The Historical Museum at Fort Missoula

The Historical Museum at Fort Missoula Keeping Missoula County history alive for the education and enjoyment of thr public. Missoula County residents always receive FREE ADMISSION.
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Fort Missoula was established as a permanent military post in 1877 and built in response to requests of local townspeople and settlers for protection in the event of conflict with western Montana Indian tribes. It was intended as a major outpost for the region; however, area residents also were quite aware of the payroll, contracts, and employment opportunities Fort Missoula would provide. Fort Mi

ssoula never had walls; rather, it was an "open fort," a design common for posts located west of the Mississippi. Open forts required troops to take the offensive and actively patrol the areas to which they were assigned. Construction had barely begun when the Company Commander, Captain Charles Rawn, received orders to halt the advance of a group of non-treaty Nez Perce Indians. The Nez Perce, led by Chiefs Joseph, Looking Glass and others, simply went around the soldiers' hastily-constructed earth and log barricade in Lolo Canyon (later called "Fort Fizzle") and escaped up the Bitterroot Valley. The black 25th Infantry arrived at Fort Missoula in May 1888. See 25th Infantry to learn more. The efforts of Congressman Joseph Dixon of Missoula led to the appropriation of $1 million in 1904 to remodel Fort Missoula. A modern complex of concrete buildings with red tile roofs was constructed between 1908 and 1914, including a new Officer's Row, barracks, and Post Hospital. The fort was used as a military training center during World War I, but was almost abandoned by 1921. However, it was designated as the Northwest Regional Headquarters for the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1933. Fort Missoula was turned over to the Department of Immigration and Naturalization in 1941 for use as an alien detention center for non-military Italian and Japanese-American men. See Alien Detention for more information. The camp was used as a prison for military personnel accused of military crimes and other personnel awaiting court-martial following World War II. After the post was decommissioned in 1947, many of the buildings were sold, dismantled, and removed from the site. The majority of the land is now in the hands of non-military agencies, including the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and Missoula County (including the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula).

09/02/2026
:::FREE TO THE PUBLIC::::Friday | September 25 | 5:30P at the UC Theater Land of Gold and Heartbreak: The Struggles of J...
08/31/2026

:::FREE TO THE PUBLIC::::
Friday | September 25 | 5:30P at the UC Theater
Land of Gold and Heartbreak: The Struggles of Japanese Immigrants in the Early 20th Century
Mansfield Dialogue with journalist Paul Richter. Richter will explore the struggle of Japanese immigrants who came to America seeking opportunity but encountered exclusion, violence, and discrimination. Drawing from his new book, The Distance Between Our Names, Richter will share intimate stories of resilience, dignity, and resistance and the lessons for immigration, belonging, and American identity today. Co-sponsored by the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula in honor of their preservation of the Alien Detention Center, which wrongfully held 1,000 Japanese residents from 1941-1944.
Learn more and register in-person here: In-person Registration for September 25 Mansfield Dialogue with Paul Richter
REGISTERATION LINK IN THE COMMENTS

08/29/2026
:::AUGUST 15th| 5-7p | Kettlehouse Brewing :::Do you have a piece of Bonner/Milltown/Potomac history to share? We’re gat...
08/12/2026

:::AUGUST 15th| 5-7p | Kettlehouse Brewing :::

Do you have a piece of Bonner/Milltown/Potomac history to share?
We’re gathering stories, photos, and memorabilia for our upcoming exhibit, “We Are Missoula County.”

We’re looking for items and stories that help tell the history of Bonner, Milltown, Potomac and Greenough—from family photos and local memories to souvenirs, scrapbooks, and other pieces of our area’s past and present.

Whether you have a story to tell or just want to learn more about the history of our community, stop by and join the conversation.

📍 KettleHouse Brewing Co.

Help preserve and celebrate the history that makes our community unique.
Photo:
McKay, R.H. (Rolling Stone H.), A.C.M. Company Bonner, Montana aerial (1947). Montana History Portal, accessed 07/08/2026, https://www.mtmemory.org/nodes/view/15139

Address

3400 Captain Rawn Way, Fort
Missoula, MT
59804

Opening Hours

Tuesday 12pm - 5pm
Wednesday 12pm - 5pm
Thursday 12pm - 5pm
Friday 12pm - 5pm
Saturday 12pm - 5pm
Sunday 12pm - 5pm

Telephone

+14067283476

Website

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