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Kalispell

Ql̓ispé
kqayaqawakⱡuʔnam
Kalispell looking northeast toward Glacier National Park from Lone Pine State Park
Kalispell looking northeast toward Glacier National Park from Lone Pine State Park
Location of Kalispell, Montana
Location of Kalispell, Montana
Country United States
State Montana
County Flathead
Area
 • City 12.50 sq mi (32.38 km2)
 • Land 12.42 sq mi (32.16 km2)
 • Water 0.08 sq mi (0.22 km2)
Elevation
2,956 ft (901 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • City 24,558
 • Density 1,977.29/sq mi (763.62/km2)
 • Metro
104,357
Time zone UTC−7 (Mountain (MST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC−6 (MDT)
ZIP codes
59901-59904
Area code(s) 406
FIPS code 30-40075
GNIS feature ID 0785622

Kalispell ( Montana Salish: Ql̓ispé, Kutenai language: kqayaqawakⱡuʔnam) is a city in, and the county seat of, Flathead County, Montana, United States. The 2020 census put Kalispell's population at 24,558. In Montana's northwest region, it is the largest city, and the commercial center, of the Kalispell Micropolitan Statistical Area. The name Kalispell is a Salish word meaning "flat land above the lake".

History

Kalispell Main Street Historic District sign on Main St
Main Street, Kalispell

Working using his own capital, Charles Edward Conrad, a businessman and banker from Fort Benton, Montana, formed the Kalispell Townsite Company with three other men. The townsite was quickly platted and lots began selling by the spring of 1891. Conrad built a large mansion in Kalispell in 1895. Kalispell was officially incorporated as a city in 1892. Since that time, the city of Kalispell has continued to grow in population reaching 19,927 in 2010. As the largest city in Northwest Montana, Kalispell serves as the county seat and commercial center of Flathead County. The city is considered a secondary trade center with a trade area of approximately 130,000. The city also is home to Kalispell Regional Medical Center, which boasts a 150-bed facility.

Nestled in the Flathead valley, Kalispell is 31 miles (50 km) from Glacier National Park and 22 miles (35 km) from Hungry Horse Dam. Skiers have access to Whitefish Mountain Resort on Big Mountain and Blacktail Mountain Ski Area each 17 miles (27 km) away. Flathead Lake is 7 miles (11 km) away. Buffalo Hill Golf Club, designed by Robert Muir Graves, serves the needs of golfers.

The tribal schools nearby offer classes in the Kalispel–Spokane–Flathead language, a language nest, and intensive language training for adults. There is a Salish language school and training center in Arlee, Montana.

Geography and climate

Kalispell is located at 48°11′52″N 114°18′58″W / 48.19778°N 114.31611°W / 48.19778; -114.31611 (48.197801, −114.316068), at an altitude of 2,956 feet (901 m).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.73 square miles (30.38 km2), of which, 11.64 square miles (30.15 km2) is land and 0.09 square miles (0.23 km2) is water.

Kalispell is located 7 miles (11 km) north of Flathead Lake, which is the largest natural freshwater lake in the continental United States west of the Mississippi River.

Kalispell experiences a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk), with long, cold and moderately snowy winters, hot and dry summers, and short springs and autumns in between. Nights are much cooler than daytime highs. Snow usually occurs from late October/early November to March.

Climate data for Kalispell, Montana (1981–2010 normals)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 56
(13)
64
(18)
73
(23)
85
(29)
95
(35)
102
(39)
104
(40)
105
(41)
99
(37)
86
(30)
69
(21)
58
(14)
105
(41)
Average high °F (°C) 29.1
(−1.6)
36.0
(2.2)
45.6
(7.6)
56.1
(13.4)
65.1
(18.4)
72.0
(22.2)
81.4
(27.4)
81.4
(27.4)
69.9
(21.1)
54.9
(12.7)
39.6
(4.2)
29.7
(−1.3)
55.1
(12.8)
Average low °F (°C) 14.4
(−9.8)
18.2
(−7.7)
25.1
(−3.8)
31.2
(−0.4)
38.5
(3.6)
44.5
(6.9)
48.0
(8.9)
46.5
(8.1)
38.4
(3.6)
29.4
(−1.4)
24.0
(−4.4)
15.8
(−9.0)
31.2
(−0.4)
Record low °F (°C) −38
(−39)
−36
(−38)
−29
(−34)
−8
(−22)
17
(−8)
26
(−3)
30
(−1)
30
(−1)
7
(−14)
−4
(−20)
−28
(−33)
−35
(−37)
−38
(−39)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 1.33
(34)
.96
(24)
1.08
(27)
1.24
(31)
1.97
(50)
2.56
(65)
1.44
(37)
.99
(25)
1.39
(35)
1.01
(26)
1.42
(36)
1.60
(41)
17.00
(432)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 13.4
(34)
8.5
(22)
5.7
(14)
1.9
(4.8)
.2
(0.51)
.3
(0.76)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
1.0
(2.5)
8.9
(23)
15.7
(40)
55.8
(142)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 13.7 10.8 11.8 10.7 12.4 12.5 7.7 7.3 8.2 9.3 13.0 14.4 131.8
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 10.5 7.8 5.0 2.5 .3 .1 0 0 0 1.2 7.1 11.1 45.6
Source: NOAA (extremes 1899–present), The Weather Channel

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1890 1,000
1900 2,526 152.6%
1910 5,549 119.7%
1920 5,147 −7.2%
1930 6,094 18.4%
1940 8,425 38.3%
1950 9,737 15.6%
1960 10,151 4.3%
1970 10,526 3.7%
1980 10,648 1.2%
1990 11,917 11.9%
2000 14,223 19.4%
2010 19,927 40.1%
2020 24,558 23.2%
source:
U.S. Decennial Census:

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 19,927 people, 8,638 households, and 4,944 families living in the city. The population density was 1,711.9 inhabitants per square mile (661.0/km2). There were 9,379 housing units at an average density of 805.8 per square mile (311.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.2% White, 0.2% African American, 1.3% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.6% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.9% of the population.

Of the 8,638 households, 30.8% had children under the age of 18, 40.4% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female family head with no husband present, 4.8% had a male family head with no wife present, and 42.8% were not classified as family units. 35.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.4% were individuals 65 years old or older. The average household size was 2.26, and the average family size was 2.94.

The median age in the city was 34.5 years. 25.1% of residents were under 18; 9.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.2% were between the ages of 25 to 44; 22.7% were between the ages 45 to 64, and 14.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.3% male and 52.7% female.

Transportation

Kalispell is at the intersection of U.S. Routes 2 and 93. Commercial air service is offered at Glacier Park International Airport, approximately 8 miles (13 km) northeast of Kalispell off U.S. Route 2 between Kalispell and Columbia Falls.

Kalispell City Airport, in the southern part of the city, offers general aviation service.

Amtrak's Empire Builder service between Chicago and either Seattle, Washington, or Portland, Oregon, is available in Whitefish, approximately 15 miles (24 km) north.

Eagle Transit, an agency of Flathead County, offers local transit service within and connecting Kalispell, Columbia Falls and Whitefish, as well as paratransit demand-responsive service.

Agriculture

As of July 2014, one of Montana's last mint farms, growing peppermint and spearmint, is located near Kalispell.

Economy

Top employers

According to the City's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019, the top employers in the city are:

# Employer Number of employees
1 Logan Health Medical Center 1,000+
2 Weyerhaeuser (formerly Plum Creek Manufacturing) 8 7 500 to 999
3 Health Center Northwest 250 to 499
4 Applied Materials/Semitool 250 to 499
5 TeleTech 250 to 499
6 Glacier Bank 250 to 499
7 Whitefish Mountain Resort 250 to 499
8 Super 1 Foods 250 to 499
9 Walmart 250 to 499
10 Logan Health - Whitefish 250 to 499

Source: Montana Department of Labor & Industries

Kalispell is home to the headquarters of the Montana Rifle Company.

Education

Kalispell has a public library, a branch of the Flathead County Library. There are two high schools in Kalispell, Flathead High School and Glacier High School, along with Flathead Valley Community College.

Notable people

  • Ruth Anderson, composer
  • James E. Atwater, retired chemist and geophysicist
  • Chuck Baldwin, Constitution Party presidential candidate
  • Brad Bird, Academy Award-winning director of animated films and television programs
  • Asta Bowen, author
  • Robert Bray, film and television actor
  • Jaime Clarke, novelist and editor
  • John Corapi, a former Catholic priest and speaker
  • Shane Bitney Crone, activist, filmmaker, writer, speaker for LGBT rights
  • William Cumming, 20th-century artist and founder of Northwest School
  • Rick Dennison, offensive coordinator of NFL's Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos
  • John Edward Erickson, governor of Montana
  • George Everett, American accountant, real estate broker, and politician
  • Frank Garner, former chief of police, security consultant, and politician
  • Flip Gordon, professional wrestler
  • Robin Lee Graham, circumnavigated the world at age 16
  • Frank Hagel, painter and sculptor
  • Tanner Hall, professional skier, Winter X-Games gold medalist in Slope-Style, Big Air and half-pipe
  • T. J. Hileman, photographer of Glacier National Park
  • Lex Hilliard, NFL player, New York Jets fullback
  • Dorothy M. Johnson, noted author of Western fiction
  • Amanda Kimmel, Survivor: China, Micronesia, and Heroes vs. Villains contestant
  • Tim Koleto, Olympic figure skater
  • Brad Ludden, professional kayaker
  • Sam McCullum, former NFL player
  • Dylan McFarland, former Buffalo Bills offensive lineman
  • Mary Oppen, activist, photographer, wife of George Oppen
  • Brock Osweiler, quarterback for Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns
  • Daniel Parker, sculptor and painter
  • Charlotte Pendragon, magician/entertainer
  • Eugene H. Peterson, author of The Message, a contemporary rendition of the Bible
  • Shadi Petosky, author and television producer
  • Ace Powell, painter and sculptor
  • Margaret Qualley, actress
  • Keith Regier, educator, businessman and politician
  • Matt Regier, businessman and politician
  • Mike Reilly, NFL quarterback, CFL quarterback, BC Lions, Edmonton Eskimos
  • Alice Ritzman, former LPGA golf professional
  • Monsignor Alexander King Sample, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Portland, Oregon
  • Robert Burns Smith, governor of Montana
  • Thatcher Szalay, former Seattle Seahawks offensive lineman
  • Misty Upham (1982-2014), actress
  • The von Trapps, singers
  • Michelle Williams, actress

See also

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