ABOUT STEVENSVILLE, MT
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GEOGRAPHY & CLIMATE
Stevensville, MT is located in the Bitterroot Valley, which consists of multiple cities within the 50 miles south of Missoula.
The Valley is surrounded by the Sapphire Mountains and the Bitterroot Mountains. Even though the mountains add tremendous beauty to the Bitterroot Valley, they also serve as extremely large insulation barriers which prevent extreme weather changes.
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Although there are seasonal temperature differences, even when the rest of the state of Montana experiences extreme levels of wind, snow, or heat, the cities located within these two mountain ranges, including Stevensville, rarely ever experience the extreme amounts of weather experienced by the rest of Montana. Humidity levels are extremely low.
HISTORY
The small, historic town of Stevensville was the first permanent pioneer settlement in Montana. The town was established when the Historic St. Mary's Mission was established in 1841. St. Mary's Mission still exists today as a museum and is open to the public.
POPULATION
Stevensville has a very strong sense of community among its residents. Downtown Stevensville is a very popular location in town. Main Street is lined with locally owned shops, and serves as the heartbeat of the town. There is a diverse range of small businesses and well-kept historic buildings.
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Stevensville remains a small town, with a 2,000 person population as of 2014. The median age in Stevensville was 42.3 in 2010, and 2/3 of the population were multi-member families.
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Since the pandemic began, the DMV has reported 10,000 new residents have moved to the Bitterroot Valley, so the previous census report is not up-to-date.
FAMOUS LANDMARKS & SOCIAL ATMOSPHERE
•Stevensville Private Airport- Come in and out of Montana without needing to stop at the Missoula airport.
•The Lee Metcalf Wildlife Refuge- Visitors can enjoy wildlife observation in its prime habitat, photography, hunting, fishing and environmental education
•Western Heritage Days: Every June, Stevensville celebrates its heritage with events like a parade, chuckwagon contest, and wagon rides
•The Historic St. Mary's Chapel
•Fort Owen State Park
•The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail is great for hiking and observing various plant species
•Kootenai Creek Trail is a great hike with incredibly beautiful scenery
•The Creamery Picnic: This fun community event happens every August. Join in down town for a huge picnic, BBQ contest, and beer festival
•The Scarecrow Festival- Every fall, Stevensville hosts the Scarecrow festival. Multiple scarecrows line the walkway in downtown. Friendly locals will participate in the pumpkin carving contest, give wagon rides, and have fun!
SCHOOLS
•Stevensville Public Schools educates students from kindergarten through 12th grade
•The North Valley Public Library is located in Stevensville
FAMOUS INHABITANTS
•Huey Lewis, Lead Singer of Huey Lewis and the News
•George McGovern, United States senator and presidential candidate, owned a book store and summer home in the area
•Lee Metcalf, United States congressman (1953-1961) and senator (1961-1978) from Montana
•Kathleen Meyer, author
•Janine Benyus, Author
•Anthony Ravalli, Pioneer and founder of Western U.S. Settlements