Editing Thompson Falls, Montana (section)

==History==
Thompson Falls was named after British explorer, geographer and fur trader [[David Thompson (explorer)|David Thompson]], who founded a [[North West Company]] [[Fur trade|fur trading]] post called [[Saleesh House]] in 1809.<ref name="mhs">{{cite web |title=Thompson Falls|url=http://mtplacenames.org/ |website=Montana Place Names Companion |publisher=Montana Historical Society |access-date=April 9, 2021}}</ref> The community is located next to natural waterfalls on the [[Clark Fork (river)|Clark Fork]] river.<ref name = "thompsonfallsdam">{{cite web|url=http://www.thompsonfallschamber.com/2013/02/thompson-falls-dam/|title=Thompson Falls Dam|access-date=July 10, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=27835|title= Profile for Thompson Falls, Montana, MT|publisher= ePodunk|access-date= October 27, 2012}}</ref><ref>[http://fwp.mt.gov/mtoutdoors/HTML/articles/2007/davidthompson.htm Incredible Journeys], Montana Outdoors</ref> 
The settlement of the [[Oregon Boundary Dispute]] in 1846, ended joint occupancy with Britain and established the border with [[British North America]] and made the region firmly American. The arrival of the railroad in 1881 brought the first real activity to the area. Two years later, when the gold rush hit nearby [[Coeur d'Alene, Idaho|Cœur d'Alene]], the town grew to accommodate the men going over the Murray Trail to the mines. In 1885 John Russell bought {{convert|40|acre|m2}} and plotted the town site.

Thompson Falls was established in 1910.<ref name="cityofthompsonfalls.com"/>

The [[Thompson Falls Dam]], in operation since 1915, was constructed atop the original falls.<ref name = "thompsonfallsdam"/>