Edward M. Catich was an American Roman Catholic priest, teacher, and calligrapher. He is noted for the fullest development of the thesis that the inscribed Imperial Roman capitals of the Augustan age and after owed their form wholly to the use of the flat brush, rather than to the...
, authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, stone-cutterStone carvingStone carving is an ancient activity where pieces of rough natural stone are shaped by the controlled removal of stone. Owing to the permanence of the material, evidence can be found that even the earliest societies indulged in some form of stone work....
, calligrapher, photographer, musicianMusicianA musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, liturgical artistArtistAn artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
, historianHistorianA historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
, lecturerLecturerLecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
and born here. - Washington J. McCormickWashington J. McCormickWashington Jay Mccormick, Jr. was a U.S. Representative from Montana.Born in Missoula, Montana, Mccormick attended the University of Montana and the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. He is named after his father, Washington J. McCormick, a prominent Missoula citizen...
, United States Representative from Montana, retired to Stevensville. - George McGovernGeorge McGovernGeorge Stanley McGovern is an historian, author, and former U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator, and the Democratic Party nominee in the 1972 presidential election....
, former United States Senator and Presidential candidate, owned a book store and made his summer home here. - Lee MetcalfLee MetcalfLee Warren Metcalf was an American politician of the Democratic Party and was a United States Representative, and a United States Senator from Montana....
, Politician. - Anthony Ravalli, Jesuit pioneer and founder of western US settlements
- Fred A. ThomasFred A. ThomasFred A. Thomas was a politician in the State of Montana.-Biography:Thomas was born on May 26, 1865 in Potosi, Wisconsin and died on June 12, 1958 in Stevensville, Montana. His grandson, also named Fred, would serve in the Montana State Senate.-References:...
, Politician.