Whitefish, Montana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Whitefish
City
Looking north from downtown Whitefish
Seal
Motto(s):  "Montana's outdoor recreation playground"
Location of Whitefish, Montana
Country	United States
State	Montana
County	Flathead
Area
• Total	12.32 sq mi (31.92 km2)
• Land	6.95 sq mi (18.00 km2)
• Water	5.37 sq mi (13.91 km2)
Elevation	3,028 ft (923 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	7,751
• Density	1,115.25/sq mi (430.61/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain (MST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
ZIP code	59937
Area code(s)	406 Exchanges: 862,863
FIPS code	30-79825
GNIS feature ID	0793219

Whitefish (Salish: epɫx̣ʷy̓u, "has whitefish") is a town in Flathead County, Montana, United States. According to the 2020 United States Census, there were 7,751 people in the town.

History

Whitefish Depot

The Great Northern Railway was built through what is now Whitefish in 1904, which sparked development of the town. The area was originally known as Stumptown due to the abundant amount of timber that had to be cleared to build the town and railroad. Early residents of the town worked for the railroad and nearby logging industries. By the late 1940s, with the successful construction of a ski resort on Big Mountain (a collaboration between outside developers and local businessmen) the tourism sector was becoming increasingly important. The community was named for its location near Whitefish Lake.

In 2006, over 68,000 passengers embarked and disembarked through the historic Whitefish Depot, a stop on Amtrak's Empire Builder line, with some percentage of those being headed to the ski resort on Big Mountain.

In December 2016, the neo-Nazi and white supremacist website The Daily Stormer published a list of six local Jews in the city along with their personal information, claiming that they were harming the business of Richard Spencer's mother and asking readers to "take action" against them. Whitefish police increased local patrols, and monitored Internet activity; Montana politicians and community groups responded with various efforts to focus attention on the question of antisemitism. On Dec. 28, 2016, Spencer indicated that he did not want to bring ongoing national attention to Whitefish with his political views, and an offer was made to call off a proposed anti-Jewish armed march in the town. The march was postponed because the proper permitting materials were not submitted and the required fee was not paid.

Geography

Whitefish is located at 48°14′42″N 114°20′24″W / 48.24500°N 114.34000°W / 48.24500; -114.34000 (48.411772, -114.339865), at an altitude of 3,028 feet (923 m). The town is located on the western side of the continental divide, near Glacier National Park.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.80 square miles (30.56 km²), of which, 6.43 square miles (16.65 km²) is land and 5.37 square miles (13.91 km²) is water.

Climate

This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Whitefish has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.

Demographics

View from the top of Big Mountain, near Whitefish, in winter

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 6,357 people, 2,982 households, and 1,562 families living in the city. The population density was 988.6 inhabitants per square mile (381.7/km²). There were 4,086 housing units at an average density of 635.5 per square mile (245.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.8% White, 0.5% African American, 0.8% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.3% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.8% of the population.

There were 2,982 households, of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.1% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 47.6% were non-families. 36.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10, and the average family size was 2.77.

The median age in the city was 40.1 years. 19.6% of residents were under 18; 7.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 30.2% were from 25 to 44; 28.9% were from 45 to 64, and 14.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.3% male and 49.7% female.

2019 American Community Survey Estimate

As of 2019, according to the Census' American Community Survey estimates, of 2019, there were 7,714 people, 3,332 households in the city. The median age was 41 years old. The median yearly salary was 52,037 dollars, the home average value was 364,500 dollars, 54.7% had a college degree, and 9.5% were veterans who served in wartime higher than the national average. The population was 97% White, 2% Hispanic, and 1% Native American.

Arts and culture

Annual cultural events

Huckleberry Days Arts Festival is an annual arts festival featuring 100 artists and food vendors. The event includes a huckleberry dessert bake-off contest.

The Taste of Whitefish is an annual event that has been held for more than twenty-five years. The event features over twenty-five restaurants, caterers and beverage companies offering samples of their specialties.

The World Indoor Golf Championship has been held in Whitefish for over sixteen years and is a 9-hole "miniature golf" tournament in downtown Whitefish.

Museums and other points of interest

• Whitefish Mountain Resort
• Stumptown Historical Society Museum
• Great Northern Brewing Company
• Alpine Theatre Project
• Whitefish Theatre Company

Recreation

In 2018 Whitefish will host the annual convention of the National Speleological Society.

Infrastructure

Medical

The Kalispell Regional Medical Center is the county's largest hospital and serves the area.

North Valley Hospital is a private nonprofit general medicine and surgical Critical Access Hospital located in Whitefish and is affiliated with Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

Transportation

US 93 through Whitefish

U.S. Route 93 and MT 40 run through Whitefish. Commercial airline service is available at Glacier Park International Airport along U.S. Route 2.

The Whitefish Amtrak station is served by Amtrak's Chicago–Portland/Seattle Empire Builder, as well as intercity buses to Kalispell and Missoula. The station is Amtrak's busiest in Montana. The Whitefish Amtrak station is owned by Stumptown Historical Society and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.

Arts, culture and sports

Whitefish is known for its environmentalism, with an extensive system of protected trails and forests designed to purify the town's water. It has been ranked one of the top places for skiing in the United States. The town has been labeled as a "model of resistance" against hate and racism.

Annual cultural events

Huckleberry Days Arts Festival is an annual arts festival featuring 100 artists and food vendors. The event includes a huckleberry dessert bake-off contest.

The Taste of Whitefish is an annual event that has been held for more than twenty-five years. The event features over twenty-five restaurants, caterers and beverage companies offering samples of their specialties.

The Whitefish Winter Carnival is an annual winter festival celebrating winter topics with a parade, "penguin plunge" into Whitefish Lake, and snow sculptures. It is held the first weekend in February each year.

Under the Big Sky Music Festival takes place annually in Whitefish. The festival explores the breadth and legacy of America, with both traditional and contemporary takes on America's rich musical traditions, across two stages in naturally formed amphitheaters on a local ranch.

The Whitefish Arts Festival (WAF) occurs over the 4th of July weekend and is a tradition going back over forty years. It is a favorite throughout the Northwest and maintains a long tradition of high-quality arts and fine crafts. Artists from across the country are represented in the WAF. Metal sculptures, paintings and photography, woodworking, pottery, jewelry, clothing, and home decorations are just some of the featured fine arts. All of the art is handmade.

The annual Whitefish Trail Hootenanny occurs in downtown Whitefish to celebrate and support the public land and trails that ring the town. It includes live music and local culinary specialties to raise funds to protect public land.

Every year Whitefish hosts a songwriter retreat called Nashville Heads West. This retreat brings Nashville-based songwriters to Whitefish to River Meadow Ranch for one week of writing songs with the added inspiration "of being under Montana’s big sky."

Whitefish sports

The Whitefish Trail Legacy Run is an annual ultra trail race to celebrate the unique public trail system. It includes a 50-kilometer ultra-marathon and a 1/2 marathon, a 10-kilometer, and a 5-kilometer race. It takes place in the first week of October in conjunction with the Oktoberfest celebration.

The World Indoor Golf Championship has been held in Whitefish for over sixteen years and is a 9-hole "miniature golf" tournament in downtown Whitefish.

The Glacier Challenge is a six-leg, multi-sport relay covering 50 miles of Montana. The race features six legs of running, biking, canoeing, and kayaking covering almost 50 miles in and around Whitefish. A triathlon has recently been added to include the first three legs of the Glacier Challenge. Participants enter as a solo team, partner duo, or group team. The 50 miles race consists of an 8-mile run, kayak, road bike, mountain bike, canoe, and 3.1-mile run. There are also food vendors, activities for children, and music.

Education

The Whitefish School District serves Whitefish. Schools in the district include Muldown Elementary School, Whitefish Middle School. Whitefish High School and Whitefish Independent High School. Whitefish School District offers students K-12 a wide range of academic supplements, for example, online Virtual High School and dual credit opportunity through Flathead Valley Community College. Whitefish High School is known as the Bulldogs.

Whitefish High School is home to numerous state championship teams; the most recent is the girls' cross country team. They have won four consecutive titles. Other state athletic accomplishments have been made in football, girls' and boys' golf, volleyball, boys' and girls' basketball, boys' and girls' track and field, girls' softball, boys' and girls' tennis, speech, and debate.

Whitefish Community Library is a public library in the town.

Notable people

• David Booth, professional hockey player, now lives in Whitefish, originally from Washington, MI
• Bob Brown, Montana Secretary of State
• Murray Craven, former NHL player
• Adrianne Curry-Rhode, former model, actress, first season winner of America's Next Top Model in 2003
• Edward J. DeBartolo Jr., owner of the San Francisco 49ers
• Pat Donovan, former Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman, now lives in Whitefish, originally from Helena
• Sierra Fellers, professional skateboarder, born in Whitefish
• David Graham, retired professional golfer
• Steve Howe, former MLB pitcher
• Dorothy M. Johnson, Western author
• Gary Knopp, member of the Alaska House of Representatives
• Ross M. Lence, political scientist and author
• Frank B. Morrison, Jr., Montana Supreme Court justice
• John Morrison, Montana state auditor
• Terry Moulton, Wisconsin politician
• Jake Sanderson, professional hockey player
• Brian Schweitzer, Governor of Montana
• Richard B. Spencer, white supremacist
• Ethan Thompson, lead vocalist of Ocean Park Standoff
• Constance Towers, singer and actress
• Maggie Voisin, freestyle skier
• Ryan Zinke, former United States Secretary of the Interior

See also

In Spanish: Whitefish (Montana) para niños