Preserving
Whitefish History
The Stumptown (Whitefish) Historical Society was founded in 1982 by a group of individuals committed to preserving the history of Whitefish, Montana and the Flathead Valley for the present and future. Since its inception the Society has grown with members from all parts of the USA and Canada.
Make a Donation
Your support is vital to preserving the rich history of Whitefish. By donating to the Stumptown Historical Society, you help us document and protect the stories, artifacts, and heritage that make our community unique. Every contribution, big or small, ensures that future generations can learn from and appreciate our shared past. Join us in safeguarding Whitefish’s history by making a donation today.
Stories of Whitefish
Whitefish Schools
The first children in the Whitefish area went to school in Columbia Falls, driven there usually by ox team, sometimes by horse or sleigh. The children were few, because pioneers tended to be young men, single or newly married, and both women and children were scarce in the earliest years.
The Memorable Year, 1910
By 1910, after five years as an incorporated town, Whitefish had 1479 people, a business district primarily along Central Avenue and Second Street, a water system, a light and power plant, telephones, some wooden sidewalks and a couple of crosswalks, some graded streets, some filled gullies.
Early Health Care Challenges
In the days before penicillin, when inoculations were something new, there were frequent epidemics and people were in continuous fear of them. In 1904 smallpox was most feared, and for many years there was a 10 foot by 12 foot “pest house” set up about where the Whitefish Lake Golf course is today.
