Editing Whitefish, Montana (section)

==History==
Archaeological records indicate that native American tribes shared hunting grounds in the area, most notably the [[Kootenai]], the [[Pend d'Oreilles]], and the Bitterroot [[Salish peoples|Salish]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mantor |first=Cassidy |date=2023-10-26 |title=A History of Whitefish |url=https://www.westernhomejournal.com/flathead-valley-montana/a-history-of-whitefish/ |access-date=2024-02-28 |website=Western Home Journal |language=en-US}}</ref> The Kootenai lived in the area for more than 14,000 years, inhabiting the mountainous terrain west of the [[Continental Divide]], and traveled east of the divide for occasional buffalo hunts.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.whitefishchamber.org/history|title=History - Whitefish Chamber of Commerce, MT|website=www.whitefishchamber.org|access-date=December 30, 2020}}</ref> Though trappers, traders, and waves of westward immigrants passed through the area during the second half of the century, it wasn't until 1883 that the first permanent settler, John Morton built a cabin on the shore of [[Whitefish Lake (Montana)|Whitefish Lake]], just west of the mouth of the [[Whitefish River (Montana)|Whitefish River]]. Morton was joined by the local logging industry forefathers—including the Baker and Hutchinson brothers—in the early 1890s. Logging crews "boomed-up" their logs behind a dam built at the river mouth by the Boston & Montana Commercial Company, which, when opened, created a rush of water that helped float the logs down the river to [[Kalispell, Montana|Kalispell]].<ref name="auto1"/>

[[File:Whitefish Depot.jpg|thumb|left|230px|Whitefish Depot]]The [[Great Northern Railway (U.S.)|Great Northern Railway]] originally built its line south of Whitefish. When GN rerouted in 1904 to avoid the steep Haskell Pass, preferring a longer but more shallow route via Eureka, the development of what is now Whitefish was sparked. The town incorporated in 1905.<ref name="mhs">{{cite web |title=Whitefish|url=http://mtplacenames.org/ |website=Montana Place Names Companion |publisher=Montana Historical Society |access-date=11 April 2021}}</ref>

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 and because tree stumps were left in the streets throughout downtown.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bigskyfishing.com/Montana-Info/whitefish_history.shtm|title=Whitefish History : Online History|website=Whitefish History : Online History|access-date=December 22, 2016}}</ref> Early residents of the town worked in nearby logging industries and for the railroad.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.visitnwmontana.com/whitefish/areahistory/|title= Area history WHITEFISH Montana|publisher= Great NW Montana Promotions, LLC|access-date= October 27, 2012|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120719083346/http://www.visitnwmontana.com/whitefish/areahistory|archive-date= July 19, 2012}}</ref> Some of the town's railroad workers were injured and two died in the [[1966 Great Northern Buelow collision]], an accident that affected many in the area.<ref name="GN-Officials">{{cite news |last=Larry |first=Stem |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SmtWAAAAIBAJ&dq=Bernard+L.+Runyan&pg=PA2 |title=GN Officials Probe Causes of Montana Train Collision |work=The Spokesman-Review |location=Whitefish |date=1966-03-08 |page=6 |accessdate=2024-08-28 }}</ref>  In 2006, over 68,000 passengers embarked and disembarked through the historic [[Whitefish (Amtrak station)|Whitefish Depot]], a stop on [[Amtrak]]'s [[Empire Builder]] line,<ref>{{cite web |title= Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2006, State of Montana |url= http://www.amtrak.com/pdf/factsheets/MONTANA06.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080910055345/http://www.amtrak.com/pdf/factsheets/MONTANA06.pdf |archive-date=2008-09-10 |url-status=live |publisher= Amtrak |access-date= September 20, 2007}}</ref> with some percentage of those headed to the ski resort on [[Whitefish Mountain Resort|Big Mountain]].{{clear left}}

Skiing has been part of the Whitefish area for more than 50 years. In 1937, the ''Whitefish Lake Ski Club'' obtained a special permit from the [[U.S. Forest Service]] enabling them to build cabins and trails in the Hell Roaring Creek region. Great Falls businessmen Ed Schenck and George Prentice recognized the area's potential and, after [[World War II]], began efforts to develop a full-fledged ski resort on the mountain with local people donating labor, preparing the slopes, even giving up free time to help push through an all-weather mountain road. On December 14, 1947, Schenck, Prentice, and a thousand townsfolk stood on the newly christened ski resort's slopes to watch the brand new T-Bar lift bring their community vision to life.<ref>{{Cite web|title=A Little History of a Big Mountain {{!}} Whitefish Montana Lodging, Dining, and Official Visitor Information|url=https://explorewhitefish.com/entries/a-little-history-of-a-big-mountain/a9b38eb2-0dd9-4fac-9d6c-077f3ed75846|access-date=2020-10-24|website=explorewhitefish.com}}</ref> The [[Whitefish Mountain Resort]], built with community effort, attracted visitors.<ref>{{Cite web |last=ENGLAND |first=WHITNEY |date=2022-12-07 |title=75 years on Big Mountain: Decades of memories made at the resort that helped shape Whitefish |url=https://whitefishpilot.com/news/2022/dec/07/75-years-big-mountain-whitefish-mountain-resort-ce/ |access-date=2024-02-28 |website=Whitefish Pilot |language=en}}</ref>

The town started a curfew siren in 1919 that they called the "ding-dong ordinance". The historic siren was restored to the new city hall.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-05-24|title=Whitefish Working Out Kinks with Restored City Hall Siren|url=https://flatheadbeacon.com/2017/05/24/whitefish-working-kinks-restored-city-hall-siren/|access-date=2020-12-15|website=Flathead Beacon|language=en-US}}</ref>