Missoula, Montana is an awesome place, but don't tell anyone that wants to move here. Here's some a quick FAQ if you're curious about my favorite city in the world:

Why is Missoula called Zootown?

That's because of the way Missoula is pronounced, with a "z" sound instead of a "s" sound. Here's Google's pronunciation guide. I think the nickname Zootown is especially apt because we're a bunch of party animals over here. There's plenty of wild times at our concerts and sporting events.

The nickname Zootown or the word Zoo is used in many of our buildings, groups and businesses. There's the University of Montana's Food Zoo, the Zootown Arts Community Center and the Zootown Super Stop to name a few.

How did Missoula get its name?

According to the website destinationmissoula.org:

The first inhabitants of the Missoula area were American Indians from the Salish tribe. They called the area "Nemissoolatakoo," from which "Missoula" is derived. The word translates roughly to "river of ambush/surprise," a reflection of the inter-tribal fighting common to the area.

When was Missoula founded:

Though the earliest inhabitants of this area was 12,000 years ago, Missoula was officially founded in 1866 according to Wikipedia. I've had explored some of the older buildings in town, and it's neat to see how they're different from buildings built more recently.

Why is Missoula called the Garden City?

That's because of Missoula is better for growing crops than other areas in Montana, due to its milder climate according to Kayde E. Kaiser from the University of Montana's geography department.

What does Missoula look like?

See for yourself in the video below.

Get to Know Missoula A to Z

All about Missoula, Montana.

 

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